Turf Height Tester

About

Turf researchers often use rulers to measure growth or harvest grass clippings to measure yield. Using a rising plate concept and integrating new technology, the Turf Height Tester was developed and constructed from low-cost materials (total cost <$175). The Turf Height Tester can rapidly and accurately measure turf canopy height (>2 cm) and estimate clipping yield in turf field experiments while measuring turf height with more precision, less variability, and faster data collection than other measurement devices. Turf researchers will save time and energy using the Turf Height Tester to effectively estimate turfgrass biomass metrics, including growth and growth rate compared to measuring clipping yield.

Journal article: Patton, A.J. & Braun, R.C. Measurement of Turf Height and Growth Using a Laser Distance Device. Crop Science https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20295 

Construction and assembly instructions: PDF | Video

Use instructions: PDF | Video (NOTE: A recent Bosch MeasureOn app update changes some of the features in the phone application. Instructions were created for a previous version). 

Additional device images: 

For more information, contact Dr. Aaron Patton at ajpatton@purdue.edu