Turf area mapping using vehicle‐mounted optical sensors

Abstract

Environmental concerns require turf managers to minimize the amount of nutrients and pesticides used for turf maintenance. Vehicle‐mounted optical sensing (VMOS) measures spectral reflectance from a turf canopy that can be converted to normalized difference vegetative indices (NDVI). Normalized difference vegetative index maps may provide opportunities for early detection of potential turf problems, economic savings for fertilizers and pesticides, and improvements in turf appearance and functional quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of VMOS for mapping large turf areas. Sensor equipment was used to map a creeping bentgrass [Agrostis palustris Huds. = A. stolonifera var. palustris (Huds.) Farw.] putting green weekly for 8 wk. Normalized difference vegetative index maps constructed from VMOS measurements compared closely with turf response to N fertility and turf cover during grow‐in. Sensor results were highly correlated ( r 2 = 0.98) with replicated plots fertilized with six different N rates. VMOS maps clearly indicated areas of poor nutrition, sparse turf cover, and some irrigation patterns.