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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Hydrology and Remote Sensing Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #281251
Title: Scaling chlorophyll content in corn from leaf reflectances to airborne imaging spectrometers

Author
item Hunt Jr, Earle
item DORAISWAMY, P - Former ARS Employee
item McMurtrey Iii, James
item Daughtry, Craig
item PERRY, E - Collaborator

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/28/2012
Publication Date: 10/16/2012
Citation: Hunt Jr, E.R., Doraiswamy, P.C., Mcmurtrey Iii, J.E., Daughtry, C.S., Perry, E.M. 2012. Scaling chlorophyll content in corn from leaf reflectances to airborne imaging spectrometers [abstract]. 2012 ASA, CSSA & SSSA International Annual Meetings Abstracts. Visions for a Sustainable Planet. Available: https://scisoc.confex.com/crops/2012am/webprogram/Paper72834.html.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Chlorophyll content is an important variable for agricultural remote sensing because of its close relationship to leaf nitrogen content and nitrogen fertilizer recommendations. In 1999, Dr. Paul Doraiswamy and investigators funded by NASA's Earth Observations Commercialization and Applications Program collaborated on a nitrogen fertilization experiment with irrigated corn in Nebraska. Twenty plots (75 m × 90 m) with different levels of applied nitrogen were established along the center of the field in a randomized complete block design with four replications. On 5 June 1999, sidedress fertilizer of 0, 50, 100, 150 or 200 kg/ha N (as anhydrous ammonia) was applied to one plot in each block. Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data and Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) data were acquired along with leaf chlorophyll meter and field-portable spectrometer data. On 6 July 1999 when the corn was at stage V14, only the plots with 0 kg/ha sidedress nitrogen were detectable with either high-altitude AVIRIS imagery or chlorophyll meter data. On 22 July 1999 when the corn was at stage R1, all of the treatments could be distinguished on the ground or from low-altitude AVIRIS imagery. Estimates of chlorophyll content were generally better using narrow bands based on the red edge of the chlorophyll absorption feature.