Browsing by Author "South, Kaylee Anne"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    Development of Open-Source Gantry-Plus Robot Systems for Plant Science research
    Kaundanya, Adwait Anand (Virginia Tech, 2024-12-19)
    Affordable and readily available automation options for plant research remain scarce, however with the availability of such a system, many research tasks can be streamlined. In this project, we demonstrate a prototype of such an open-source, low-cost, heterogeneous robotic system called Mini T-Rex. We combine two over-the-counter robots and leverage the ROS2 framework to control this heterogeneous system. This system provides a unique advantage of sensor-to-plant method to capture multi-view images at any angle and distance within the workspace. We demonstrate how making a digital twin in ROS2 can help to control a heterogeneous system via abstracted hardware control. We also talk about I2GROW Oasis which is a robotic system consisting of a remotely controlled robot with the ability to capture top-view images. In this thesis we describe the hardware and software design of both these robotic systems. To use this robotic system, the plants can be grown on a growth bed or a hydroponic system below the Mini T-Rex robot, and the camera will approach the plant without any contact with the plants due to the precise control of the robotic manipulator. We used the system to capture several large data sets of 3D phenotypic data for Solanum lycopersicum, Lactuca sativa, and Thlaspi. In conclusion, we have developed a 9-degree of freedom, fully open-source heterogeneous robotic system capable of multi-view, camera-to plant image capture for plant 3D model reconstruction called Mini T-Rex. We show how to use gantry like robots for phenotyping and create longitudinal datasets by automating these high precision robotic systems.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Dwarf Tomatoes in an Indoor Vertical System
    Tharpe, Anna Ekene Davis (Virginia Tech, 2023-06-05)
    An experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential of producing dwarf tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in an indoor vertical system. Cultivars 'Micro Tom', 'Jochalos', and 'Venus' were grown under the three daily light integral (DLI) levels of 16.9, 22.7, and 27.9 mol·m-2·day-1. Cultivar had an effect on height, with Jochalos being the tallest. Plants grown under 27.9 mol·m-2·day-1 were the shortest. The time of first flower was affected by cultivar, appearing earliest in Micro Tom. Regarding DLI, the first flower was earliest in plants under 22.7 and 27.9 mol·m-2·day-1. The time of first harvest was only affected by cultivar, in which Micro Tom was earliest. There was an interaction effect for the total and marketable fruit count harvested. Micro Tom had the highest overall number of fruits harvested amongst cultivars, and Micro Tom grown under 22.7 and 27.9 mol·m-2·day-1 had more total and marketable fruit counts than those grown under 16.9 mol·m-2·day-1. There was no interaction effect for fruit weight harvested. The effect of cultivar differed between the total and marketable fruit weights harvested, but Jochalos produced the highest weights in both. The effect of DLI was the same for total and marketable fruit weights harvested, with plants under 22.7 and 27.9 mol·m-2·day-1 having the highest weights. Cultivar had an effect on fruit Brix, with Micro Tom fruit having the lowest Brix and Jochalos fruit having the highest Brix. The effect of DLI resulted in fruits produced by plants under 27.9 mol·m-2·day-1 having the highest Brix and fruits produced by plants under 16.9 mol·m-2·day-1 having the lowest. Based on these results, there is potential for dwarf tomatoes to be grown in vertical farm systems.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Optimizing Hydroponic Lettuce Yield: Evaluation of Potassium Source and Concentration with Plant Imaging
    Doss, Mitchell C. (Virginia Tech, 2024-10-15)
    Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is an expanding industry in the United States. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) possesses considerable economic importance as one of the foremost leafy vegetables worldwide in terms of financial value for production in CEA. Rapid growth rate, high yield, and potential return further enhance its suitability for cultivation within CEA. Pursuing optimal and sustainable nutrient concentrations for crops in CEA is a continuous requirement for an expanding industry. This study is set to investigate the impact of different potassium (K) sources and concentrations on 'Green Oakleaf' lettuce growth. The K concentration within the Virginia Tech base hydroponic lettuce fertilizer was increased,1x, 2x, and 3x the normal rates of K ppm, through the addition of potassium chloride (KCl) or potassium sulfate (K2SO4). To account for rising electrical conductivity (EC), due to the increase of K, KCl treatments were recreated with standardized EC through the addition of Sodium Chloride (NaCl). The Spatially and Mechanically Accurate Robotic Table (SMART) in an indoor space was utilized to cultivate and image plant growth over time through pixel count. Growth index and chlorophyll content were recorded weekly, while the fresh weight and dry weight of shoots were recorded at harvest. The KCl treatment with the highest concentration,4x K ppm, as well as those with standardized EC, led to reduced yield when compared to other treatments. All K2SO4 treatments showed no difference in growth when compared to the base solution. K source and concentration, as well as fertilizer EC, were all identified as factors influencing the impact of fertilizers on the optimization of lettuce yield.