## 5 Major Equipment and Technologies
### Agricultural Communication
#### 5.2.1 Cellular Communication  
Depending on the purpose and bandwidth requirements, a cellular communication mode increase from 2G to 5G might be appropriate. Besides, the reliability and even accessibility of cellular networks is a key factor in rural areas. To solve this major problem, information transmission through satellite is another important option. Still, in this case, the price of this communication mode can be very high, which makes it inappropriate for small and medium-sized farms. The choice of communication model also relies on the requirements of the application. For example, some farms require sensors to operate at a low data rate, but they need to work for a long time and require a longer battery life. In this case, the new series of the low-power wide area network (LPWAN) is considered to be an excellent answer for cellular networks. The LPWAN has a longer battery life and has a more massive connection range, and an affordable price (2 to 15 USD) [103]. Currently, crop and pasture management are the two main applications where LPWAN networks are very suitable, and due to their success, they can be used for many other agricultural applications [104]. Generally, wireless sensors used in agricultural applications are divided into three main categories according to the communication information rate and power consumption (Table 3).  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline
**Mobile Apps** & **Application** & **Feature/Achievement** & **References** \\ \hline SWApp & Irrigation & The developers of this app specifically targeted arid regions, as irrigation problems are more common in these regions. The application provides a reliable and economical solution for monitoring soil moisture and even considers weather history. & [98] \\ SnapCard & Sparing applications & The SnapCard application was developed for the field analysis of spray collectors based on imaging analysis. It uses different cell phone sensors and follows five imaging methods to quantify droplet deposition and size. This app can increase weed management in the pasture. Based on the answers given to nine questions about pasture farming systems, this application assesses herbicide resistance and the risk of weed seed banks. Village Tree provides smart pest management solutions by collecting plant pest and disease reporters. It uses a crowdsourcing method and sends images along with location knowledge to warn other growers that may be affected. & [99] \\ Weedsmart & Weed Management & This app can increase weed management in the pasture. Based on the answers given to nine questions about pasture farming systems, this application assesses herbicide resistance and the risk of weed seed banks. Village Tree provides smart pest management solutions by collecting plant pest and disease reporters. It uses a crowdsourcing method and sends images along with location knowledge to warn other growers that may be affected. & [100] \\ Village Tree & Pest Management & The tool measures the amount of fertilizer and water required for major crop types based on different crop growth systems and multiple fertilization techniques. Farmers can achieve the precise application of water and other nutrients in greenhouse farming. & [101] \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}
Table 2: _Cont._