| abstract |
An automated relative maturity system for measuring the relative maturity of a large number of plots of diverse varieties of plants growing in a field or fields. A field to be evaluated is laid out in multiple plots with a specific variety assigned to a preselected plot or plots and with areas set aside throughout the field for planting of check varieties of known relative maturity. High-precision GPS is used with a planter to record the location of each plot within the field on a map. When leaf senescence is under way throughout the field, a radiometric crop sensor mounted on a vehicle also equipped with high-precision GPS is used to scan the plants in the plots to record readings of the plants synchronized to the GPS map locations, including the check plants of known relative maturity. Software is used to calculate the relative maturity of each variety. |