Modified Shortwave Infrared Perpendicular Water Stress Index: A Farmland Water Stress Monitoring Method

Abstract

AbstractCrop water stress monitoring by remote sensing has been the focus of numerous studies. In this paper, specifically red (630–690 nm) and shortwave infrared (SWIR; 1550–1750 nm) wavelength bands are identified to monitor farmland water stress, and a method [modified shortwave infrared perpendicular water stress index (MSPSI)] is developed that is based on the spectral space constructed by SWIR − Red (Rd) and SWIR + Red (Rs). The MSPSI stayed at mostly the same water stress level for full vegetation coverage cases with high vegetation water content and saturated bare soil as well as full vegetation coverage with extremely low vegetation water and dry bare soil in the Rs–Rd spectral feature space. This approach makes the water stress conditions between different covers comparable and the MSPSI applicable to farmland water stress monitoring in different vegetation covers throughout the growing season. To validate the proposed index, the MSPSI calculated from Thematic Mapper images and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) 500-m reflectance products (from March to October) in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region was compared with the ground-measured soil moisture content at different depths. It is evident from the results that the MSPSI derived from satellite imageries is highly correlated with ground-measured soil moisture at different depths (7.6 and 10 cm), with coefficients of determination R2 of 0.666, 0.512, 0.576, 0.361, 0.383, 0.391, 0.357, 0.410, and 0.418. The paper concludes that MSPSI is a promising index for crop water stress monitoring throughout the growing season.