Nitrogen (N) fertilizer rate is important for high yield and good quality of potato tubers. In this dissertation, I seek to study the response of different potato cultivars under different N fertilizer rates and how that can impact tuber quality, examine the performance of active optical sensors in improving a potato yield prediction algorithm, and evaluate the ability of active optical sensors (GreenSeeker (GS) and Crop Circle (CC)) to optimize a N recommendation algorithm that can be used by potato growers in Maine. This research was conducted at 11 sites over a period of two years (2018–2019) in Aroostook County, Maine; all sites depended on a rainfed system. Three potato cultivars, Russet Burbank, Superior, and Shepody, were planted under six rates of N (0-280 kg ha-1), ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate, and were applied in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. Active optical sensor readings (normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)) were collected weekly after the fourth leaf stage began. The coefficient of determination (R2) between soil organic matter (OM) content and total tuber yield for all sites combined was 0.78**. Sites with ≥ 30 g kg-1 of soil OM produced higher total tuber yield, marketable yield, and tuber weight per plant (39.45%, 45.22%, and 54.94%, respectively) than sites with ≤ 30 g kg-1 of OM. Specific gravity increased by 0.18% in the sites with ≥ 30 g kg-1 of OM. The total tuber yield for the three cultivars was maximized at 168 kg N ha-1. Vegetation indices measurements obtained at stages of 16 or 20 fully expanded leaves were significantly correlated with tuber yield, which can be used in the yield prediction model. Sensor measurements obtained at the 20th leaf stage were significantly correlated with tuber yield, with the exponential model showing the best fit for the regression curve. The recommended N rate calculated based on in-season sensor readings was reduced by approximately 12–14% compared to the total N rate that growers currently apply based on the conventional approach.
Optical properties of chromium oxide (Cr2O3) thin films which were prepared by pulse laser deposition method, onto glass substrates. Different laser energy (500-900) mJ were used to obtain Cr2O3 thin films with thickness ranging from 177.3 to 372.4 nm were measured using Tolansky method. Then films were annealed at temperature equal to 300 °C. Absorption spectra were used to determine the absorption coefficient of the films, and the effects of the annealing temperature on the absorption coefficient were investigated. The absorption edge shifted to red range of wavelength, and the optical constants of Cr2O3 films increases as the annealing temperature increased to 300 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) study reveals that Cr2O3 thin films are a
... Show More
Structural and optical properties of CdO and CdO0.99Cu0.01 thin
films were prepared in this work. Cadmium Oxide (CdO) and
CdO0.99Cu0.01semiconducting films are deposited on glass substrates
by using pulsed laser deposition method (PLD) using SHG with Qswitched
Nd:YAG pulsed laser operation at 1064nm in 6x10-2 mbar
vacuum condition and frequency 6 Hz. CdO and CdO0.99Cu0.01 thin
films annealed at 550 C̊ for 12 min. The crystalline structure was
studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) method and atomic force
microscope (AFM). It shows that the films are polycrystalline.
Optical properties of thin films were analyzed. The direct band gap
energy of CdO and CdO0.99Cu0.01 thin films were determined from
(αhυ)1/2 v
(1)
In this work, nanostructure zinc sulfide (ZnS) thin films at temperature of substrate 450 oC and thickness (120) nm have been produced by chemical spray pyrolysis method. The X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) measurements of the film showed that they have a polycrystalline structure and possessed a hexagonal phase with strong crystalline orientation of (103). The grain size was measured using scanning electron microscope (SEM) which was approximately equal to 80 nm. The linear optical measurements showed that ZnS nanostructure has direct energy gap. Nonlinear optical properties experiments were performed using Q-switched 532 nm Nd:YAG laser Z-scan system. The nonlinear refractive index (n2) and nonlinear absorption coefficient (β) estimated for Z
... Show MoreFiber Bragg Grating has many advantages where it can be used as a temperature sensor, pressure sensor or even as a refractive index sensor. Designing each of this fiber Bragg grating sensors should include some requirements. Fiber Bragg grating refractive index sensor is a very important application. In order to increase the sensing ability of fiber Bragg gratings, many methods were followed. In our proposed work, the fiber Bragg grating was written in a D-shaped optical fiber by using a phase mask method with KrFexcimer. The resultant fiber Bragg grating has a high reflectivity 99.99% with a Bragg wavelength of 1551.2 nm as a best result obtained from a phase mask with a grating period of 1057 nm. In this work it was found that the rota
... Show More
(2)
The influence of sintering and annealing temperatures on the structural, surface morphology, and optical properties of Ag2Cu2O4 thin films which deposited on glass substrates by pulsed laser deposition method have been studied. Ag2Cu2O4 powders have polycrystalline structure, and the Ag2Cu2O4 phase was appear as low intensity peak at 35.57o which correspond the reflection from (110) plane. Scan electron microscopy images of Ag2Cu2O4 powder has been showed agglomerate of oxide particles with platelets shape. The structure of thin films has been improved with annealing temperature. Atomic Force micrographs of Ag2Cu2O4 films showed uniform, homogenous films and the shape of grains was almost spherical and larger grain size of 97.85 nm has o
... Show More
Silver sulfide and the thin films Ag2Se0.8Te0.2 and Ag2Se0.8S0.2 created by the thermal evaporation process on glass with a thickness of 350 nm were examined for their structural and optical properties. These films were made at a temperature of 300 K. According to the X-ray diffraction investigation, the films are polycrystalline and have an initial orthorhombic phase. Using X-ray diffraction research, the crystallization orientations of Ag2Se and Ag2Se0.8Te0.2 & Ag2Se0.8S0.2 (23.304, 49.91) were discovered (XRD). As (Ag2Se and Ag2Se0.8Te0.2 & Ag2Se0.8S0.2) absorption coefficient fell from (470-774) nm, the optical band gap increased (2.15 & 2 & 2.25eV). For instance, the characteristics of thin films made of Ag2Se0.8Te0.2 and Ag2Se0.8S0.2
... Show MoreThe effect of adding different volume of coumarin dye (5, 15, 25 and 35) ml on optical properties of Poly (Methyl Meth Acrylate) was studied. Films of pure PMMA and PMMA with different volume of coumarin dye (5, 15, 25 and 35) ml were prepared using the casting technique. Transmission and absorption of the films were measured by using UV-VIS spectrometer technique type (100 Conc), in order to assess the type of transmission which was found an indirect transition. An optical energy gap of pure PMMA is (4.95e v) and after adding coumarin with volume (25, 35) ml, the energy gap for PMMA decrease by (0.05) compere to pure PMMA films and addition energy gap appear equal to (4.1 e v). It was found that the absorption coefficient, extinction coeff
... Show More
(2)
(1)
Undoped and Co-doped zinc oxide (CZO) thin films have been prepared by spray pyrolysis technique using solution of zinc acetate and cobalt chloride. The effect of Co dopants on structural and optical properties has been investigated. The films were found to exhibit maximum transmittance (~90%) and low absorbance. The structural properties of the deposited films were examined by x-ray diffraction (XRD). These films, deposited on glass substrates at (400? C), have a polycrystalline texture with a wurtzite hexagonal structure, and the grain size was decreased with increasing Co concentration, and no change was observed in lattice constants while the optical band gap decreased from (3.18-3.02) eV for direct allowed transition. Other parameters
... Show More