Publications

Rahman, M. M.; Lamb, D. W.; Stanley, J. N.; Trotter, M. G. (2014). Use of proximal sensors to evaluate at the sub-paddock scale a pasture growth-rate model based on light-use efficiency. CROP & PASTURE SCIENCE, 65(4), 400-409.

Abstract
Monitoring pasture growth rate is an important component of managing grazing livestock production systems. In this study, we demonstrate that a pasture growth rate (PGR) model, initially designed for NOAA AVHRR normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) and since adapted to MODIS NDVI, can provide PGR at spatial resolution of similar to 2 m with an accuracy of similar to 2 kg DM/ha. day when incorporating in-situ sensor data. A PGR model based on light-use efficiency (LUE) was combined with in-situ measurements from proximal weather (temperature), plant (fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation, fAPAR) and soil (relative moisture) sensors to calculate the growth rate of a tall fescue pasture. Based on an initial estimate of LUEmax for the candidate pasture, followed by a process of iterating LUEmax to reduce prediction errors, the model was capable of estimating PGR with a root mean square error of 1.68 kg/ha. day (R-2 = 0.96, P-value approximate to 0). The iterative process proved to be a convenient means of estimating LUE of this pasture (1.59 g DM/MJ APAR) under local conditions. The application of the LUE-PGR approach to developing an in-situ pasture growth rate monitoring system is discussed.

DOI:
10.1071/CP14071

ISSN:
1836-0947; 1836-5795