Work

GNAFOR Field Collector a mobile-first web application for systematic field data collection in tropical forage grass experiments

Year: 2026

Type: software-paper

Abstract: GNAFOR Field Collector is an open-source, mobile-first web application designed for systematic field data collection in tropical forage grass experiments. Implemented as a single self-contained HTML file (HTML5/CSS3/JavaScript), the application requires no installation, no external library dependencies, and operates fully offline, synchronizing data to a Google Sheets spreadsheet when connectivity is restored. The software provides four integrated data entry modules targeting the main variables assessed in forage morphogenesis and productivity studies: (1) leaf morphogenesis (blade lengths, pseudostem, and senescent leaves), (2) tiller counting (vegetative, reproductive, and dead), (3) dry mass production records, and (4) canopy height measurements with automatic mean calculation. Key technical features include automatic GPS coordinate capture every 30 seconds, a local offline storage queue with automatic retry, CSV export with UTF-8 BOM encoding for direct spreadsheet compatibility, high-contrast accessibility mode, configurable experiment parameters, and an end-of-day data submission workflow. The application was developed for and validated in the Dunamis Experiment (Urochloa decumbens cv. Basilisk, deferred grazing study, UEMG – Unidade Divinópolis, Brazil, 2025), and is configurable for use with any tropical forage species. It addresses a methodological gap in field research by replacing paper-based data collection with a digital, GPS-tagged, real-time system adapted to low-connectivity environments typical of Brazilian pasture research sites.

Source: SoftwareX

DOI: 10.1016/j.softx.2026.102828

Author: Vinícius Valim Pereira

Institution: Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais

Language: English

Topic: Mobile and Web Applications

Subfield: Information Systems

Field: Computer Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,200