Comparison of Remote Sensing Soil Electrical Conductivity from PlanetScope and Ground Measured Data in Wheat and Beet Yields

Ugur Avdan,Dilek Kucuk Matci,Ilknur Demirtas,Firat Erdem,Ece Tugba Mizik,Zehra Yigit Avdan,Gordana Kaplan

doi:10.3390/iecag2021-09741

Abstract

Soil salinity is a major threat to the continuity of sustainable agriculture and food provision and the soil structure deterioration. In this context, determining, reducing and managing soil salinity is very important for creating sustainable modern agriculture. Determining soil salinity is generally carried out in the laboratory environment and devices used in land plots. Remote sensing is one of the important methods used for precise estimation and mapping of salinity. With remote sensing technology, soil salinity maps for large areas can be obtained with low cost and low effort. This study aims to compare remote sensing soil electrical conductivity from PlanetScope and ground measured data in wheat and beet fields in the farming areas of Alpu, Turkey. For that reason, electrical conductivity was measured at several points in wheat and beet fields using in-situ measurements and compared with various soil salinity indices from PlanetScope imagery acquired on the same day. Linear regression analysis was carried out to correlate the electrical conductivity data with their corresponding soil salinity spectral index values. The results show a high correlation (R2 = 0.84) between soil salinity in wheat fields and some of the used indices. This study strengthens the idea that soil salinity maps can be obtained fast and accurately for large areas using remote sensing technology.

Highlights

The soil is a building block that forms the basis of life
Soil characteristics evaluation is crucial in terms of soil sustainability on a local and regional scale [2]
It is estimated that 20% of the world’s total cultivated areas and 33% of irrigated agricultural land are negatively affected by high salinity [3,4]

Summary

Introduction

The soil is a building block that forms the basis of life. The evolution of humanity from the understanding of the hunter community to the agricultural society has led to the strengthening of humanity’s connection with the soil and the study of the soil. The modern agricultural process, which has emerged today with developing technology and increasing population, focuses on increasing crop yields rather than soil Environmental issues, such as climate change, food and water security, land degradation, and the impact of habitat loss on species, have shown that soil characteristics other than crop yields need to be studied [1]. In semiarid and arid areas, low rainfall, high evaporation, high water table and a high amount of water-soluble salt cause soil salinity formation [6] For this reason, restoration and land reclamation of soils facing the salinity problem is significant in terms of increasing Eco-Environmental Quality and ensuring regional sustainable development [7]. In this context, determining the spatial and temporal distribution of soil salinity and dynamic monitoring in ensuring soil sustainability can provide a quantitative assessment [9]

Objectives

Methods

Results