Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #146237
Title: POTENTIAL FOR ASSESSING CROP RESIDUE COVER AND SOIL TILLAGE WITH AVIRIS DATA

Author
item Daughtry, Craig
item Hunt Jr, Earle
item Doraiswamy, Paul
item Russ, Andrew - Andy

Submitted to: Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer Earth Science & Applications
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/15/2003
Publication Date: 3/30/2004
Citation: Daughtry, C.S., Hunt, E.R., Doraiswamy, P.C., Russ, A.L. 2004. Potential for Assessing Crop Residue Cover and Soil Tillage with AVIRIS Data [CD-ROM]. Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer Earth Science Applications. Pasadena, CA: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Crop residues on the soil surface reduce soil erosion and influence the flow of nutrients, carbon, water, and energy in agricultural ecosystems. Tillage reduces crop residue cover and strongly influences the fate of soil organic matter in agricultural soils. Current methods of measuring crop residue cover and tillage practices are inadequate for monitoring large areas. One promising remote sensing approach for discriminating crop residues from soil is based on a broad absorption band near 2100 nm that appears in plant materials but is absent in most soils. In a series of laboratory experiments, we demonstrated that the 3-band cellulose absorption index (CAI) measured the relative depth of this absorption feature and was linearly related to corn, soybean, and wheat residue cover on a wide range of soils. In a limited test of the concept, high altitude AVIRIS data were acquired prior to spring crop planting near Beltsville, Maryland. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was calculated using bands centered at 827 nm and 646 nm and CAI was calculated using bands at 2031, 2101, and 2211 nm. Agricultural fields with low green vegetation cover (low NDVI) were classified into three tillage categories based on crop residue cover determined by CAI. Regional maps of crop residue cover and soil tillage practices will be crucial for accurately evaluating carbon sequestration in agricultural fields.