Non-Destructive Estimation of Nitrogen and Crude Protein in Mombasa Grass Using Morphometry, Colorimetry, and Spectrophotometry

Estimating nitrogen (N) and the corresponding crude protein (CP) content in forage crops is essential for optimizing fertilization and livestock nutrition. However, standard methods such as the Dumas and Kjeldahl techniques are destructive, costly, and impractical for field use in certain regions of developing countries. This study evaluated four non-destructive approaches—morphometric measurements, Pantone® color scales, smartphone-based RGB analysis (ColorDetector app), and SPAD chlorophyll readings—for predicting N and CP in Megathyrsus maximus (Mombasa grass). A total of 120 samples were collected under three nitrogen fertilization levels and assessed using linear mixed-effects models with cross-validation. Morphometric variables showed poor performance (R2 < 0.01), indicating low correlation with nutrient content. Pantone-based RGB models provided slightly better predictions (R2 ≈ 0.30) but were limited by subjectivity and discrete data. SPAD-based models demonstrated moderate predictive accuracy (R2 ≈ 0.53; RMSE ≈ 0.46%). The highest accuracy was achieved with smartphone-derived RGB data, where full RGB models reached R2 = 0.60 and RMSE = 0.45%. Based on these results, a practical green color scale was developed from RGB values to support real-time, in-field nitrogen and crude protein assessment. This study highlights smartphone imaging as a scalable, low-cost, and accurate tool for non-destructive estimation of nitrogen and crude protein in tropical forages, offering an accessible alternative to laboratory methods for producers and field technicians.