The relationship between land-surface temperature and rice quality in Tottori prefecture, Japan

Abstract

Numerous studies have suggested that rice quality in Japan is affected by high temperatures during the ripening period, especially in summer. On the assumption that land-surface temperature (LST) can be substituted for air temperature, we examined rice quality using LST satellite data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) during the ripening stage (August) in Tottori prefecture. Rice quality in Tottori was very low compared with Japan as a whole and to neighbouring prefectures. LST was correlated with minimum and average air temperatures in August at six meteorological stations in Tottori. Rice quality decreased with increasing LST, and the threshold LST value when the quality of rice was less than 50% was 307 K (33.9 °C). The spatial distribution of LST in August indicated that LST values over 307 K were widespread, especially in coastal and lowland areas, and areas with the highest rice quality corresponded with intermountain regions that had LSTs less than 307 K.