ABSTRACT:Over the last decades, the role of remote sensing gained in importance for monitoring applications in precision agriculture. A key factor for assessing the development of crops during the growing period is the actual biomass. As non-destructive methods of directly measuring biomass do not exist, parameters like plant height are considered as estimators. In this contribution, first results of multitemporal surveys on a maize field with a terrestrial laser scanner are shown. The achieved point clouds are interpolated to generate Crop Surface Models (CSM) that represent the top canopy. These CSMs are used for visualizing the spatial distribution of plant height differences within the field and calculating plant height above ground with a high resolution of 1 cm. In addition, manual measurements of plant height were carried out corresponding to each TLS campaign to verify the results. The high coefficient of determination (R² = 0.93) between both measurement methods shows the applicability of the presented approach. The established regression model between CSM-derived plant height and destructively measured biomass shows a varying performance depending on the considered time frame during the growing period. This study shows that TLS is a suitable and promising method for measuring plant height of maize. Moreover, it shows the potential of plant height as a non-destructive estimator for biomass in the early growing period. However, challenges are the non-linear development of plant height and biomass over the whole growing period.

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Purpose Academics and practitioners have long acknowledged the potential of multiagent systems (MAS) to automate and autonomize decision-making in logistics and supply chain networks. Despite the manifold promises of MAS, industry adoption is lagging behind, and the exact benefits of these systems remain unclear. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap by analyzing 11 specific MAS use cases, highlighting their benefits, clarifying how they can help enhance logistics network resilience and identifying existing barriers. Design/methodology/approach A three-stage Delphi study was conducted with 18 industry experts. In the first round, these experts identified 11 use cases of MAS and their potential benefits, as well as any barriers that could hinder their adoption. In the second round, they assessed the identified use cases with regard to their potential to enhance logistics network resilience and improve organizational productivity. Furthermore, they estimated the complexity of MAS implementation. In the third round, the experts reassessed their evaluations in light of the evaluations of the other study participants. Findings This study proposes 11 specific MAS use cases and illustrates their potential for increasing logistics network resilience and enhancing organizational performance due to autonomous decision-making in informational processes. Furthermore, this study discusses important barriers for MAS, such as lack of standardization, insufficient technological maturity, soaring costs, complex change management and a lack of existing use cases. From a theoretical perspective, it is shown how MAS can contribute to resilience research in supply chain management. Practical implications The identification and assessment of diverse MAS use cases informs managers about the potential of this technology and the barriers that need to be overcome. Originality/value This study fills a gap in the literature by providing a thorough and up-to-date assessment of the potential of MAS for logistics and supply chain management. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the relevance of MAS for logistics network resilience using the Delphi method.