Integration of Robotics in Soilless Cultivation Systems for Medicinal Plant Production
摘要
Robotics is rapidly emerging as a transformative force in the soilless cultivation of medicinal plants (MPs), offering precise, efficient, and sustainable alternatives to conventional farming. In this context, growers are increasingly relying on hydroponic, aeroponic, aquaponic, and vertical farming technologies to mitigate the impacts of climate change, soil degradation, and labour shortages. This chapter explores how robotics—integrated with artificial intelligence, sensor networks, and automation—enables real-time monitoring and management of critical variables such as nutrient supply, temperature, humidity, and plant growth. Robotic platforms perform key operations including transplanting, pruning, harvesting, and disease detection, with higher accuracy and reduced labor inputs. Drawing on global case studies, this chapter illustrates successful applications such as soft robotic grippers in Japan, AI-based nutrient assessment tools in Iran, and collaborative robots in container-based vertical farms. These examples showcase how robotics enhances consistency, phytochemical quality, and year-round production of plants in controlled environments. This chapter also addresses current limitations, including high capital investment, energy consumption, and technological complexity, particularly for small-scale growers. To overcome these barriers, this chapter emphasizes the need for affordable, scalable, and crop-specific robotic solutions. By aligning robotics with circular economy practices and smart farming technologies, this chapter presents a forward-looking framework for the future of medicinal plant cultivation in soilless systems.