In-field hyperspectral proximal sensing for estimating quality parameters of mixed pasture

摘要

A study was conducted to explore the potential use of a hand-held (proximal) hyperspectral sensor equipped with a canopy pasture probe to assess a number of pasture quality parameters: crude protein (CP), acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), ash, dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD), lignin, lipid, metabolisable energy (ME) and organic matter digestibility (OMD) during the autumn season 2009. Partial least squares regression was used to develop a relationship between each of these pasture quality parameters and spectral reflectance acquired in the 500-2 400 nm range. Overall, satisfactory results were produced with high coefficients of determination (R (2)), Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) and ratio prediction to deviation (RPD). High accuracy (low root mean square error-RMSE values) for pasture quality parameters such as CP, ADF, NDF, ash, DCAD, lignin, ME and OMD was achieved; although lipid was poorly predicted. These results suggest that in situ canopy reflectance can be used to predict the pasture quality in a timely fashion so as to assist farmers in their decision making.