Articles
COMPUTER APPLICATIONS AND “PHYTOTECHNOLOGY” IN HORTICULTURE
Article number
519_1
Pages
19 – 36
Language
Abstract
One of the biggest challenges of the 21st century will be to further develop sustainable agricultural production systems that can meet the food, feed, and fiber demands of the world’s population without harming the environment.
Agricultural systems have been recognized as non-linear, large-scale, complex systems that change over time.
Even though such complex systems are involved, a maximum effort in horticulture will be required to meet the challenging and critical needs of the new technologies required to implement sustainable agriculture.
The most promising approach is to develop effective and practical ways to integrate horticultural systems.
This is what we call ‘phytotechnology’. Horticulture involves many engineering components that can be integrated into a partially self-operating system.
Such system integration requires the application of many basic aspects of engineering, including modeling, sensing, monitoring, controlling, actuating (mechanizing, automating, and robotization), and decision making.
System integration can optimize every aspect of the process of horticultural production.
It can reduce energy loss, waste discharge, agrochemical use, labor, and time, if the system is properly designed with the appropriate hardware and software.
Obviously, computers play an essential role in such horticultural systems.
Many studies of computer applications in horticulture have been completed and many more are in progress.
In this article, we discuss progress in modeling, control, DSS, and automation in horticulture.
An interesting aspect of computer applications in horticulture from a phytotechnological viewpoint is also introduced
Agricultural systems have been recognized as non-linear, large-scale, complex systems that change over time.
Even though such complex systems are involved, a maximum effort in horticulture will be required to meet the challenging and critical needs of the new technologies required to implement sustainable agriculture.
The most promising approach is to develop effective and practical ways to integrate horticultural systems.
This is what we call ‘phytotechnology’. Horticulture involves many engineering components that can be integrated into a partially self-operating system.
Such system integration requires the application of many basic aspects of engineering, including modeling, sensing, monitoring, controlling, actuating (mechanizing, automating, and robotization), and decision making.
System integration can optimize every aspect of the process of horticultural production.
It can reduce energy loss, waste discharge, agrochemical use, labor, and time, if the system is properly designed with the appropriate hardware and software.
Obviously, computers play an essential role in such horticultural systems.
Many studies of computer applications in horticulture have been completed and many more are in progress.
In this article, we discuss progress in modeling, control, DSS, and automation in horticulture.
An interesting aspect of computer applications in horticulture from a phytotechnological viewpoint is also introduced
Authors
H. Murase
Keywords
Phytotechnology, Computers, Automation, Robotics, Systems Approach, Plant Production, Phytotronics, Control, Information Technology
Online Articles (29)