On-combine sensing and mapping of wheat protein concentration
Dan S. Long, USDA-ARS, Columbia Plateau Conservation Research Center, Pendleton, OR 97801; Richard E. Engel, Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman 59501; and Frank M. Carpenter, Instrument Distributors International, Inc. Gaithersburg, MD 20879
Corresponding author: Dan S. Long. dan.long@oregonstate.edu
© 2005 Plant Management Network.
Accepted for publication 29 April 2005. Published 27 May 2005.
Long, D. S., Engel, R. E., and Carpenter, F. M. 2005. On-combine sensing and mapping of wheat protein concentration. Online. Crop Management doi:10.1094/CM-2005-0527-01-RS.

ABSTRACT

Site-specific measurements of grain protein concentration, in addition to grain yield, are potentially useful for assessing spatial variability in cereal crop production as needed in precision agriculture. This study investigated an on-combine spectroscopic sensor for mapping grain protein levels within farm fields. The optical, near-infrared sensor was calibrated in the laboratory to test samples of hard red spring wheat (r² = 0.99, SEC = 0.081%). Grain protein data for spring wheat were then acquired for a 45-acre dryland wheat field, and compared with test samples that had been manually sampled from the combine’s exit auger. The ability of the sensor to predict protein values declined in the field (r² = 0.55, SEP = 0.66%). However, a map of grain protein concentration derived from on-combine sensing was highly correlated with a test map of grain protein (r = 0.93). The results are sufficiently promising to suggest that on-combine spectroscopic sensing of grain protein concentration for mapping purposes is technically feasible.

Article in PDF format:  http://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/pub/cm/research/2005/protein/