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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Crop Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #91260
Title: UTILIZING AIRBORNE VIDEO IMAGERY IN KENAF MANAGEMENT AND PRODUCTION

Author
item Cook, Charles
item Escobar, David
item Everitt, James
item Cavazos Iii, Isabel
item Robinson, Arin
item Davis, Michael

Submitted to: Industrial Crops and Products
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/7/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.), a nonwood fiber source, has an extremely tall growth habit and is planted in high plant densities. Because of these factors, visual detection of crop stress can be very difficult and time consuming. In these studies, airborne video imagery techniques were evaluated for assessing kenaf production at three different environmental locations. Based on the results of the three locations, airborne video imagery appeared to have good potential for detecting crop stress caused by Phymatotrichum root rot and the root-knot nematode/soilborne fungi complex. Video imagery acquired from all three locations indicated that remote sensing technology can provide an effective means for detecting and monitoring crop stress and disease migration in kenaf production and should be useful for detecting problem areas in large-scale plantings of kenaf. 

Technical Abstract: Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) is a rapid growing nonwood fiber crop that can grow to heights in excess of 5 m during a 150 to 200 d growing season. The tall growth habit of kenaf coupled with the high plant densities used in commercial production can make visual detection of crop stress difficult. Airborne video imagery was evaluated for assessing kenaf production at three different locations. Results indicated that airborne video imagery had good potential for detecting crop stress resulting from Phymatotrichum root rot and the root-knot nematode/soilborne fungi complex. Video imagery from all three locations indicated that remote sensing technology can provide an effective means for detecting and monitoring crop injury and disease movement in kenaf production. Airborne video imagery should be useful for detecting problem areas in large-scale plantings of kenaf. Identification of these potential problem areas would be beneficial to producers in determining optimum harvest dates and for future planting site selection.