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Exploiting the pasture capacitance probe in agricultural research: a comparison with other methods of measuring herbage mass

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

S. F. Crosbie ,
B. M. Smallfield ,
H. Hawker ,
M. J. S. Floate ,
J. M. Keoghan ,
P. D. Enright  and
R. J. Abernethy
S. F. Crosbie
Affiliation:
Invermay Agricultural Centre, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Private Bag, Mosgiel, New Zealand
B. M. Smallfield
Affiliation:
Invermay Agricultural Centre, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Private Bag, Mosgiel, New Zealand
H. Hawker
Affiliation:
Invermay Agricultural Centre, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Private Bag, Mosgiel, New Zealand
M. J. S. Floate
Affiliation:
Invermay Agricultural Centre, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Private Bag, Mosgiel, New Zealand
J. M. Keoghan
Affiliation:
Invermay Agricultural Centre, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Private Bag, Mosgiel, New Zealand
P. D. Enright
Affiliation:
Invermay Agricultural Centre, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Private Bag, Mosgiel, New Zealand
R. J. Abernethy
Affiliation:
Invermay Agricultural Centre, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Private Bag, Mosgiel, New Zealand
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Summary

The precision of the capacitance probe in detecting herbage mass differences between treatments has been assessed on a cross section of field trials in Otago-Southland, New Zealand. Used thoughtfully, the probe appears at least as good as any other alternative. Corrected meter readings from the probe may be used directly for relative ranking of treatments although calibration is desirable for interpretation purposes, and becomes essential when swards of widely differing composition are to be related. Considerable overall time savings, especially in the laboratory, are possible in comparison with other methods.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 108 , Issue 1 , February 1987 , pp. 155 - 163
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

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References

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