Detection of Apple Marssonina Blotch with PLSR, PCA, and LDA Using Outdoor Hyperspectral Imaging

In this study, hyperspectral images were used to detect a fungal disease in apple leaves called Marssonina blotch(AMB). Estimation models were built to classify healthy, asymptomatic and symptomatic classes using partial least squares regression(PLSR), principal component analysis(PCA), and linear discriminant analysis(LDA) multivariate methods. In general, the LDA estimation model performed the best among the three models in detecting AMB asymptomatic pixels, while all the models were able to detect the symptomatic class. LDA correctly classified asymptomatic pixels and LDA model predicted them with an accuracy of 88.0%. An accuracy of 91.4% was achieved as the total classification accuracy. The results from this work indicate the potential of using the LDA estimation model to identify asymptomatic pixels on leaves infected by AMB.

Evaluating system of rice intensification using a modified transplanter:A smart farming solution toward sustainability of paddy fields in Malaysia

This paper presents the study reports on evaluating a new transplanting operation by taking into accounts the interactions between soil,plant,and machine in line with the System of Rice Intensification(SRI)practices.The objective was to modify planting claw(kuku-kambing)of a paddy transplanter in compliance with SRI guidelines to determine the best planting spacing(S),seed rate(G)and planting pattern that results in a maximum number of seedling,tillers per hill,and yield.Two separate experiments were carried out in two different paddy fields,one to determine the best planting spacing(S=4 levels:s_(1)=0.16 m×0.3 m,s_(2)=0.18 m×0.3 m,s_(3)=0.21 m×0.3 m,and s_(4)=0.24 m×0.3 m)for a specific planting pattern(row mat or scattered planting pattern),and the other to determine the best combination of spacing with seed rate treatments(G=2 levels:g1=75 g/tray,and g2=240 g/tray).Main SRI management practices such as soil characteristics of the sites,planting depth,missing hill,hill population,the number of seedling per hill,and yield components were evaluated.Results of two-way analysis of variance with three replications showed that spacing,planting pattern and seed rate affected the number of one-seedling in all experiment.It was also observed that the increase in spacing resulted in more tillers and more panicle per plant,however hill population and sterility ratio increased with the decrease in spacing.While the maximum number of panicles were resulted from scattered planting at s_(4)=0.24 m×0.3 m spacing with the seed rate of g1=75 g/tray,the maximum number of one seedling were observed at s_(4)=0.16 m×0.3 m.The highest and lowest yields were obtained from 75 g seeds per tray scattered and 70 g seeds per tray scattered treatment respectively.For all treatments,the result clearly indicates an increase in yield with an increase in spacing.

Advances in greenhouse automation and controlled environment agriculture:A transition to plant factories and urban agriculture

Greenhouse cultivation has evolved from simple covered rows of open-fields crops to highly sophisticated controlled environment agriculture(CEA)facilities that projected the image of plant factories for urban agriculture.The advances and improvements in CEA have promoted the scientific solutions for the efficient production of plants in populated cities and multi-story buildings.Successful deployment of CEA for urban agriculture requires many components and subsystems,as well as the understanding of the external influencing factors that should be systematically considered and integrated.This review is an attempt to highlight some of the most recent advances in greenhouse technology and CEA in order to raise the awareness for technology transfer and adaptation,which is necessary for a successful transition to urban agriculture.This study reviewed several aspects of a high-tech CEA system including improvements in the frame and covering materials,environment perception and data sharing,and advanced microclimate control and energy optimization models.This research highlighted urban agriculture and its derivatives,including vertical farming,rooftop greenhouses and plant factories which are the extensions of CEA and have emerged as a response to the growing population,environmental degradation,and urbanization that are threatening food security.Finally,several opportunities and challenges have been identified in implementing the integrated CEA and vertical farming for urban agriculture.

Development of novel gene carrier using modified nano hydroxyapatite derived from equine bone for osteogenic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells

Hydroxyapatite(HA)is a representative substance that induces bone regeneration.Our research team extracted nanohydroxyapatite(EH)from natural resources,especially equine bones,and developed it as a molecular biological tool.Polyethylenimine(PEI)was used to coat the EH to develop a gene carrier.To verify that PEI is well coated in the EH,we first observed the morphology and dispersity of PEI-coated EH(pEH)by electron microscopy.The pEH particles were well distributed,while only the EH particles were not distributed and aggregated.Then,the existence of nitrogen elements of PEI on the surface of the pEH was confirmed by EDS,calcium concentration measurement and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR).Additionally,the pEH was confirmed to have a more positive charge than the 25 kD PEI by comparing the zeta potentials.As a result of pGL3 transfection,pEH was better able to transport genes to cells than 25 kD PEI.After verification as a gene carrier for pEH,we induced osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs by loading the BMP-2 gene in pEH(BMP-2/pEH)and delivering it to the cells.As a result,it was confirmed that osteogenic differentiation was promoted by showing that the expression of osteopontin(OPN),osteocalcin(OCN),and runt-related transcription factor 2(RUNX2)was significantly increased in the group treated with BMP-2/pEH.In conclusion,we have not only developed a novel nonviral gene carrier that is better performing and less toxic than 25 kD PEI by modifying natural HA(the agricultural byproduct)but also proved that bone differentiation can be effectively promoted by delivering BMP-2 with pEH to stem cells.