University of Twente Student Theses
Experimental study of a novel RF sensing application for measuring soluble sugar and electrical conductivity in the tomato plant stem.
Slebos, Stijn (2023) Experimental study of a novel RF sensing application for measuring soluble sugar and electrical conductivity in the tomato plant stem.
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| Full Text Status: | Access to this publication is restricted |
| Embargo date: | 1 September 2028 |
| Abstract: | This thesis explores the application of an RF sensor concept for measuring Soluble Sugar Concentration and Electrical Conductivity in the stem of a tomato plant non-destructively. The RF sensor is a novel RF resonator design that has a sensing element on the substrate edge and operates between 1-2 GHz in passband configuration. The RF sensor is subjected to a number of experiments in field conditions. In the development of the sensor concept improvements are made in defining and overcoming cross-sensitivity effects, interpreting low-Q spectra, and developing shielded device enclosures. To correct for the influence of environmental conditions like temperature and humidity on the sensor, device packaging was investigated and another sensor was placed in the air to be used as a reference for cross-sensitivity signal correction. With the help of proximal indicators using destructive measurements, a relation is sought between the RF sensor output and the Soluble Sugar Concentration and Electrical Conductivity in the stem of young tomato plants. Destructive measurements were performed on batches of 18 tomato plants to obtain the Soluble Sugar Concentration and Electrical Conductivity profiles using a refractometer and an EC-meter respectively. During the experiments, a change in the Soluble Sugar level was stimulated in plants by lowering lighting conditions to 20 μmol/m2/s and a deviation in the frequency and gain component of the sensor signal was observed. The results provide suggestive evidence of the functioning of the RF sensor. However, a more fundamental understanding of both physiological mechanisms in plants and the RF resonator characteristics is necessary for further development. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Clients: | imec/OnePlanet, Wageningen, Netherlands |
| Faculty: | EEMCS: Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science |
| Subject: | 48 agricultural science, 53 electrotechnology |
| Programme: | Embedded Systems MSc (60331) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/97802 |
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