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.
The bandwidth requirements of telecommunication network users increased rapidly during the last decades. Optical access technologies must provide the bandwidth demand for each user. The passive optical access networks (PONs) support a maximum data rate of 100 Gbps by using the Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) technique in the optical access network. In this paper, the optical broadband access networks with many techniques from Time Division Multiplexing Passive Optical Networks (TDM PON) to Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex Passive Optical Networks (OFDM PON) are presented. The architectures, advantages, disadvantages, and main parameters of these optical access networks are discussed and reported which have many ad
... Show MoreThe development of low profile gamma-ray detectors has encouraged the production of small field of view (SFOV) hand-held imaging devices for use at the patient bedside and in operating theatres. Early development of these SFOV cameras was focussed on a single modality—gamma ray imaging. Recently, a hybrid system—gamma plus optical imaging—has been developed. This combination of optical and gamma cameras enables high spatial resolution multi-modal imaging, giving a superimposed scintigraphic and optical image. Hybrid imaging offers new possibilities for assisting clinicians and surgeons in localising the site of uptake in procedures such as sentinel node detection. The hybrid camera concept can be extended to a multimodal detec
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Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) is an important technology for applications that require speedy, high-accuracy processing of a huge volume of hand-filled forms. The aim of this technology is to reduce manual work, human effort, high accuracy in assessment, and minimize time for evaluation answer sheets. This paper proposed OMR by using Modify Bidirectional Associative Memory (MBAM), MBAM has two phases (learning and analysis phases), it will learn on the answer sheets that contain the correct answers by giving its own code that represents the number of correct answers, then detection marks from answer sheets by using analysis phase. This proposal will be able to detect no selection or select more than one choice, in addition, using M
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The effects of BaCl2 dopant on the optical properties of poly (vinyl alcohol) have been investigated. Pure and BaCl2 doped PVA films were prepared using solvent casting method. These films were characterized using UV/VIS technique in order to estimate the kind of transition which was found to be indirect transition. The value of the optical energy gap was decrease with increasing dopant concentration.
Refractive index, extinction coefficient and Urbach tail have been also investigated; it was found that all the above parameters affects by doping.
Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) is an important technology for applications that require speedy, high-accuracy processing of a huge volume of hand-filled forms. The aim of this technology is to reduce manual work, human effort, high accuracy in assessment, and minimize time for evaluation answer sheets. This paper proposed OMR by using Modify Bidirectional Associative Memory (MBAM), MBAM has two phases (learning and analysis phases), it will learn on the answer sheets that contain the correct answers by giving its own code that represents the number of correct answers, then detection marks from answer sheets by using analysis phase. This proposal will be able to detect no selection or select more than one choice, in addition, using M
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The aim of the study is to detect the malignant conditions of the skin tumors through the features of optical images. This research included some of image processing techniques to detect skin cancer as a strong threat to human beings' lives. Using image processing and analysis methods to improves the ability of pathologists to detect this disease leading to more specified diagnosis and better treatment of them. One hundred images were collected from Benign and Malignant tumors and some appropriate image features were calculated, like Maximum Probability, Entropy, Coefficient of Variation, Homogeneity and Contrast, and using Minimum Distance method to separate these images. These features with Minimum Distance as a proposed making decision a
... Show MoreThick films of poly(vinyl chloride)(PVC)& PVC doped with Zn(etx)2 salt complex have been prepared by cast method with fixed thickness almost (120±5) Microns. Optical studies were carried out in the wavelengths region(200-900)nm based on absorption & transmition measurement. Optical parameters such as absorption coefficient(?) ,refraction index(n) and extinction coefficient(K) were observed to be effected by adding the dopant.Electrical parameters such as real(?)& imaginary(?) part of dielectric constant were also calculated part of dielectric constant were also calculated from the optical parameters using Maxwell equation.
Polymer films of PEG and PVA and their blend with different
concentrations of MnCl2 (0, 2, 4, 6 and 10 %.wt) were study using
casting technique. The X-ray spectra of pure PEG, PVA and
PVA:PEG films and with addition of 2% concentrations from
(MnCl2) show amorphous structures. The results for FTIR show the
interaction between the filler and polymer blend results in
decreasing crystallinity with rich amorphous phase. This
amorphous nature confirms the complexation between the filler and
the polymer blend. The optical properties of (PVA:PEG/MnCl2)
contain the recording of absorbance (A) and explain that the
absorption coefficient (α), refractive index (n), extinction coefficient
(ko) and the dielectric cons
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