Greenseeker in Sugar beet

1. Greenseeker in Sugar beet John A. Lamb University of Minnesota

2. Sugar beet studies • Objective: Determine if disease resistant varieties differ in response to N. • Treatments: • Three varieties – susceptible, mod, resistant • Five N rates – 70, 90, 110, 130, 150 soil nitrate-N (0-4 ft.) plus fertilizer. • Three locations • Small plots and field strips • Harvested tops, determined top yield, N conc, and N uptake.

3. Sugar beet top results 2004(small plots) All locations, varieties, and N rates

4. Sugar beet top yield 2004 Y = -11402 + 20665 X r = 0.34* Y = -11157 + 18705 X r = 0.62** Y = -13397 + 19142 X r = 0.40**

5. Does Red Greenseeker work with sugar beet?

6. 2005 measurements NDVI = 0.32 C.V. = 40% NDVI = 0.39 C.V. = 44% NDVI = 0.43 C.V. = 40% Buffalo Lake, MN July 13, 2005

7. NDVI = 0.64 C.V. = 22% NDVI = 0.76 C.V. = 12% Buffalo Lake, MN July 13, 2005

8. TW Clara City 0 N NDVI = 0.66 C.V. = 10% TW Clara City 130 N NDVI = 0.84 C.V. = 2% July 13, 2005

9. Fall 2005 plans • Repeat 2004 sampling. • Measure spatial differences.

10. Sugar beet summary • On an individualized site, there is a linear relationship between NDVI and sugar beet top amount. • Data needs to be tortured more. • During early season the Greenseeker does measure biomass of tops • As NDVI increases, CVs decrease.

11. Corn information • Before we did corn work, some modifications to the Greenseeker had to be made. • Hard on back so incorporated a backpack to carry battery. • Needed better way to get the height in “man” corn. Used flag pole holder with limited success. • Tried some bike designs

12. Backpack and flag pole holder designs.

13. Bike designs

14. Corn measurements in 2005 • Corn fertilized in Corn-Sugar beet rotation. • Treatments – 0, 120, and 200 pounds N/A.

16. Questions?