CIT 12-Control of Crops

Optimal Control for a Crop Model

ED – Engineering Sciences

Chair of Automatic Control Engineering

Optimal Control, Optimization

BiologyComputer EngineeringComputer ScienceComputer Science/ InformaticsElectrical EngineeringHorticultural SciencesMechanical EngineeringSustainability

Planned project location:

Technical University of Munich
Building N5
Theresienstraße 90
80333 München

Michael

Fink

michael.fink@tum.de

+49 89 289 23421

Annalena

Daniels

a.daniels@tum.de

+49 89 289 23415

In this research project, we work at the interface of agriculture and systems and control theory. The goal is to apply and further develop known control and optimization methods to the application example of a growing crop to contribute to a sustainable and secure future.

In this context, vertical farms are a promising approach to address problems such as food security, but they are associated with several problems, such as enormous energy consumption [1]. This can be reduced by optimizing inputs but requires a good knowledge of the very complex system, which includes not only the environment but also the plants themselves.
In the environment of a vertical farm, it is possible to control parameters such as light, temperature, and water. In this way, the inputs of the system can be controlled, energy costs minimized, and yield maximized with an optimal control approach.

For this reason, optimal control of plants to minimize energy costs and maximize yield is beneficial in a closed environment. To this end, this project models plant growth using the SIMPLE model [2].

Depending on the student's study background, interests and abilities, the topic can be adapted in the process:
The goal of this project will be to numerically optimize plant growth and apply the optimized temperature, water, and light trajectories to a real plant. The focus can be on the development and adaptation of suitable environmental models and even further plant models. It is also possible to focus on concept development of principles for better use of resources, for example by partially opening the closed environment to rain/sun/etc... Alternatively, different control and optimization methods can be compared and applied.

Information for students majoring in biology or similar: basic programming skills and a very good mathematical understanding of systems and differential equations are required for this project. However, we encourage you to apply if you are interested, as the project can also be adapted to some extent.

Information for students with a purely technical background: A basic biological understanding of plants is an advantage, but depending on the project focus, this can also be developed in the course of the project.

Bibliography:
[1] Senthold Asseng, Jose R Guarin, Mahadev Raman, et al. Wheat yield potential in controlled-environment vertical farms.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(32):19131–19135, 2020

[2] C. Zhao, B. Liu, L. Xiao, G. Hoogenboom, K. J. Boote, B. T. Kassie, W. Pavan, V. Shelia, K. S.Kim, I. M. Hernandez-Ochoa,et al., “A SIMPLE crop model,”European Journal of Agronomy,vol. 104, pp. 97–106, 2019.

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2 years of bachelor studies completed

- Basic knowledge of systems or control theory
- Good mathematical knowledge (for example basic math classes in a Bachelor's degree)
- Basic programming skills in Python or Matlab are required - good programming skills in Python are an advantage
- Basic biological understanding of plants is an advantage