Development of a methodology to analyze leaves from Prunus dulcis varieties using near infrared spectroscopy

Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Multivariate classification of prunus dulcis varieties using leaves of nursery plants and near infrared spectroscopy

The emergence of new almond tree (Prunus dulcis) varieties with agricultural interest is forcing the nursery plant industry to establish quality systems to keep varietal purity in the production stage. The aim of this study is to assess the capability of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to classify different Prunus dulcis varieties as an alternative to more expensive methods. Fresh and dried-powdered leaves of six different varieties of almond trees of commercial interest (Avijor, Guara, Isabelona, Marta, Pentacebas and Soleta) were used.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

A Free accessible individual-based simulator enabling virtual experiments on soil organic matter processes in classroom

This work addresses and aims to fulfil a very clear need in teaching biosystem engineering. When introducing students to the complexity of soil processes, one of the frustrations that teachers ofen experience is the impossibility to demonstrate practically, in the lab, some of the concepts and processes discussed in class. Either the experiments take far longer than a typical laboratory session or they require access to specific equipment. To deal with this situation, it would be ideal for students to be able to do virtual experiments. The purpose of this work is to display the individual-based simulation model INDISIM-SOM, available free from a website, and to show how it can be used in experiments or as a teaching-learning instrument in the classroom. The computational model has been designed specifically for the study of soil organic matter and is based mainly on the activity conducted by two diferent prototypes of microorganisms. One option of using INDISIMSOM is as a way to introduce the individual-based model as a methodology to improve understanding of the agents involved in soil microbial system and their processes. Another option is to develop the ability to work with simulators by connecting concepts and helping students in the development of modelling competence. Virtual experiments were carried out as an example of what may be expected from using the INDISIM-SOM web simulator. Temporal evolutions of five virtual soils with diferent organic C content and proportional content in organic N, easily hidrolyzable N, nitrate and ammonia were generated and discussed.Peer Reviewe

An individual-based model for the study of Paracoccus denitrificans, a denitrifying bacterium

In order to understand some environmental factors that control N2O production by microbes in agricultural soils, a virtual bioreactor for Paracoccus denitrificans was designed using a culture medium containing succinate as a carbon source, ammonium as nitrogen source and various electron acceptors such as oxygen, nitrate, nitrite, nitrogen monoxide and dinitrogen oxide. INDISIM was the core individual-based model for the bacterial behavior and five metabolic pathways were selected and translated into balanced chemical equations using the Thermodynamic Electron Equivalents Model. This thermodynamic approach is the basis of the individual metabolism that this microbe carries out for its cellular maintenance and production of new biomass. The preliminary simulation results achieved with the implementation of this model in NetLogo showed that it is possible to investigate the behavior of this denitrifying bacterium and some of the outputs regarding the temporal evolutions of the diverse substrates are consistent with previous experimental data carried out with it.Postprint (published version

Individual-based modeling of soil organic matter in NetLogo: transparent, user-friendly, and open

Soil organic matter dynamics are essential for terrestrial ecosystem functions as they affect biogeochemical cycles and, thus, the provision of plant nutrients or the release of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Most of the involved processes are driven by microorganisms. To investigate and understand these processes, individual-based models allow analyzing complex microbial systems' behavior based on rules and conditions for individual entities within these systems, taking into account local interactions and individual variations.Postprint (author's final draft

Explaining low farm-gate prices in the Catalan wine sector

Preprin

INDISIM-YEAST:Saccha, an individual-based model to tackle Saccharomyces cerevisiae batch cultures

Postprint (published version

Combining computer vision and deep learning to classify varieties of Prunus dulcis for the nursery plant industry

Varietal control to avoid unwanted varietal mixtures is an important objective for the nursery plant industry. In this study, we have developed and analyzed the capabilities of a computer vision system based on deep learning for the control of plant varieties in the nursery plant industry and for evaluating its capabilities. For this purpose, three datasets of nursery plant images were compared. The datasets came from two varieties of almond trees (Prunus dulcis) named Soleta and Pentacebas. Each dataset contained images with three different scales: whole plant, leaf, and venation. The Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM) technique was used to unveil the most important features to discriminate between both varieties. The three datasets provided classification accuracies above 97% in the test set, being the leaf dataset, with a 98.8% accuracy, the one providing the best results. Concerning the most important features of the plants, the Grad-CAM showed that they are located in the center of the leaf, that is, the venation. In conclusion, we have shown that computer vision is a promising technique for the control of plant varietal mixtures.Spanish Ministry of Economy andCompetitiveness, Grant/Award Number:AGL2015-70106-R, AEI/FEDER, UE;Industrial Doctorates Plan of theSecretariat of Universities and Research ofthe Department of Economy andKnowledge of the Generalitat of Catalonia,Grant/Award Number: DI-COF 2017Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Development of canopy vigour maps using UAV for site-specific management during vineyard spraying process

Site-specific management of crops represents an important improvement in terms of efficiency and efficacy of the different labours, and its implementation has experienced a large development in the last decades, especially for field crops. The particular case of the spray application process for what are called “specialty crops” (vineyard, orchard fruits, citrus, olive trees, etc.)FI-DGR grant from Generalitat de Catalunya (2018 FI_B1 00083). Research and improvement of Dosaviña have been developed under LIFE PERFECT project: Pesticide Reduction using Friendly and Environmentally Controlled Technologies (LIFE17 ENV/ES/000205)This research was partially funded by the “Ajuts a les activitats de demostració (operació 01.02.01 de Transferència Tecnològica del Programa de desenvolupament rural de Catalunya 2014-2020)” and an FI-DGR grant from Generalitat de Catalunya (2018 FI_B1 00083). Research and improvement of Dosaviña have been developed under the LIFE PERFECT project: Pesticide Reduction using Friendly and Environmentally Controlled Technologies (LIFE17 ENV/ES/000205).This research was partially funded by the “Ajuts a les activitats de demostració (operació 01.02.01 de Transferència Tecnològica del Programa de desenvolupament rural de Catalunya 2014-2020)” and an FI-DGR grant from Generalitat de Catalunya (2018 FI_B1 00083). Research and improvement of Dosaviña have been developed under LIFE PERFECT project: Pesticide Reduction using Friendly and Environmentally Controlled Technologies (LIFE17 ENV/ES/000205)Postprint (updated version

Horticultura i ciutat

El 1912 es crea l’Escola Superior d’Agricultura de Barcelona (ESAB),amb la pretensió d’aportar coneixement al món agrícola i fer avançar l’agricultura i la ramaderia del camp català, d’acord amb les necessitats de la societat de començament de segle.Postprint (published version