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.
In this research, a sensor for chemical solutions was designed and formed using optical fiber-based on a surface Plasmon resonance technology. A single-mode optical fiber with three different diameters (25, 45 and 65) µm was used, respectively. The second layer of the low refractive fiber was replaced by gold, which was electrically deposited at 40 µm thickness. For each of the three types of optical fiber, different saline concentrations (different index of refraction) were used to evaluate the performance of the refractive index sensor (chemical sensor) by measuring its sensitivity and resolutions. The highest values we could get for these two parameters were 240mm/RIU, and 6*10-5 RIU respectively, when the diameter of a
... Show MoreThe real and imaginary part of complex dielectric constant for InAs(001) by adsorption of oxsagen atoms has been calculated, using numerical analysis method (non-linear least square fitting). As a result a mathematical model built-up and the final result show a fairly good agreement with other genuine published works.
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 MoreIn this work, MWCNT in the epoxy can be prepared at room temperature and thickness (1mm) at different concentration of CNTs powder. Optical properties of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) reinforced epoxy have been measured in the range of (300-800)nm. The electronic transition in pure epoxy and CNT/epoxy indicated direct allowed transition. Also, it is found that the energy gap of epoxy is 4.1eV and this value decreased within range of (4.1-3.5)eV when the concentration of CNT powder increased from (0.001-0.1)% respectively.
The optical constants which include (the refractive index (n), the extinction coefficient (k), real (ε1) and imaginarily (ε2) part of dielectric constant calculated in the of (300-800)nm at different concent
Thin a-:H films were grown successfully by fabrication of designated ingot followed by evaporation onto glass slides. A range of growth conditions, Ge contents, dopant concentration (Al and As), and substrate temperature, were employed. Stoichiometry of the thin films composition was confirmed using standard surface techniques. The structure of all films was amorphous. Film composition and deposition parameters were investigated for their bearing on film electrical and optical properties. More than one transport mechanism is indicated. It was observed that increasing substrate temperature, Ge contents, and dopant concentration lead to a decrease in the optical energy gap of those films. The role of the deposition conditions on value
... Show MoreIn this work, pure and doped Vanadium Pentoxide (V2O5) thin films with different concentration of TiO2 (0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5) wt were obtained using Pulse laser deposition technique on amorphous glass substrate with thickness of (250)nm. The morphological, UV-Visible and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) were studied. TiO2 doping into V2O5 matrix revealed an interesting morphological change from an array of high density pure V2O5 nanorods (~140 nm) to granular structure in TiO2-doped V2O5 thin film .Transform Infrared Spectro
... 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).
In this work, chemical oxidation was used to polymerize conjugated polymer "Polypyrrole" at room temperature Graphene nanoparticles were added by in situ-polymerization to get (PPY-GN) nano. Optical and Electrical properties were studied for the nanocomposites. optical properties of the nanocomposites were studied by UV-Vis spectroscopy at wavelength range (200 -800 nm). The result showed optical absorption spectra were normally determined and the result showed that the maximum absorbance wave length at 280nm and 590nm. The optical energy gap has been evaluated by direct transition and the value has decreased from (2.1 eV for pure PPy) to (1.3 eV for 5 %wt. of GN). The optical constants such as the band tail width ΔE was evaluated, the
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