Title:
On Farm Evaluation of Maize Biomass, Dry Matter and Crude Protein by Using Yield Monitor Equipment
Author(s):
Sannino, M., Piscopo, R., Serrapica, F., Masucci, F., di Francia, A., Assirelli, A., Cervelli, E., Faugno, S.
Document(s):
Paper
Abstract:
Drawing up a forage production inventory based on field-variability of biomass yield both in terms of quantity and quality can represent a suitable tool for improving the forage production and soil nutrient supply. Until now, biomass production has been assessed by mean of the truck scales, but this practice is time-expensive and unsuited with the workload at harvest time. Moreover, the truck weight measurement can have accuracy limitations. The forage yield monitors on self-propelled forage harvesters (SPFHs) may be an option to measure forage yield on field. The John Deere forage harvesting equipment, combining the global positioning system (GPS), mass .ow reading, moisture sensor (HarvestLabTM), and near-infrared spectrophotometry (NIRS) technology, can provides a geo-referenced yield measures of dry matter, protein, starch and fiber every 10 m2. Despite the NIRS technology is a largely accepted method for in lab forage quality assessment, little is known about, the reliability of SPFHs as used on farms. This work was aimed to assess the accuracy and precision of a John Deere monitoring system for estimating maize silage yield in term of biomass, dry matter (DM) and crude protein content (CP). A John Dear SPFHs equipped with the yield monitoring system GreenStarTM and HarvestLabTM was tested during the 2019 maize harvest campaign on a 10 ha field. During harvesting, nineteen trucks from the field were weighted and the maize forage sampled (5 samples/truck) to determine the yield/ha of biomass, and the DM and CP content of the forage to be compared to the data recorded by the SPHs. Forage yield monitoring system evaluated in this study might be used for implementing management on large-plot fields.
Keywords:
precision farming, maize silage, yield monitor, self-propelled forage harvester, production mapping
Topic:
Sustainable Resources for Decarbonising the Economy
Subtopic:
Biomass potentials and biomass production models
Event:
28th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
1CV.4.27
Pages:
103 - 106
ISBN:
978-88-89407-20-2
Paper DOI:
10.5071/28thEUBCE2020-1CV.4.27
Price:
FREE
