Alfalfa Evaluation Using Two Miniature Near-Infrared Spectrometer Engines

The use of near-infrared (NIR) technology in precision agriculture is becoming increasingly prevalent as a non-destructive, accurate, and rapid technology. This type of NIRS sensor needs to be properly designed depending on the type of sample and sampling procedure to be carried out. The purpose of this study was to assay different sampling procedures and NIRS instruments to determine the nutritive value of alfalfa samples. Two miniature NIR spectrometer engines with different technologies and configurations will be studied. Spectra collected with each instrument and sampling strategy will be employed to develop chemometric models to determine the nutritional value of alfalfa forage on dairy farms. The NIRS sensor alternatives have been the statistical coefficient of determination for calibration, and the Standard Error of Calibration was used to compare reference and NIR data.