Within the framework of the European PEATLESS project, Cesens is developing a digital sensing system designed to monitor new substrates as alternatives to peat. The solution is intended for use in mushroom cultivation as well as in ornamental plant production and horticultural nurseries.
Last week, coinciding with the start of a new mushroom growing cycle at the facilities of CTICH, the project coordinator, a preliminary installation of sensors was carried out under real production conditions. This first deployment was conceived as a test bench to define the technical specifications of the final system.
Measurement technologies under evaluation
"In this initial trial, different technologies for measuring moisture, temperature and electrical conductivity were tested, with the aim of comparing their performance in a particularly complex environment," the project team explains. The growing rooms are characterized by a surface casing layer of around 5 cm, applied during the final fruiting phase to promote mushroom development.
© Cesens
Specifically, the trial is assessing capacitive sensors, widely used due to their low power consumption and ease of integration; sensors based on electromagnetic techniques with a larger measurement volume, capable of averaging a greater amount of substrate; and sensors using frequency domain reflectometry, which allow a more detailed characterization of water content and electrical conductivity.
In parallel, 2 installation configurations have been implemented: vertical insertion from the surface and lateral buried placement. The goal is to analyze how installation geometry affects the stability and representativeness of the readings.
"The data collected throughout the full month of testing will allow us to select the most suitable technologies, define installation criteria and begin adjusting calibration equations specific to the new peat free substrates that will be developed within the project."
The key challenge: casing layers and telecommunications
Beyond sensor performance, these early trials have proven essential for identifying the main technical challenges that will shape the final system design. The most critical issue relates to data transmission.
Many mushroom production halls function much like cold storage chambers built with sandwich panels, creating a strong electromagnetic shielding effect comparable to a Faraday cage. "This significantly limits the coverage of conventional communication systems such as GSM, making it difficult to transmit data from inside the growing rooms to our servers."
© Cesens
As a result, the project is evaluating communication alternatives with greater penetration capacity, including LoRaWAN networks supported by intermediate repeaters. The objective is to ensure robust, continuous and energy efficient communication in these enclosed environments.
Other factors, such as high ambient humidity and the absence of natural light, are also being considered as key design variables to ensure the long term reliability of the equipment.
Next steps
As the trial progresses and a longer time series of data becomes available, technical decisions will be consolidated to define a sensing solution tailored to new peat free substrates. This approach is fully aligned with the sustainability and digitalization goals of the PEATLESS project.
© CesensFor more information:
Cesens
Calle Lérida 10, bajo,
26006 Logroño, La Rioja, Spain
[email protected]
https://www.cesens.es
