Wheat yield and protein estimation with handheld‐ and UAV‐based reflectance measurements

Precision agriculture provides efficient means of obtaining real-time data to guide nitrogen (N) management based on predicted crop profitability. This study was conducted assess the efficacy using in-season measurements (plant height, biomass weight, N, soil plant analysis development [SPAD], GreenSeeker [GS] normalized difference vegetative index [NDVI], and unmanned aerial vehicle [UAV] NDVI) at Feekes 5 (tillering) 10 (anthesis) estimate wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield protein. The secondary aim determine whether accuracy protein prediction varies by class cultivar. Six cultivars—hard red spring (HRS) ‘Jefferson’ ‘SY Basalt’, hard white (HWS) ‘Dayn’ ‘UI Platinum’, soft (SWS) ‘Seahawk’ Stone’—were planted two locations in Idaho 2018–2020. Plots were arranged a randomized complete block design with four replications each cultivar evaluated seven N rates (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300 kg ha–1). determination Pearson correlation coefficients revealed that all parameters linearly correlated except for SPAD weight 10. Although estimation grain remains challenge, NDVI strongly especially 5. similar classes. Comparable achieved GS UAV NDVI. Both hand-held aerial-based spectral could be used prescribe applied during tiller formation when can optimized.