Plant Configuration Research Articles

Optimization of High-Density Planting Configurations for Poovan Banana (Musa spp.) in Coconut-Based Agroforestry Systems of the Cauvery Delta Zone

Bananas (Musa spp.) are a vital global agricultural commodity and an essential crop in tropical agricultural systems. The Poovan cultivar, known for its high productivity and adaptability, is particularly effective in intercropping within coconut-based agroforestry systems. This study investigates the impact of planting geometries on crop performance in the Cauvery Delta Zone by evaluating five spatial configurations, ranging from 2.1×2.1m to 0.9×0.9m, with a focus on morphological, physiological, and economic parameters. The results indicate that wider spacing configurations, especially 2.1×2.1m, significantly improve leaf morphological traits, including maximum leaf length (148.17 cm), breadth (77.75 cm), and leaf area index (2.61m²/plant). Additionally, these configurations enhance key fruit quality characteristics, such as increased bunch weight (16kg), improved fruit dimensions (20cm length), higher sugar content (22°Brix), and greater fruit firmness (4.5kg/cm²). The economic analysis suggests that a 1.5×1.5m spacing provides the most favorable cost-benefit ratio (1.14). This study offers valuable insights into the complex relationships between planting density, resource allocation, and productivity in tropical farming systems, providing evidence-based recommendations for optimizing both agricultural performance and economic viability in integrated farming systems.

Energetic and economic advantages of energy communities: a case study referred to a southern Italian town

Energy Districts and Communities are at the heart of EU programs. Nevertheless, several challenges are encountered when bringing into fruition. Their convenience is not fully understood on a small scale, due to the complexity of the start-up practices, which make them more suitable for commercial or industrial companies.In this scenario the present study arises, aimed at pointing out to small communities, at condominium scale, the economic benefits, in terms of Net Present Value (NPV), deriving from the adoption of the new community plant configurations. Such indicator gives a glance of the total cost, both investment and functioning ones, to be sustained during the plant life, together with the enjoyed benefits. Particularly the investment cost is presently a big obstacle to the spread of renewable energy systems whereas the high operative cost of conventional plants is less adequately considered.In this frame, through the paper the satisfaction of the electricity needs of the users of a building, sited in Reggio Calabria (Italy), when their plant configurations turn from single grid-connected into community is analyzed using 2024 tariffs. From the study the economic advantages of the community result, pointing out an NPV increase (€ 3,798), with a consequent reduction of the investment pay-back time for most users. The benefit increases (€ 24,918) when an energy intensive user joins the community. The study also considers a plant configuration equipped with storage, pointing out the reduced grid exchanges: a lower injection of 5.6 MWh and a lower withdrawal of 6.9 MWh. Concerning NPV, despite the batteries cost and their replacement every 10 years, only low reductions are observed, thanks to the great saving obtained by stored energy, that make the investment convenient. In the future the study will be enriched with the analysis of plant configurations that consider aggregation among adjacent buildings.

Techno-economic assessment of a green liquid hydrogen supply chain for ship refueling

Maritime transportation is an essential component of international trade and global economic growth: according to the 2021 Review of Maritime Transport, transportation by sea is responsible for more than 80% of the global product flow. To facilitate decarbonization and reduce pollutant emissions in the maritime sector, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set very ambitious targets, and hydrogen is one of the most promising energy vectors capable of supporting the required low-carbon energy transition. Recently, therefore, more attention has been paid to finding technical solutions for the development of hydrogen-based alternative propulsion systems and, at the same time, a hydrogen distribution infrastructure suitable for shipping. In this scenario, this study aims to analyze, through design, modeling and optimization approaches, the energy and economic performance of an offshore wind power plant integrated with a liquid hydrogen production system to be used for refueling ships far from ports. This study focuses on the development of an optimization procedure dedicated to finding the best technical solution in terms of component sizes and management strategies that ensure the minimum Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH). Resultshave highlighted that the proposed innovative plant configuration for the offshore liquid hydrogen production is able to produce 317 tons per year of green hydrogen with a LCOH of 16.77 €/kg by using 19 MW offshore wind farm and 5 MW PEM electrolyzer.

Optimization of Wetland Plant Selection and Configuration in Urban Water Environment Ecological Restoration Projects

Optimization of Wetland Plant Selection and Configuration in Urban Water Environment Ecological Restoration Projects

Photovoltaic power forecasting: A Transformer based framework

The accurate prediction of photovoltaic (PV) energy production is a crucial task to optimise the integration of solar energy into the power grid and maximise the benefit of renewable source trading in the energy market. This paper systematically and quantitatively analyses the literature by comparing different machine learning techniques and the impact of different meteorological forecast providers. The methodology consists of an irradiance model coupled with a meteorological provider; this combination removes the constraint of a local irradiance measurement. The result is a Transformer Neural Network architecture, trained and tested using OpenMeteo data, whose performance is superior to other combinations, providing a MAE of 1.22 kW (0.95%), and a MAPE of 2.21%. The implications of our study suggest that adopting a comprehensive approach, integrating local weather data, modelled irradiance, and PV plant configuration data, can significantly improve the accuracy of PV power forecasting, thus contributing to more effective technological and economic integration.

Planting Strategy Influences Vegetable Response to Glyphosate and Glufosinate Applied Preplant in Plasticulture

Abstract In Georgia plasticulture vegetable production, a single installation of plastic mulch is utilized for up to five cropping cycles over an 18-month period. Preplant applications of glyphosate and glufosinate ensure fields are weed-free before transplanting, but recent data suggest residual activity of these herbicides may pose a risk to transplanted vegetables. Glyphosate and glufosinate were applied preplant in combination with three different planting configurations, including 1) a new plant hole into new mulch, 2) a pre-existing plant hole, 3) or a new plant hole spaced 15 cm from a pre-existing plant hole (adjacent). Following herbicide application, overhead irrigation was utilized to remove residues from the mulch before punching transplanting holes for tomato, cucumber, or squash. Visible injury, widths, biomass, yield of tomato, cucumber, or squash were not influenced by herbicide in the new mulch or adjacent planting configurations. When glyphosate was applied at 5.0 kg ae ha-1 and the new crop was planted into pre-existing holes, tomato was injured 45%, with reduced heights, biomass, and yields; at 2.5 kg ae ha-1 injury of 8% and a biomass reduction was observed. Cucumber and squash were injured 23% to 32% by glyphosate at 5.0 kg ae ha-1, with reductions in growth and early-season yield; lower rates did not influence crop growth or production when the crop was placed into a pre-existing plant hole. Glufosinate at the same rates did not affect tomato growth or yield when planted into pre-existing plant holes. Cucumber, when planted into pre-existing plant holes, was injured 43 to 75% from glufosinate, with reductions in height and biomass, and yield losses at 1.3 and 2.6 kg ai ha-1; similar results from glufosinate were observed in squash. In multi-crop plasticulture production, growers should ensure vegetable transplants are placed a minimum of 15 cm away from soil exposed to these herbicides.

A comparative study of time-related performance: COBOT with industrial robots using digital twin robotic cells

In the context of the industry 4.0, defined by highly personalized processes, there’s a rising interest of technologies related to the extraction of data of the process in real time to better decide future actions i.e. define more efficient and productive configurations of the industrial plant. From this, Cyber-physical systems such as digital twins are the most suited technology to follow the process performance through data and reliably validate different outcomes from simulations. Furthermore, COBOTs that can adapt to the environment are ideal to deal with such changing demands which have to work alongside industrial robots. Therefore, this study aims to use the digital twin capabilities of data extraction and simulation from the FANUC’s robot simulator software to validate the performance of industrial and collaborative robots in order to offer insights to better apply each type of robot. It was used a robotic cell with the robot PRBT 6 as a reference to make 2 digital twins of the cell with 2 different robot models, one collaborative and one industrial. Two digital twins were made using ROBOGUIDE simulator, version 9.4 for the COBOT and version 9.1 for the industrial robot. It’s presented the method used to build the digital twin of the robotic cell and the results show that the cycle time of the COBOT’s cell is significantly higher than the industrial one but has higher flexibility.

Exploiting the Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) technology for green hydrogen production and storage: Exergo-economic analysis

This study presents and analyses three plant configurations of the Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) technology. All the solutions are based on using the OTEC system to obtain hydrogen through an electrolyzer. The hydrogen is then compressed and stored. In the first and second layouts, a Rankine cycle with ammonia and a mixture of water and ethanol is utilised respectively; in the third layout, a Kalina cycle is considered. In each configuration, the OTEC cycle is coupled with a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyzer and the compression and storage system. The water entering the electrolyzer is pre-heated to 80 °C by a solar collector. Energy, exergy, and exergo-economic studies were conducted to evaluate the cost of producing, compressing, and storing hydrogen. A parametric analysis examining the main design constraints was performed based on the temperature range of the condenser, the mass flow ratio of hot and cold resource flows, and the mass fraction. The maximum value of the overall exergy efficiency calculated is equal to 93.5% for the Kalina cycle, and 0.524 €/kWh is the minimum cost of hydrogen production achieved. The results were compared with typical data from other hydrogen production systems.

Effects of Earthworm Density on Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Constructed Wetlands with Different Plant Configurations

Effects of Earthworm Density on Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Constructed Wetlands with Different Plant Configurations

Vertical Plant Configuration: Its Impact on Microclimate and Thermal Comfort in Urban Small Green Spaces

The presence of small green spaces throughout high-density urban areas is essential for enhancing thermal comfort and combating the urban heat island effect. Extensive research has been conducted on plants, which play a key role in cooling green spaces. However, the majority of research focuses on trees, overlooking the efficiency of vertical plant configurations, especially shrubs. Hence, this paper selected a typical small green space in Tokyo’s high-density urban area and employed scenario simulation to examine how various vertical plant configurations impact the microclimate and thermal comfort of small green spaces, with a particular emphasis on quantifying the efficiency of shrubs. The research primarily discovered four findings. First, trees significantly outperform shrubs in improving thermal comfort, especially during periods of strong sunlight during the day, leading to a direct modification of the thermal comfort levels. Second, while shrubs (height < 2 m) usually do not make a substantial difference in the overall thermal comfort levels of small green spaces, they are effective in reducing areas classified as “hot” and “very hot” during the day, with their cooling effect becoming more pronounced in the late afternoon. Third, when small green spaces combine trees and shrubs in their plant configuration, taller shrubs (within 0–2 m) exhibit a more pronounced cooling effect and improvement in thermal comfort. The conclusions of this study could offer guidance for the planning, design, and renovation of small green spaces in high-density urban areas.

A Study on Vegetation Restoration and Ecological Rehabilitation of Mine Slopes Based on Bioengineering Technology

This paper studies the application of bioengineering technology for vegetation restoration and ecological rehabilitation of mine slopes. Bioengineering technology is a comprehensive engineering technology that uses living plants and other auxiliary materials to construct slope structures, and realizes the stability, vegetation restoration and ecological rehabilitation of the slopes. Then, the paper reveals the principle and mechanism of bioengineering technology, which is mainly to use the parts of plants, such as roots, stems and leaves, to reinforce, fix and protect the slope soil, and to improve and regulate the slope ecosystem. The paper further explores the methods and techniques of bioengineering technology, and studies and summarizes the specific methods and techniques of plant selection, configuration, planting and management of bioengineering technology. Finally, the paper points out the problems and challenges of bioengineering technology, such as the imperfection of theory and method, the limitation of application and promotion, the deficiency of monitoring and management, and the uncertainty of social and environmental impact, and suggests further research and exploration of bioengineering technology. The paper concludes that bioengineering technology is a promising technology for vegetation restoration and ecological rehabilitation of slopes.

Introduction and Agrotechnology of Greek Chambala (Trigonella Foenum-Graecum L.) in Surkhondaryo Region

This research explores the introduction and agrotechnology of Greek Chambala (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) in the Surkhandarya region of Uzbekistan. The study focuses on the growth development and medicinal properties of this leguminous herb, with particular emphasis on agrotechnological factors such as planting dates, row spacing, and chemical protection measures that influence productivity. Greek Chambala is valued for its bioactive compounds, known for medicinal benefits like managing diabetes and obesity. The experiment was conducted at the "Jonchekka Sarhadlari" farm using different planting configurations and fertilization methods. The results showed that planting in November yielded optimal seed development and contributed to soil fertility through nitrogen fixation. The findings provide practical insights for enhancing the cultivation of Greek Chambala in Surkhandarya's climatic conditions, making it a promising crop for both agricultural and medicinal purposes.

Development of near-optimal advanced control sequences for chiller plants with water-side economizers in U.S. Climates (ASHRAE RP-1661)

Various advanced control sequences for chiller plants with water-side economizers (WSE) have been proposed in literature, but the evaluation and optimization of those controls is limited. It is possible to maximize energy savings by selecting different sequences and related parameters based on the plant configuration, load, and climate. This paper addresses this gap by developing near-optimal advanced control sequences for chiller plants with WSEs. First, advanced control sequences for chiller plants with WSEs are categorized into condenser water, chilled water, and hybrid controls and representative sequences from each category are identified. Next, 504 different scenarios are optimized. These scenarios represent all possible combinations of two plant configurations, a constant or variable load profile, three advanced control sequences, and seven optimization parameter combinations in six climate zones. The results show the recommended near-optimal sequences can reduce energy consumption by up to 15% relative to the baseline depending on the configuration, load profile, and climate. Specifically, the CW-CHW sequence is recommended for the majority of systems because it is often the most energy efficient and/or reduces the runtime of chillers. The methodology in this paper provides practical guidance for achieving energy savings through near-optimal control of chiller plants with WSEs.

How to alleviate seasonal limitations on water quality in farmland ditches? The importance of plant selection and configuration

In subtropical monsoon climate regions, traditional plants in constructed wetlands such as farmland ditches underperform in cold months, detracting from both purification capacity and esthetic appeal. To alleviate this weakness, this study introduced Phalaris arundinacea, a species with strong adaptability and cold tolerance, into a plant community dominated by Phragmites australis, constructing an ingenious composite plant community for year‐round water quality restoration and enhancement of attractiveness. First, laboratory simulations revealed significant seasonal differences in the removal rates of ammonia nitrogen (NH3‐N), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) by the P. arundinacea community and P. australis community under different pollutant loads. Phragmites australis showed superior NH3‐N and TN removal capabilities from May to October, whereas P. arundinacea excelled in the rest of the months throughout the year. For TP removal, P. australis outperformed P. arundinacea from July to October, while P. arundinacea was more effective from January to May. We then verified this in rear farmland ditches, where P. australis were strategically partial substituted with P. arundinacea (Partial Replacement Treatment [PRT]), and compared it with unchanged farmland ditches (Control Treatment). We found that PRT enhanced decontamination efficiency over the year, especially significantly improving the water quality during colder months. Hence, this study advocates a novel strategy for effective annual decontamination and maintenance of wetlands such as farmland ditches, highlighting the importance of seasonally adaptive plant communities for water restoration. This transformative approach dramatically advances the field of wetland management, insisting on the important role of cold‐resistant species for year‐round ecosystem service optimization.

Optimizing daylily (Hemerocallis citrina Baroni) cultivation: integrating physiological modeling and planting patterns for enhanced yield and resource efficiency

IntroductionOptimizing the dynamics of daylily (Hemerocallis citrina Baroni) growth under various planting patterns is critical for enhancing production efficiency. This study presents a comprehensive model to simulate daylily growth and optimize planting patterns to maximize bud yield while minimizing land resource utilization.MethodsThe model incorporates source-sink relationship specific to daylilies into physiological process modeling, considering environmental factors such as micro-light and temperature climate, and CO2 concentration. Spatial factors, including planting pattern, row spacing, plant spacing, and plant density were examined for their impact on light interception, photosynthesis, and resource efficiency. Employing partial least square path modeling (PLS-PM), we analyzed the interrelations and causal relationships between planting configurations and physiological traits of daylily canopy leaves and buds. Through in situ simulations of 36 planting scenarios, we identified an optimal configuration (Scenario ID5) with a density of 83,000 plants·ha−1, row spacing of 0.8 m, and equidistant planting with a plant spacing of 0.15 m.Results and discussionOur research findings indicate that increased Wide+Narrow row spacing can enhance yield to a certain extent. Although planting patterns influence daylily yield, their overall impact is relatively minor, and there is no clear pattern regarding the impact of plant spacing on individual plant yield. This modeling approach provides valuable insights into daylily plant growth dynamics and planting patterns optimization, offering practical guidance for both farmers and policymakers to enhance daylily productivity while minimizing land use.

Effects of different phosphorus and potassium supply on the root architecture, phosphorus and potassium uptake, and utilization efficiency of hydroponic rice

Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) affect seedling growth, root configuration, and nutrient uptake in hydroponic rice, but there are few studies on all growth stages of rice. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the response characteristics of root morphology, plant physiology, and P and K uptake and utilization efficiency to different supplies of P and K. Two local conventional rice varieties (Shennong 265 and Liaojing 294) were used as experimental materials across four treatments, including HPHK (sufficient P and K supply), HPLK (sufficient P supply under low K levels), LPHK (sufficient K supply under low P levels) and LPLK (low P and K levels) in a hydroponic setting. The results showed that HPHK and HPLK significantly decreased the acid phosphatase activity of leaves and roots from full heading to filling stages when compared to LPHK and LPLK. Sufficient supply of P or K significantly increased the accumulation of P and K (aboveground, leaves, stem sheath, and whole plant) and root morphological parameters (root length, root surface area, total root volume, and tips) during major growth stages when compared to LP or LK levels. HPHK was significantly higher than other treatments in terms of dry weight and the root activity at the main growth stage, P and K uptake rates in nutrient solutions at various stages, related P and K efficiency at the maturity stage, yield, effective panicle number, and grain number per panicle. In addition, the effect of HPHK on the above indexes were significantly greater than those of single sufficient supply of P or K. In conclusion, HPHK can improve plant configuration, increase plant P and K absorption and root activity, and increase rice yield and related P and K utilization efficiency.

H2 and CO purification by CO2 removal from syngas coupling membrane module and water-absorption unit: An economic analysis

Hydrogen represents today a necessary alternative to fossil fuels to limit the greenhouse gas effect due to the CO2 emissions. In this work, a plant configuration able to get pure H2 and concentrated CO (about 94%) from a syngas mixture is proposed and simulated by coupling a selective membrane unit and a water absorption column. In addition, an economic assessment on the simulated plant is carried out to estimate the feasibility of this process in terms of economic potential, studying its dependence on several parameters, such as raw material price, membrane cost, membrane feed pressure, column temperature and feed flow rate.Separation performance is improved by the higher feed membrane pressure (greater H2 recovery and CO purity), whereas the increment of the column temperature especially affects the CO recovery. Hence, the economic potential presents a maximum with pressure and temperature (e.g., about 246ꞏ103 $/y at 40 bar of feed membrane pressure and about 282ꞏ103 $/y at 50 °C of column temperature), due to the balance between the higher compression/solvent cost and the increment of H2 or CO recovery. In addition, the simulated plant shows a positive economic potential in a wide range of syngas price (e.g., from 0.126 to 0.25 $/Nm3), being also not affected significantly by the cost of the palladium-based membrane module. A bigger plant size (i.e., feed flow rate from 10 to 100 kmol/h) can lead to a twelve times greater economic potential (from about 242ꞏ103 to about 2954ꞏ103 $/y at 30 bar), reducing the H2 purification cost and making the net present value positive.

Bed, ridge and planting configurations influence crop performance in field-transplanted hybrid potato crops

Current cultivation practices for field transplanted potato crops grown from nursery-raised hybrid potato seedlings are mostly borrowed from the tuber-based conventional system. Most studies on field performance of field transplanted seedling crops have largely reported the use of ridged rows and in exceptional cases, the use of beds. It is therefore critical to assess the feasibility of the use of alternative ridge or bed systems for cultivation of field-transplanted nursery-raised potato seedlings considering the differences in physiological behaviour of crops grown from different starting materials. This study assessed the effects of six systems which included bed and ridge systems of different dimensions and planting configurations for field transplanted seedling crops. Field crop establishment, canopy growth and development as well as yield and yield components were assessed. In general, systems that boasted high plant densities resulted in faster canopy development and higher number of tubers and tuber yield. Bed systems (raised and flat beds; 8.0 plants m−2) therefore gave the highest numbers of tubers and tuber yield across all treatments. These systems also produced the most tubers in all tuber size classes resulting in the highest yields in all classes. Standard ridge systems (full- and half ridges; 0.75 m row distance), had the lowest plant populations (5.3 plants m−2) which resulted almost always in fewer tubers and lower yield. Other ridge systems (0.9-m and 0.5-m ridge systems), although having higher plant densities than the standard ridge systems (8.9 and 8.0 plants m−2, respectively) still performed poorer than the bed systems. The small and compact ridges in the 0.5-m ridge system and the compact arrangement of plants in the 0.9-m ridge system caused these effects. Conclusively, based on this study, productivity in field transplanting systems is highly influenced by plant density. Further, cultivation systems boasting higher planting densities should be recommended when the goal for production is to produce large quantities of seed tubers (> 35; ≤ 50 mm).

CSP+MED Plant Coupled to a Seawater Pipeline from the Mining Industry in Northern Chile: A Case Study

The study evaluated the use of mining seawater pipelines in a CSP+MED plant at commercial scale based on solar tower molten salts technology, with 111.2 MWe and 13 hours of thermal energy storage in northern Chile. The plant is coupled to the biggest seawater pipeline in the country, from Centinela mining facility. Results shown that the CSP+MED plant required all the seawater pumping capacity of the pipeline in order to cool the thermal cycle of the CSP plant using the MED plant. In terms of electricity production, the MED plant integration affects significantly the annual electricity production of the plant, when compared with an optimized CSP plant and to a CSP plant with the same design but without the MED plant and considering a once through cooling system, lowering the electricity production an 46.05% and 25.82% respectively. On the other hand, the CSP+MED plant integration produces 14.06 hm3 of freshwater annually, which translated in an additional income equivalent to 28.14 MM USD each year, which is substracted from the OPEX costs of the plant for the LCoE calculations. For this reason, the results showed that the lowest LCoE is reached by the CSP+MED plant configuration, but is highlighted that the economic analysis assumed an ideal situation, and further business models must be studied in order to share the benefits of the seawater pipeline integration between the CSP+MED plant owner and the mining facility that owns the seawater pipeline.

Research on the Effect of Planting Design on the Thermal Comfort of Campus Sidewalk in Tunghai University, Taiwan

The objective of this study is to elucidate the principal determinants influencing the thermal comfort of campus sidewalks, and to discern the nexus between sidewalk planting configurations and thermal comfort. Initially, thermal environment simulations are conducted across various temporal intervals, predicated upon the extant sidewalk planting configuration. Subsequently, an analysis is undertaken to delineate the causative factors contributing to suboptimal thermal comfort within the prevailing milieu. Finally, an evaluation of configurations conducive to enhancing campus thermal comfort through divergent planting design solutions is undertaken, thereby engendering discourse on sidewalk planting design. The findings show that impermeable pavement, encompassing sidewalks and driveways, emerges as the pre-eminent precipitant of diminished thermal comfort within the study locale. The implementation of a double-row staggered tree-planting approach, coupled with multi-layered shrub planting, emerges as the optimal solution for augmenting thermal comfort. Consequently, the outcomes of this study proffer discernibly superior alternatives for ameliorating the heat island effect and fostering the establishment of a sustainable campus paradigm.