Original papersSensing-cloud: Leveraging the benefits for agricultural applications

•We present the physical node virtualization model for agricultural applications.•We justify the advantages of sensor-cloud framework over traditional WSN-based framework.•We formulate the sensor node utilization model targeting agricultural applications.•We present a model for providing cost effective agro-computing services to large number of farmers.•The proposed model is suitable for setups with multiple organizations, users, and applications.

The advent of the sensor-cloud framework empowers the traditional wireless sensor networks (WSNs) in terms of dynamic operation, management, storage, and security. In recent times, the sensor-cloud framework is applied to various real-world applications. In this paper, we highlight the benefits of using sensor-cloud framework for the efficient addressing of various agricultural problems. We address the specific challenges associated with designing a sensor-cloud system for agricultural applications. We also mathematically characterize the virtualization technique underlying the proposed sensor-cloud framework by considering the specific challenges. Furthermore, the energy optimization framework and duty scheduling to conserve energy in the sensor-cloud framework is presented. The existing works on sensor-cloud computing for agriculture does not specifically define the specific components associated with it. We categorize the distinct features of the proposed model and evaluated its applicability using various metrics. Simulation-based results show the justification for choosing the framework for agricultural applications.