Skip to main content
Log in

On-line Sensor Pendulum-Meter for Determination of Plant Mass

  • Published:
Precision Agriculture Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A vehicle-based mechanical sensor (pendulum-meter) was developed to measure the plant mass of crops. For testing under defined conditions, a dynamometer with pendulum-meter, sensory and electronic equipment was developed. The ability and accuracy of the sensor for measuring plant mass in different crops (winter wheat, winter rye, grass, rice) and different growth stages are discussed in this paper. Parameter trials were done for optimising pendulum parameters. The correlations between plant mass and pendulum angle measurements were good (r 2 < 0.89) for all pendulum parameters, with no significant differences between suitable parameters. The speed of the pendulum-meter causes a linear increase of the measured pendulum angle. The pendulum-meter is of simple construction.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Auernhammer, H., Demmel, M., Muhr, T., Rottmeier, J. and Wild, K. 1994. Rechner gestützte Ertragsermittlung für eine umweltschonende Düngung (Computer-supported estimating of yields for environment-friendly fertilisation). Landtechnik Weihenstephan, Landtechnik-Schrift 4, 111-134.

    Google Scholar 

  • Auernhammer, H., Demmel, M. and Pirro, P. J. M. 1995. Yield measurement on self propelled forage harvesters. ASAE-Paper No. 95-1757 (American Society of Agricultural Engineers, St. Joseph, MI, USA).

    Google Scholar 

  • Castle, M. E. 1976. A simple disc instrument for estimating herbage yield. Journal of the British Grassland Society 31, 37-40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christensen, S., Heisel, T., Secher, B. J. M., Jensen, A. and Haar, V. 1997. Spatial variation of pesticide doses adjusted to varying canopy density in cereals. In: Precision Agriculture '97: Proceedings of the 1st European Conference on Precision Agriculture, edited by J. V. Stafford (BIOS Scientific Publishers, UK), pp. 211-218.

    Google Scholar 

  • Earle, D. F. and McGowan, A. A. 1979. Evaluation and calibration of an automated rising plate meter for estimating dry matter yield of pasture. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 19, 337-343.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehlert, D. and Schmidt, H. 1995. Ertragskartierung mit Feldhächslern (Yield mapping in forage harvesters). Landtechnik 4, 204-205.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehlert, D. 1998. Surveying biomass in plant populations. In: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Precision Agriculture, St Paul, MN, edited by P. C. Robert, R. H. Rust and W. E. Larson (ASA-CSSA-SSSA, Madison, WI, USA) (Part B). pp. 1067-1075.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez, M. A., Hussey, M. A. and Conrad, B. E. 1990. Plant height, disc and capacitance meters used to estimate bermudagrass herbage mass. Agronomy Journal 82, 861-864.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammen, V. and Ehlert, D. 1999. The pendulum-meter: A new on-line sensor for determining grass yield for site specific farming. In: Precision Agriculture '99: Proceedings of the 2nd European Conference on Precision Agriculture, edited by J. V. Stafford (Sheffield Academic Press, UK), pp. 781-787.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, P. M., Jorgensen, R. N. 2001. The Riso Cropassessor—An idea to a low cost, robust, simple, and modular measuring device based on existing technology for monitoring the spatial field crop variation. In: Proceedings of the 3rd European Conference on Precision Agriculture, edited by G. Grenier and S. Blackmore (AGRO Montpellier, France), pp. 37-42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hutchings, N. J., Phillips, A. H. and Dobson, R. C. 1990. An ultrasonic rangefinder for measuring the undisturbed surface height of continuously grazed grass swards. Grass and Forage Science 45, 119-127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaynes, D. B., Colvin, T. S. and Ambuel, J. 1995. Yield mapping by electromagnetic induction. In: Site specific Management for Agricultural Systems. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference, Minneapolis, edited by P. C. Robert and H. Rust (ASA-CSSA-SSSA, Madison, WI, USA), pp. 383-394.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lark, R. M., Stafford, J. V. and Bolam, H. C. 1997. Limitations on the spatial resolution of yield mapping for combinable crops. Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research 66, 183-193.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lokhorst, C. and Kasper, G. J. 1998. Site specific grassland management: measuring techniques, spatial and temporal variation in grass yields. In: Proceedings of the Conference Agricultural Engineering (VDI-Verlag GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany), pp. 209-214.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maertens, K., DeBaerdemaeker, J., Reyns, P. and Misotten, B. 2000. On-line grain and straw yield measurement during harvest. In: Proceedings 28. Symposium: Actual Tasks on Agricultural Engineering, Opatija, edited by D. Filipovich (IGP Stefanowich, Zagreb, Croatia), pp. 25-32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paice, M. E. R., Robinson, T. and Miller, P. C. H. 1999. A comparison of some techniques for estimating local crop density. In: Precision Agriculture '99: Proceedings of the 2nd European Conference on Precision Agriculture, edited by J. V. Stafford (Sheffield Academic Press, UK), pp. 163-173.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearson, D. B., Tucker, C. J. and Miller, L. D. 1976. Spectral mapping of shortgrass prairie biomass. Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, 3, 317-323.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scrivner, J. H., Center, D. M. and Jones, M. B. 1986. A rising plate meter for estimating production and utilization. Journal of Range Management, 5, 475-477.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tucker, C. J., Holben, B. N., Elgin, J. H. and McMurtrey, J. E. 1981. III: Remote sensing of total dry matter accumulation in winter wheat. Remote Sensing of Environment 11, 171-189.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vansichen, R. and DeBaerdemaeker, J. 1993. A measurement technique for yield mapping of corn silage. Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research 55, 1-10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Virkajärvi, P. and Matilainen, K. 1994. Predicting herbage mass of phleum pratense L. pastures with a disc meter. Agricultural Science in Finland 4, 397-405.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ehlert, D., Hammen, V. & Adamek, R. On-line Sensor Pendulum-Meter for Determination of Plant Mass. Precision Agriculture 4, 139–148 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024553104963

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024553104963

Navigation