NSW Department of Primary Industries | CSU Homepage
19 April 2006
E H Graham Centre supports purchase of field portable spectroradiometer
The Graham Centre, along with the National Wine & Grape Industry Centre and Institute for Land, Water and Society, has contributed funds to purchase a field portable spectroradiometer. The device, which measures reflectance across the 350 to 2500 nm (visible, very near and near infrared) range of the electromagnetic spectrum, provides a fast and efficient means of gathering spectral data in a wide variety of agricultural and environmental applications.
Spectroradiometers are typically used by first determining the correlation between spectral characteristics and variables of interest, such as plant health, soil chemistry or grain quality. Spectral characteristics can then be used to provide a rapid and efficient means of assessing these variables in laboratory and field contexts. The strength of the particular spectroradiometer for which funding has been obtained is its ability to access additional spectral information within the infrared portion of the spectrum.
The funding request, which was lead by Dr John Louis (CSU), has the potential to contribute to a wide variety of agricultural and environmental projects. For example, similar instruments have been used to reliably determine the concentration of nitrogen, starch and minerals in crops. Spectroradiometers are known for their ability to assess grape quality from grape pigments and there is great interest in the ability of the technique to predict the yield quality and quantity of olive harvests.
Applications are strong when combined with remote sensing data. Assessment of the soil health of agricultural systems using remote sensing reflectance data can be used to precisely locate nutrient-poor areas and the application rates they require. Similar applications include salinity and grass species mapping.
For more information on the spectroradiometer and its applications contact Remy Dehaan (rdehaan @csu.edu.au) on 02 69332499.