PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF LEACH PROTOCOL IN WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORKS USING AN EMPIRICAL PATH LOSS MODEL FOR FARM MICROCLIMATE MONITORING

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are increasingly deployed in precision agriculture to enable real-time monitoring of soil moisture, temperature, and humidity. However, their effectiveness is constrained by limited node energy and the propagation losses introduced by vegetation-rich environments. This study investigates the performance of the Low Energy Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy (LEACH) protocol in ZigBee-based WSNs using an empirical path loss model derived from cassava farm measurements, in contrast to conventional free-space and two-ray theoretical assumptions. The empirical model captures attenuation and multipath effects induced by dense crop canopies, thereby providing a more realistic basis for protocol evaluation. Simulations were conducted in Matrix Laboratory (MATLAB) under varying cluster head (CH) percentages, node densities, and packet sizes, with Average Energy Consumption and Network Lifetime employed as the principal performance metrics. Results demonstrate that a CH ratio of 10%, a node density of 60, and a packet size of 400 bits collectively minimized energy dissipation while maintaining adequate coverage and extended network lifetime. Moreover, the Empirical Energy Model (EEM) consistently predicted substantially higher energy consumption than the Theoretical Energy Model (TEM), which underestimated dissipation by neglecting vegetation-induced effects. The findings underscore the necessity of incorporating empirical propagation models for accurate evaluation of WSNs in agricultural deployments and provide a robust foundation for the design of sustainable microclimate monitoring systems.