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 effect of doping by methyl red and methyl blue on the absorption spectra and the optical energy gap of poly (methyl methacrylat) PMMA film have been studied. The optical transmission (T%) in the wavelength range 190-900 nm for films deposited by using solvent casting method were measured. The Absorptance data reveals that the doping affected the absorption edge as a red and blue shift in its values. The films show indirect allowed interband transitions that influenced by the doping. Optical constants; refractive index, extinction coefficient and real and imaginary part of dielectric constant were calculated and correlated with doping.
Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were synthesized using a modified hydrothermal approach at different reaction temperatures and growth times. Moreover, a thorough morphological, structural and optical investigation was demonstrated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), ultra-violate visible light spectroscopy (UV-Vis.), and photoluminescence (PL) techniques. Notably, SEM analysis revealed the occurrence of nanorods-shaped surface morphology with a wide range of length and diameter. Meanwhile, a hexagonal crystal structure of the ZnO nanoparticles was perceived using XRD analysis and crystallite size ranging from 14.7 to 23.8 nm at 7 and 8 ℎ𝑟𝑠., respectively. The prepared ZnO samples showed good abso
... Show MoreA polycrystalline CdTe film has been prepared by thermal evaporation technique on glass substrate at substrate temperature 423 K with 1.0 m thicknesses. The film was heated at various annealing temperature under vacuum (Ta =473, 523 and K). Some of physical properties of prepared films such as structural and optical properties were investigated. The patterns of X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the structure of CdTe powder and all films were polycrystalline and consist of a mixture of cubic and hexagonal phases and preferred orientation at (111) direction.
The optical measurements showed that un annealed and annealed CdTe films had direct energy gap (Eg). The Eg increased with increasing Ta. The refractive index and the real p
Films of pure polystyrene (ps) and doped by bromothymol blue material with percentages(4%) prepared by using casting technique in room temperature , the absorption and transmission spectra has been recorded in the wavelength rang (200-900)nm and calculated refractive index , reflectivity, real and imaginary parts of dielectric constant and extinction coefficient . this study has been done by recording the absorption and transmission spectra by using spectrophotometer .
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Thin filis have been prepared from the tin disulphide (SnS2 ), the pure and the doped with copper (SnS2:Cu) with a percentages (1,2,3,4)% by using ahemical spray pyrolysis techniqee on substrate of glass heated up to(603K)and sith thicknesses (0.7±0.02)?m ,after that the films were treated thermally with a low pressure (10-3mb) and at a temperature of (473K) for one hour. The influence of both doping with copper and the thermal treatment on some of the physical characteristics of the prepared films(structural and optical) was studied. The X-ray analysis showed that the prepared films were polycrystalline Hexagonal type. The optical study that included the absorptance and transmitance spectra in the weavelength range (300-900)nm
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Ti6Al4V thin film was prepared on glass substrate by RF
sputtering method. The effect of RF power on the optical properties
of the thin films has been investigated using UV-visible
Spectrophotometer. It's found that the absorbance and the extinction
coefficient (k) for deposited thin films increase with increasing
applied power, while another parameters such as dielectric constant
and refractive index decrease with increasing RF power.
ZnO nanostructures were synthesized by hydrothermal method at different temperatures and growth times. The effect of increasing the temperature on structural and optical properties of ZnO were analyzed and discussed. The prepared ZnO nanostructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–Vis. absorption spectroscopy (UV–Vis.), Photoluminescence (PL), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In this work, hexagonal crystal structure prepared ZnO nanostructures was observed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the average crystallite size equal 14.7 and 23.8 nm for samples synthesized at growth time 7 and 8 hours respectively. A nanotubes-shaped surface morphology was found using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The optic
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