Cut crop monitoring

1 . A method of monitoring a cut-crop laying in a field or during a cutting process, the method comprising:

receiving a sensing signal from a cut-crop sensor positioned on a mobile agricultural machine, wherein the sensing signal is representative of a sensed gaseous composition associated with the cut-crop;

estimating, by a computer controller associated with the mobile agricultural machine, a condition of the cut-crop based on the sensing signal; and

outputting, by the computer controller, cut-crop state data comprising the condition of the cut-crop,

wherein the condition of the cut-crop is representative of one or more of:

a dryness state of the cut-crop;

a fermenting state of the cut-crop; and

a decomposition state of the cut-crop.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving position data at the computer controller from a position sensor positioned on the mobile agricultural machine, and outputting the cut-crop state data as an array of condition values each associated with a position of the mobile agricultural machine.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising processing selected locations of the field based on the cut-crop state data.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein processing the field comprises one or more of:

re-arranging the cut-crop;

conditioning the cut-crop;

spraying the cut-crop;

collecting the cut-crop; and

tilling the cut-crop into the field.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

determining, by the computer controller, one or more process parameters related to one or more processing operations on the cut-crop based on the condition of the cut-crop, wherein the one or more process parameters correspond to any of: a timing parameter, position parameter, a selection parameter, and/or an intensity parameter of the processing operation; and

outputting, by the computer controller, the process parameters as part of the cut-crop state data.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising selectively processing the field based on the cut-crop state data.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating the condition of the cut-crop comprises estimating the condition of the cut-crop by comparing the sensing signal to a reference odour library.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cut-crop comprises any of: hay, grass, flax, grains, chaff, straw, residue, leaves, stems, stalks, seedpods, husks, tops, shredded crop, mulched crop, or haulm.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein outputting the cut-crop state data comprises outputting the cut-crop state data to one or more of:

a remote monitoring module;

a cab display unit of an agricultural vehicle; or

a control system of the mobile agricultural machine, the control system for controlling one or more operating parameters of the mobile agricultural machine.

10 . A cut-crop monitoring system comprising:

a mobile agricultural machine comprising a cut-crop sensor configured to sense a gaseous composition associated with a cut-crop laying in a field or during a cutting process; and

a controller configured to:

(i) receive a sensing signal from the cut-crop sensor, wherein the sensing signal is representative of the gaseous composition associated with the cut-crop;

(ii) estimate a condition of the cut-crop based on the sensing signal; and

(iii) output cut-crop state data representative of the condition of the cut-crop, wherein the condition of the cut-crop is representative of one or more of:

a dryness state of the cut-crop;

a fermenting state of the cut-crop; and

a decomposition state of the cut-crop.

11 . The cut-crop monitoring system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

estimate the condition of the cut-crop by comparing the sensing signal to a reference odour library.

12 . The cut-crop monitoring system of claim 11 , wherein:

the cut-crop sensor comprises a sensor array including a plurality of sensor elements;

the sensing signal comprises an element response signal for each sensor element; and

the controller is configured to compare a combination of the element response signals to one or more reference signal combinations of the reference odour library.

13 . The cut-crop monitoring system of claim 10 , wherein the mobile agricultural machine is configured to selectively process the field based on the cut-crop state data.

14 . The cut-crop monitoring system of claim 10 , wherein the mobile agricultural machine comprises one or more of: a rake; a mower; a macerator; a baler; a tillage implement; a tractor; a forage wagon; a drone; and a scout.