“One of the main problems in digital agriculture is the lack of proper support. Farmers often have bad experiences because they are left on their own and never learn to interpret the data or make decisions based on it,” explains Andreu Conde, technician at the company.
Monitoring and value-driven decision-making
Ioland’s activity begins with a simple idea: turning data into a useful tool for growers. To achieve this, the company deploys agroclimatic stations and sensors that capture high-value agronomic parameters — temperature, humidity, water flow, soil conditions and nutrient levels — and transforms them into clear, actionable information.
With this technological foundation, farmers can anticipate crop imbalances, adjust irrigation, optimise fertilisation and reduce operating costs. But according to Conde, the key is not the hardware — it is the support: “The product and the advisory service go hand in hand. Our service allows the grower to get the most out of the tool.”
Solut-ion: the first agricultural robot for nutrient measurement
Ioland’s most significant technological leap is called Solut-ion, a pioneering development in Spain and Europe. It is the first agricultural robot capable of measuring soil nutrients in real time directly in the field. It is not a conventional sensor: it is a mini laboratory integrated into the farm.
The system works with lysimeters — cylinders equipped with porous ceramic capsules that mimic the behaviour of plant roots. These capsules absorb the soil solution — water and soluble nutrients — and transfer it to the robot. When enough volume is collected, Solut-ion analyses the sample and quantifies the nutrients present. The results are automatically sent to a digital platform accessible 24/7.
This capability opens an entirely new scenario: growers no longer work “blindly” and know exactly what their crop needs. Fertilisation can be adjusted in real time, avoiding excesses or deficiencies and improving profitability. “It optimises fertiliser use. Yes, it requires an initial investment, but we recover it through increased profitability,” Conde explains.
Clear data for profitable management
Ioland’s platform is not designed for laboratory technicians but for farmers. It visualises nutrient levels as the soil’s pantry — what the plant has available to complete its cycle. The grower can anticipate deficiencies, adjust the nutritional plan and avoid overfertilisation that affects costs and sustainability.
The impact is especially clear in horticultural crops, where short cycles require rapid decisions. “In horticulture we must act sooner, and this machine gives us that speed,” says Conde. In perennial crops such as citrus or avocado, continuous monitoring makes it possible to identify nutritional trends and make medium-term decisions.
From Cartagena to Valencia
Solut-ion is already being used in key agricultural areas of the country. Ioland has deployed equipment in the Campo de Cartagena, in horticultural plantations, and also in citrus farms in the Valencian Community, where the company combines technology with technical services and agronomic advice. The company also knows the sector from within: it grows avocados and citrus itself, which allows it to validate the technology in its own crops.
