Analysis of designs used in monitoring crop growth based on remote sensing methods

Authors: CRISTINA TEODORA DOBROTA, RAHELA CARPA, ANCA BUTIUC-KEUL

Abstract: Choosing appropriate designs and methods for monitoring crop growth is a challenging process of major importance. Remote sensing from space and manned or unmanned airborne operations are used to measure crop reflectance and a wide variety of other agricultural parameters. While some experiments use only a few, specific methods and designs and organize the results in lists of evidence, other experiments use a wider range of techniques to create a more credible and comprehensive assessment of crop yield. Particular situations related to the available resources in terms of data collection and expertise in addition to the intended use of the results may require specific designs or a combination of methods and design. This review intended to explore the challenges and document a range of possible approaches for remote evaluation of crop growth. The scope of the analysis was designed to provide information on methods that work under different circumstances and why and how effective a particular method is an approach to monitoring crop growth. Considering the agricultural ecosystems as complex systems and the working methodology as having a high degree of complexity, we propose an approach suitable for complex systems. New sets of models and methods need to be developed for approaching complex systems, which are characterized by self-organization, nonlinearity, ongoing adaptation, and networking.

Keywords: Chlorophyll, crop growth, precision agriculture, remote sensing, yield prediction

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