IoT-Based Soil Moisture Monitoring System for Chilli Plants Using ESP32 with

Desktop and Mobile Application

Erlysa Laylatul Khotimah1, Rahma Aprilia Putri2, Raya Aury Winata3

1
Department of Instrumentation Engineering, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Surabaya, Indonesia
2
Department of Instrumentation Engineering, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Surabaya, Indonesia
3
Department of Instrumentation Engineering, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Surabaya, Indonesia

Article Info ABSTRACT

Article history: Chilli cultivation, a vital agricultural activity in many regions, is highly
susceptible to inadequate watering. Both under-watering and over-watering
Received month dd, yyyy can significantly impede plant growth, reduce yield, and compromise overall
Revised month dd, yyyy plant health. Traditional methods of monitoring soil moisture are often labor-
Accepted month dd, yyyy intensive, imprecise, and lack real-time feedback, leading to inefficient water
usage and potential crop loss [1]. This paper proposes an Internet of Things
(IoT)-based soil moisture monitoring system specifically designed for
chilli plants, leveraging the capabilities of the ESP32 microcontroller [2].
Keywords: The system integrates a capacitive soil moisture sensor to accurately
Internet of Things measure real-time moisture levels. Data collected by the ESP32 is transmitted
wirelessly to a centralized cloud platform, enabling continuous monitoring
Soil Moisture, Chilli Plants and analysis [3]. To ensure accessibility and user-friendliness, the system
Precision Agriculture, Smart features a dual-interface approach: a desktop application for comprehensive
Farming data visualization, historical analysis, and advanced reporting, and a mobile
Wireless Sensor Network application for on-the-go monitoring, alerts, and remote control capabilities
Real-time Monitoring [4]. This integrated solution aims to provide farmers with precise insights into
their chilli plants' hydration needs, facilitating informed irrigation decisions,
optimizing water consumption, and ultimately enhancing chilli plant growth
and productivity.

1. INTRODUCTION
Agriculture faces persistent challenges in optimizing resource utilization, particularly water, which is critical for
sustainable crop production. In tropical and subtropical climates, chilli (Capsicum annuum) is a staple crop that requires precise
environmental conditions, especially consistent soil moisture, to thrive. Imbalances in soil moisture – either excessive dryness
or saturation – can lead to stunted growth, increased susceptibility to diseases, and reduced fruit quality and quantity [5].
Conventional farming practices often rely on manual observation or timed irrigation schedules, which frequently result in either
water wastage due to over-irrigation or plant stress from under-irrigation.
The advent of the Internet of Things (IoT) presents a transformative opportunity to address these challenges in precision
agriculture [6]. IoT technology enables the deployment of interconnected sensors and devices that can collect real-time
environmental data, including soil moisture, temperature, and humidity, without human intervention [7]. The ESP32, a powerful
and cost-effective microcontroller with integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities, has emerged as an ideal platform for
developing such smart agricultural systems [2], [8]. Its low power consumption and robust processing power make it well-
suited for continuous data acquisition in remote farming environments.
This research focuses on developing a comprehensive IoT-based system for monitoring soil moisture specifically for
chilli plants. The core of the system utilizes the ESP32 to interface with soil moisture sensors, providing accurate and continuous
data streams. To empower farmers with actionable insights, the collected data is made accessible through two distinct yet
complementary interfaces: a desktop application for in-depth analysis, trend visualization, and long-term data management, and
a mobile application for immediate alerts, remote monitoring, and on-the-spot decision-making [9], [10]. This dual-platform
approach ensures flexibility and convenience, allowing farmers to manage their chilli crops efficiently from anywhere at any
time. By providing precise, real-time data on soil conditions, this system aims to optimize irrigation schedules, conserve water
resources, minimize operational costs, and ultimately contribute to healthier chilli plants and increased yields.

2. METHOD
2.1 Research Design
This study aims to develop a real-time soil moisture monitoring system using a soil moisture sensor integrated with an ESP32
microcontroller, displaying data through two platforms: Electron (desktop) and .NET MAUI (mobile). This design is
categorized as engineering research, which involves the development of hardware and software prototypes.
2.2 Reseacrh Procedure
The research was carried out in the following stages:
2.2.1 Research Flowchart
The general steps of the research process are illustrated in Figure 1.

2.2.2 Research Algorithm

Below is the pseudocode representing the main system procedure:
START
Initialize ESP32 and Wi-Fi connection
Initialize soil moisture sensor
LOOP
Read ADC value from sensor
Convert ADC value to moisture percentage
Send data via Wi-Fi to server/database
IF connection to Electron/.NET MAUI is available THEN
Display data in real-time
END IF
Delay 10 seconds
END LOOP
2.2.3 System Implementation
- Hardware: Soil moisture sensor + ESP32 microcontroller
- Software:
 • Electron: Desktop interface using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
• .NET MAUI: Mobile interface with XAML for UI and C# for logic
The system uses the principle of soil conductivity to determine moisture levels, which are
converted into digital signals (ADC 0–4095). The ideal ADC range is 1638–2457 (equivalent to 60–80%
moisture)
2.3 Data Acquisition and Testing
The testing process includes:
• Inserting the sensor into chili plant soil
• Reading ADC values every 10 seconds
• Storing and displaying real-time data via both apps
• Visualizing moisture trends through graphs and tables
2.4 Data Display Format
Time ADC Value Moisture Status
[Link] 1820 Ideal
[Link] 1955 Ideal
[Link] 2700 Dry – Needs Watering

3. CONCLUSION
3.1 Conclusion
The expectations set forth in the Introduction—namely, the development of a real-time soil moisture monitoring system
integrated with ESP32 and accessible through both desktop (Electron) and mobile (NET MAUI) platforms—have been
successfully realized. The results demonstrated that the system is capable of accurately reading soil moisture levels,
transmitting data wirelessly, and displaying real-time information in a user-friendly format.
Through the Results and Discussion section, it was confirmed that the data readings corresponded well with actual soil
conditions and were visualized effectively via graphs and tables. The system also enabled users to monitor daily moisture
fluctuations, which is crucial for optimizing irrigation in chili plant cultivation.

3.2 Future Work and Development Prospects

Based on these results, several promising directions for further research and development are identified:
• Automation of Irrigation: The system can be expanded by integrating a relay-controlled water pump, enabling
automatic irrigation based on moisture thresholds.
• Cloud-Based Monitoring: Implementation of cloud storage and cross-device synchronization can allow remote
monitoring from anywhere.
• Sensor Network Expansion: Deploying multiple sensor nodes could provide area-based soil analysis for larger
agricultural fields.
• AI-Based Prediction: Integration with machine learning algorithms could predict future moisture trends based
on environmental parameters.
In conclusion, the developed system not only meets the objectives initially proposed, but also opens up a wide range of
practical applications in smart agriculture and precision farming.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to all parties who contributed to the completion of this research.
Special thanks to the academic supervisors and lecturers at the Department of Instrumentation Engineering for their valuable
guidance and support throughout the development of this project. The authors also thank the research group GrowwithEAR
for the collaboration and technical assistance provided during system testing and implementation. This work was carried out
without direct sponsorship or financial support. However, the facilities and resources provided by Institute Technology of
Sepuluh Nopember played a critical role in the success of this study.
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BIOGRAPHIES OF AUTHORS

Dwi Oktavianto Wahyu Nugroho received his Bachelors degree in Electro Engineering, Engineering
Faculty, Brawijaya University in 2009. His Master was taken in Electrical Engineering - Electronics,
specializing in Industrial Electro at Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) and earned his Master in
2016. His work experience, start in 2009 at Cipta Karya, Dinas Pekerjaan Umum, East java Province until
2010. He continued his work at Perusahaan Daerah Air Minum (PDAM), Sidoarjo from 2010 until 2017.
Currently, he works as a lecturer at the Department of Instrumentation Engineering, Vocational Faculty,
ITS, Indonesia. His research interests focused on medical instrumentation, sensor instrumentation
development, energy harvest and mechatronics. He can be contacted at email : Oktavianto@instrum-
[Link].

Nada Fitrieyatul Hikmah received her Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering from Airlangga
University (UNAIR) in 2012. She then pursued her Master's education in Electrical Engineering -
Electronics, specializing in Biomedical Engineering, at Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) and
earned her Master's degree in 2016. Currently, she works as a lecturer at the Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Technology, and Intelligent Informatics, ITS, Indonesia. Her research
interests include cardiac engineering, biomedical signal processing, and medical image processing. She can
be contacted at email: nadafh@[Link].

Erlysa Laylatul Khotimah is currently a second-semester undergraduate student majoring in Instrumentation

Engineering at Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS). As an early-year student, She is beginning to
explore various topics related to measurement systems, embedded systems, and sensor technology. Her
academic interests include real-time monitoring systems, microcontroller programming, and the application
of sensors in environmental and agricultural fields. This research project reflects an early step toward
gaining hands-on experience in engineering-based problem solving and system development. She can be
contacted at email: erlysadr@[Link]
Rahma Aprilia Putri is currently a second-semester undergraduate student majoring in Instrumentation
Engineering at Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS). As an early-year student, She is beginning to
explore various topics related to measurement systems, embedded systems, and sensor technology. Her
academic interests include real-time monitoring systems, microcontroller programming, and the application
of sensors in environmental and agricultural fields. This research project reflects an early step toward
gaining hands-on experience in engineering-based problem solving and system development. She can be
contacted at email: rahmaaprilia254@[Link].

Raya Aury Winata is currently a second-semester undergraduate student majoring in Instrumentation

Engineering at Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS). As an early-year student, She is beginning to
explore various topics related to measurement systems, embedded systems, and sensor technology. Her
academic interests include real-time monitoring systems, microcontroller programming, and the application
of sensors in environmental and agricultural fields. This research project reflects an early step toward
gaining hands-on experience in engineering-based problem solving and system development. She can be
contacted at email: rarawinattaa@[Link]