The Use of Remote Sensing to Assess the Effects of Water Stress on Wheat

• Published in: Experimental agriculture 1991-10, Vol.27 (4), p.423-429
• Main Authors: Mahey, R. K., Singh, Rajwant, Sidhu, S. S., Narang, R. S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural and forest climatology and meteorology. Irrigation. Drainage; Agricultural and forest meteorology; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Water balance and requirements. Evapotranspiration
• ISSN: 0014-4797; 1469-4441
• DOI: 10.1017/S0014479700019402

Ground-based radiometric measurements in the red and infrared bands were used to monitor the growth and development of wheat under irrigated and stressed conditions throughout the 1987–88 and 1988–89 growth cycles. Spectral data were correlated with plant height, leaf area index, total fresh and total dry biomass, plant water content and grain yield. The radiance ratio (R) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) were highly and linearly correlated with yield, establishing the potential which remote sensing has for predicting grain yield. The correlation for R and NDVI was at a maximum between 75 and 104 days after sowing, corresponding with maximum green crop canopy cover. The differences in spectral response over time between irrigated and unirrigated crops allowed detection of water stress effects on the crop, indicating that a hand-held radiometer can be used to collect spectral data which can supply information on wheat growth and development. Efectos de lafalta de agua en el trigo