Active light sensing of canopies in crop management: Pastures and arable crops

Abstract

A field spectrometer with an active light source was tested as a potential canopy sensor for dairy pastures (‘TEC-5’, YARA). To study the applicability of the sensor on pasture for the intensive radiation conditions of NZ we first conducted two sensitivity experiments. Additionally, a plot experiment was designed to calibrate sensors on ryegrass and white clover canopies fertilised with five different nitrogen amounts. The pasture plots were sensed with the spectrometer and results compared with measured biomass amount and nitrogen content.