Determination and modelling of dielectric properties of the cherry leaves of varying moisture content over 3.30-7.05 GHz frequency range

In order to exploit the use of remote sensing, microwave heating/drying and water stress in the agricultural sector, it is necessary to determine the dielectric properties of plant materials (branches, leaves, roots, fruits). In this way, the yield and quality of agricultural products can be increased. In this study, dielectric parameters of the sweet cherry and sour cherry leaves are measured by waveguide transmission line Method. The dielectric properties of the leaves (varying moisture content) are measured over a frequency ranging from (3.30-7.05 GHz) using WR229 (3.30-4.90 GHz) and WR159 (4.90-7.05 GHz) waveguide structures. A novel curve fitting technique is used to characterize dielectric properties of sweet cherry leaves. In order to verify the accuracy of the model the data obtained using this methodology is compared with measurement data of sour cherry leaves belonging to the same family. The determination coefficient R(2)of the model for WR229 and WR159 are 0.996 and 0.998, respectively. Similarly, the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values of the model for WR229 and WR159 are 0.852 and 0.236, respectively.