Mecatrónica en la agroindustria: Integración de tecnologías en el cultivo de palma de aceite colombiano

Abstract

The oil palm crop in Colombia faces significant challenges related to labor shortages, increasing operational costs, and the need to improve productivity and sustainability within the sector. In this context, agricultural mechanization and automation emerge as strategic alternatives to optimize production processes and strengthen the competitiveness of the oil palm agroindustry. This undergraduate thesis aims to support the development, optimization, and adaptation of mechatronic technologies applied to oil palm cultivation through a mixed methodology that combines bibliographic review, experimental design, and field validation. Four main areas of work were addressed: the strengthening of knowledge in the mechatronic and agricultural fields, the design and validation of an automated level measurement device, the analysis of energy consumption of electric sprayers used in assisted pollination, and the proposal of a semi-automated system for preventive rounds against bud rot disease. As a result, a functional prototype for level measurement in a pan evaporimeter tank was designed and validated, capable of automatically recording water level, ambient temperature, and relative humidity, achieving a correlation greater than 95% compared to the manual method and an autonomy of approximately 50 hours. Additionally, a comparative analysis of the energy consumption of different electric sprayers was conducted, identifying more energy-efficient equipment in terms of energy per liter applied. Finally, a semi-automated system was proposed to improve coordination and safety during preventive bud rot control operations. The results demonstrate the potential of mechatronics as a key tool for the modernization of the Colombian oil palm sector, promoting a more efficient, sustainable, and data-driven agricultural model.