Remote Sensing for Crop Management

TLDR

Remote sensing, supported by extensive research on spectral reflectance and thermal emittance of soils and crops, now offers detailed spatial and temporal data from ground, air, and space platforms to monitor plant growth, detect environmental stresses, and support site‑specific agricultural management. This review examines the biophysical foundations of remote sensing, evaluates methods for managing water, nutrients, and pests, and assesses its role in yield prediction while outlining future challenges. The authors synthesize and evaluate remote sensing techniques developed and refined for managing water, nutrients, and pests in crops, and for predicting yields.

Abstract

with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and various government agencies and private institutions have provided a great deal of fundamental information relating spectral reflectance and thermal emittance properties of soils and crops to their agronomic and biophysical characteristics. This knowledge has facilitated the development and use of various remote sensing methods for non-destructive monitor- ing of plant growth and development and for the detection of many environmental stresses which limit plant productivity. Coupled with rapid advances in computing and position- locating technologies, remote sensing from ground-, air-, and space-based platforms is now capable of providing detailed spatial and temporal information on plant response to their local environment that is needed for site specific agricultural management approaches. This manuscript, which empha- sizes contributions by ARS researchers, reviews the biophysi- cal basis of remote sensing; examines approaches that have been developed, refined, and tested for management of water, nutrients, and pests in agricultural crops; and as- sesses the role of remote sensing in yield prediction. It con- cludes with a discussion of challenges facing remote sens- ing in the future.