Live Biomass Estimation with Canopeo in Rangeland Systems

Summary with Implications This project evaluated Canopeo, a free smartphone app that estimates fractional green canopy cover (FGCC), as a tool for monitoring aboveground biomass in Nebraska Sandhills rangelands. Live biomass was significantly higher in August than in June with some variability by year. FGCC showed a moderately strong relationship with current-year live biomass collected in either June or August. These results indicate that, in addition to producers’ field knowledge, Canopeo images taken with a smartphone or digital camera can offer a quick, visual estimate of forage conditions. This method may help reduce the need for labor intensive and destructive biomass estimation while still supporting stocking rate adjustments and grazing decisions. However, appropriate models would first need to be developed in each grassland to ensure differences in plant communities are represented appropriately. Canopeo potentially offers a practical and accessible way to track seasonal changes in rangeland productivity.