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 structural, optical properties of copper oxide thin films ( CuO) thin films which have been prepared by thermal oxidation with exist air once and oxygen another have been studied. Structural analysis results of Cu thin films demonstrate that the single phase of Cu with high a crystalline structure with a preferred orientation (111). X-ray diffraction results confirm the formation of pure (CuO) phase in both methods of preparation. The optical constant are investigated and calculated such as absorption coefficient, refractive index, extinction coefficient and the dielectric constants for the wavelengths in the range (300-1100) nm.
In this work, the structure properties of nano Lead sulfide PbS thin films are studied. Thin samples were prepared by pulse laser deposition and deposited on glass substrates at wavelength 1064nm wavelength with a various laser energies (200,300,400,500)nm. The study of atomic force microscope (AFM) and X-ray diffraction as well as the effect of changing the laser energy on the structural properties has been studied. It has been observed that the membrane formed is of the polycrystalline type and the predominant phase is the plane (111) and (200). The minimum grain size obtained was 16.5 nm at a laser energy about 200 mJ. The results showed that thin films of average granular sizes (75 nm) could be prepared.As for the optical properties,
... Show MoreChalcopyrite thin films ternary Silver Indium Diselenide AgInSe2 (AIS) pure and Aluminum Al doped with ratio 0.03 was prepared using thermal evaporation with a vacuum of 7*10-6 torr on glass with (400) nm thickness for study the structural and optical properties. X-ray diffraction was used to show the inflance of Al ratio dopant on structural properties. X-ray diffraction show that thin films AIS pure, Al doped at RT and annealing at 573 K are polycrystalline with tetragonal structure with preferential orientation (112). raise the crystallinity degree. AFM used to study the effect of Al on surfaces roughness and Grain Size Optical properties such as the optical band gap, absorption coefficient, Extinction coefficient, refractive ind
... Show MoreIn this work, analytical study for simulating a Fabry-Perot bistable etalon (F-P cavity) filled with a dispersive optimized nonlinear optical material (Kerr type) such as semiconductors Indium Antimonide (InSb). Because of a trade off between the etalon finesse values and driving terms, an optimization procedures have been done on the InSb etalon/CO laser parameters, using critical switching irradiance (Ic) via simulation systems of optimization procedures of optical cavity. in order to achieve the minimum switching power and faster switching time, the optimization parameters of the finesse values and driving terms on optical bistability and switching dynamics must be studied.
... Show MoreNiO0.99Cu0.01 films have been deposited using thermal evaporation
technique on glass substrates under vacuum 10-5mbar. The thickness
of the films was 220nm. The as -deposited films were annealed to
different annealing temperatures (373, 423, and 473) K under
vacuum 10-3mbar for 1 h. The structural properties of the films were
examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that no
clear diffraction peaks in the range 2θ= (20-50)o for the as deposited
films. On the other hand, by annealing the films to 423K in vacuum
for 1 h, a weak reflection peak attributable to cubic NiO was
detected. On heating the films at 473K for 1 h, this peak was
observed to be stronger. The most intense peak is at 2θ = 37
Polyaniline membranes of aniline were produced using an electrochemical method in a cell consisting of two poles. The effect of the vaccination was observed on the color of membranes of polyaniline, where analysis as of blue to olive green paints. The sanction of PANI was done by FT-IR and Raman techniques. The crystallinity of the models was studied by X-ray diffraction technique. The different electronic transitions of the PANI were determined by UV-VIS spectroscopy. The electrical conductivity of the manufactured samples was measured by using the four-probe technique at room temperature. Morphological studies have been determined by Atomic force microscopy (AFM). The structural studies have been measured by (SEM).
This paper numerically and theoretically investigates the optical and thermal performance of a parabolic trough collector PTC system. Many numerical simulations and theoretical analyses are conducted to demonstrate the influence of the receiver geometry and shifting from the focal position on the optical performance. The examined receiver geometries are circular, square, triangular, elliptical, and the new circular–square combined geometry is named as channel receiver. The thermal performance of PTC is examined for different volume flow rates theoretically in the range of (0.36 to 2.4 lpm). The results show that the best optical design is the channel receiver with an intercept factor of 84%, while the worst is the elliptical receiver with
... Show MoreThis study uses the performance of the discretionary estimation models by using a sample of listed companies in the Netherlands and Germany. The actual accounting framework provides a wide opportunity for managers to influence data in financial reporting. The corporate reporting strategy, the way managers use their discretionary accounting, has a significant effect on the company's financial reporting. The authors contribute to the literature through enhancement to these models to accomplish better effects of identifying earnings management as well as to present evidence that is particular to the Dutch and German setting.
For this, we followed the methodology of Dechow, Sloan, and Sweeney (1995) and Chan
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