AutoNutri – Smart nutrient monitoring for sustainable hydroponics

The AutoNutri project aims to develop an innovative system for on-site monitoring and automated control of nutrients in hydroponic cultivation systems. The focus is on optimizing closed vertical hydroponic systems through precise, feedback-controlled fertilizer dosing.

By utilizing modern sensor technology, AutoNutri enables a demand-based nutrient supply, thereby improving plant growth while simultaneously reducing environmental impact. In particular, the release of excess nutrients into water bodies is minimized.

Vertical farming and closed hydroponic systems are considered key technologies for sustainable food production.

Nevertheless, challenges remain regarding:

• efficient use of nutrients,
• prevention of environmental impact,
• and continuous process monitoring.

AutoNutri addresses these challenges by developing an automated multi-ion monitoring system that:

• analyzes nutrient composition in real time,
• adaptively controls fertilization,
• enables nutrient solution regeneration.

The goal is resource-efficient and environmentally friendly plant production.

The system is based on a combination of sensor technology, microfluidics, and automated process control:

• Ion-selective sensors for the direct potentiometric determination of relevant nutrient ions
• A microfluidic system for automated sampling
• Feedback-controlled regulation of nutrient supply
• Integration into a closed-loop system

The selection of monitored ions is based on the specific requirements of selected crop plants.

The BMBF is kindly acknowledged for funding the work within the IGSTC 2+2 program in the project AUTONUTRI, under grant number IGSTC_IND19IGZ1-28.