Current Project:
Developing a Biomass Sensor for Real-Time Estimation of Plant Biomass in the Field.
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Current Project:
Developing a Biomass Sensor for Real-Time Estimation of Plant Biomass in the Field. |
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Investigators: Reza Ehsani, Lixin Lang
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Abstract: |
Knowing plant volume and biomass at different stages of crop growth could provide valuable information on the health and needs of a crop. Plant biomass variation can cause variation in yield; therefore, knowing the crop status early in the growing season could give farmers a chance to correct the probable yield-limiting causes. A laser scanner was used in this project. The scanner emits an infrared laser beam. If the beam hits an object in its path, it is reflected and the reflected beam will be detected by the sensor. The sensor calculates the distance to the object by measuring the time of flight and knowing the speed it can calculate the plant volume and correlate that with the plant biomass. In addition to precision agriculture, this sensor has the potential to be used to estimate tree canopy volume for target spraying of orchards, which would reduce pesticide use. Another non-precision agriculture application is use of the biomass sensor in greenhouses and research labs to monitor plant growth rate for plant-specific application of agricultural inputs, such as nutrients, pesticides and water. | |
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| experiment equipment | software interface | |
