In this work, a compact, wideband, circularly polarized wearable antenna is proposed using asymmetric coplanar strip feeding for wireless health monitor applications in the ISM frequency band. The proposed antenna consists of a composite right/left transmission line (CRLH TL) inspired structure to achieve compactness and a rectangular ring slot is created in the metallic ground to enhance the CP radiation of the antenna. A 5 × 5 artificial magnetic conductor unit cell-based metasurface is designed which is operating at 2.4 GHz as a ground plane for the CRLH-based CP antenna. Implementation of AMC-based metasurface as a ground plane results in enhancement of radiation characteristics of CRLH TL antenna. The proposed antenna has a small footprint of 50 × 50 mm2 with measured impedance bandwidth of 2.3–3.2 GHz. The 3 dB axial ratio bandwidth of the proposed antenna is 2.36–2.78 GHz with peak gain of 5.89 dBi. Simulation and experimental results show that proposed AMC-based antenna is robust in terms of structural deformation. Further, to validate the performance of the antenna for biomedical applications, we have simulated the proposed antenna with human phantom model. The proposed antenna exhibits stable scattering and radiation characteristics with the phantom body environment and due to the inclusion of AMC structure, the proposed design satisfies maximum specific absorption rate value given as per the IEEE standard safety guidelines.

Field investigations were conducted during the winter seasons of 1992/93 and 1993/94 to find the optimum sowing time and time of last fodder cut for the fodder and seed production of Egyptian clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.). The delay in sowing from 1 October to 15 November decreased the green and dry fodder yields but increased the seed yields. Total green and dry fodder yields (of all cuttings) for 1 or 15 October sowings were significantly higher than the 15 November sowing in both years and 1 November sowing in 1992/93. Increase in seed yield from the 15 November sowing was greater than from the 1 and 15 October sowings. Straw yields followed similar trends. Delay in the last cut for fodder, however, increased green and dry fodder yields but decreased the seed yield. The percentage increase in dry fodder yield with each successive delay in last cut for fodder was higher than that of green fodder yield. The 11 April cutting date of fodder produced the highest green and dry fodder yields but the lowest seed yield. Two years mean data showed that the 2 March cutting date of last fodder gave the highest seed yield. It is concluded that higher seed yield of Egyptian clover can be produced by sowing on 15 November and giving the last fodder cutting on 2 March.