Abstract
A growth distribution map of grassland was created by measuring the grass top altitude using a three-dimensional (3D) laser scanner (LS). This grass top altitude was then subtracted from the ground terrain map to generate the grass height map. The ground terrain was measured using both a tractor-based surveying system (TBSS) and the LS. The root mean square (RMS) error of the measured height that was calculated using the LS was 7.4 cm when the ground altitude was measured by the TBSS, and 9.8 cm when the altitude was measured by the LS. Correlations were observed between the yields measured from a quadrate and the average height measured by the TBSS and LS and only by the LS. In this study, the potential of using the LS and TBSS for estimating grass height and yield mapping are discussed. For the experiment, the land of the site was smoothed and the grass height and yield were strongly related to the banking and cutting of soil. The findings show that creating a precise growth map is useful for farmers, agronomists, and soil scientists.
