Sponsors:
Precision Cotton Management Project
Monsanto

Contributers:
Dr. Stephen Searcy¹
Dr. Takashi Kataoka²

(1: Agricultural Engr. Dept., Texas A&M University, USA
2: Agricultural Engr. Dept., Iwate University, Japan)

Over the past two years, Dr. Steve Searcy, Dr. Juan Landivar, and Jason Stewart have worked in conjunction with King Ranch to determine the effects of variable PIX and defoliant application on cotton yield. In order to determine the quantity of chemical applied, the height of the cotton had to be measured. A sensor was fabricated to measure and store height data with the corresponding GPS position. The sensor was pulled behind a tractor and consisted of mechanical switches and an infared light bar. The sensor was used throughout the summer to record plant heights. These heights were compared to hand measurements to determine the its accuracy. These tests proved that the sensor could determine plant heights with reasonable accuracy.

Monsanto recently approached Dr. Searcy about the possibility of producing a height sensor and plant population detector for corn. Chanse Stephens and Takashi Kataoka have been performing lab experiments to determine the light sensor's use in determining plant populations. Currently, tests favorably indicate that the light sensor can be used to determine the population. We are considering using a different light beam system with higher frequency capability to measure the populations. Several different mechanical sensors are also being considered to determine populations and heights.