This work presents a remote sensing application to estimate the leaf area index (LAI) in two rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties (IDIAP 52-05 and IDIAP FL 137-11), as a proxy for crop performance. In-field, homogeneous spectroradiometric measurements (350–1050 nm) were carried in two campaigns (June–November 2017 and January–March 2018), on a private farm, TESKO, located in Juan Hombrón, Coclé Province, Panama. The spectral fingerprint of IDIAP 52-05 plants was collected in four dates (47, 67, 82 and 116 days after sowing), according to known phenological stages of rice plant growth. Moreover, true LAI or green leaf area was measured from representative plants and compared to LAI calculated from normalized PlanetScope multi-spectral satellite images (selected according to dates close to the in-field collection). Two distinct estimation models were used to establish the relationships of measured LAI and two vegetational spectral indices (NDVI and MTVI2). The results show that the MTVI2 based model has a slightly higher predictive ability of true LAI ($R^2$ = 0.92, RMSE = 2.20), than the NDVI model. Furthermore, the satellite images collected were corrected and satellite LAI was contrasted with true LAI, achieving in average 18% for Model 2 for MTVI2, with the NDVI (Model 1) corrected model having a smaller error around 13%. This work provides an important advance in precision agriculture, specifically in the monitoring of total crop growth via LAI for rice crops in the Republic of Panama.

The objective of this work is to perform a prospective analysis of the wavelengths that can be used to recognize a rice crop due to its phenological status and variety. For this purpose, field measurements of spectral signature in the 350 nm -1049 nm range were employed. The rice cultivars FCA 616FL and IDIAP 54-05 were used. The study site was located in the Juan Hombrón area in the Coclé province, Panama. A principal component analysis (PCA) was carried out, which resulted in the lengths 728.16, 677.89 and 785.48 nm let phenological differentiation within the cultivar FCA 616FL and IDIAP 54-05, the lengths 729.72, 814.58 and 666.81 nm let distinguish between crop varieties FCA 616FL and IDIAP 54-05 in vegetative phase.Keywords: Rice, reflectance, hyperspectral signature, phonological state.

It is essential to promote the study of non-conventional forms of electrical energy generation to create a resilient society with awareness of, and the capacity for development and experimentation to face, environmental conservation challenges, especially from secondary education. From a mixed methodological approach, this study presents workshops with hydrogen cells to strengthen educational skills and boost the interest of 44 high school students. The methodology followed five main points: carrying out a pre-evaluation to measure prior knowledge, an induction related to concepts of electronics and hydrogen cells, tests with a hydrogen kit, the presentation of final projects, post-evaluation of knowledge, and the application of a survey of motivation. Observation, experimentation, analysis, and dissemination of results helped strengthen students’ theoretical, practical, and scientific knowledge. These activities awakened their interest in this type of technology, as evidenced in the results of the evaluations, surveys, and project quality. This demonstrates the validity of hydrogen cell workshops as a valuable technique to enhance learning and motivate students to study unconventional forms of electrical energy generation.

The dynamics and transient response of fuel cell systems are critical aspects, especially in commercial applications where an immediate response to fluctuating power demands is required. This study presents experimental results obtained from evaluating the dynamic behavior of a 1.2 kW Ballard Nexa fuel cell, subjected to various operational disturbances, including startups, shutdowns, step load increases, irregular and constant loading, and system purging operations. The variables analyzed include voltage, current, and temperature, both in individual cells and in the entire system. The results indicate that the temperature exhibits an attenuated response with an arc-like evolution, but with an upward trend correlated with the increase in the demanded current. Meanwhile, when multiple load steps are applied, the system exhibits rapid responses in both cell and stack voltages, with transient overshoot and undershoot peaks whose magnitudes increase proportionally with the applied current. Regarding the purge system, tests show that its activation improves operational efficiency, resulting in approximately 0.3 V of voltage increase per operation. Furthermore, it is observed that the purge frequency increases with higher external load levels, suggesting a direct interaction between energy demand and active waste gas management in the system.