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Evaluation of GreenCrop Tracker for the Estimation of Leaf Area Index in Wheat Using Digital Photography

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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India Section B: Biological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The information on leaf area index (LAI) is important to agricultural scientists for in-season crop yield estimation using different crop growth simulation models. The determination of LAI using currently available instruments is costly/destructive and time consuming. A technique of LAI estimation using GreenCrop Tracker model is available, but it needs to be validated. Therefore, an investigation was conducted to validate the GreenCrop Tracker for estimation of LAI in wheat. The nadir digital photographs were captured and simultaneously LAI was measured using LAI-2000 canopy analyzer at an interval of 30 days in the field. LAI was estimated using GreenCrop Tracker from digital photographs. The LAI obtained from both methods was compared using different statistical indices. The results showed a good agreement among both the techniques having NRMSE value of 10.44, 10.84 and 17.10 along with significant R2 value of 0.79, 0.83 and 0.76 at 60, 90 and 120 days after sowing (DAS), respectively. There was under estimation of LAI at 30 and 150 DAS of wheat by GreenCrop Tracker model. The percent bias index for whole season data was 17.14 along with significant R2 (0.90) suggests that GreenCrop Tracker can be used for LAI estimation in the wheat. The GreenCrop Tracker relatively inexpensive (open source), user friendly, portable, less time and labour consuming, as compared to LAI-2000 canopy analyzer and could be used efficiently for LAI estimation in the wheat crop.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organization, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India for providing funds to conduct this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Climate Change and Agricultural Meteorology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, 141004, India

    S. S. Sandhu, Prabhjyot Kaur & K. K. Gill

  2. Punjab Agricultural University Regional Research Station, Gurdaspur, Punjab, 143521, India

    Jagdish Singh

  3. Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organization, Ahmedabad, Gujrat, India

    R. Nigam

Authors
  1. S. S. Sandhu
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  2. Prabhjyot Kaur
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  3. Jagdish Singh
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  4. R. Nigam
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  5. K. K. Gill
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Correspondence to Jagdish Singh.

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Additional information

Significance Statement Leaf area index, an important input in crop model building, was estimated using GreenCrop Tracker software and LAI-2000 canopy analyzer and were compared using various statistical indices. The results showed that user friendly and open source GreenCrop Tracker software can be used efficiently for LAI estimation in the wheat crop.

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Sandhu, S.S., Kaur, P., Singh, J. et al. Evaluation of GreenCrop Tracker for the Estimation of Leaf Area Index in Wheat Using Digital Photography. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., India, Sect. B Biol. Sci. 89, 615–621 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-018-0974-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-018-0974-0

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