Remote estimation of leaf area index and green leaf biomass in maize canopies

Authors

Anatoly A. Gitelson, University of Nebraska at LincolnFollow
Andrés Viña, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Timothy J. Arkebauer, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Donald C. Rundquist, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Galina P. Keydan, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Bryan Leavitt, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

2003

Comments

Published in GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 30, NO. 5, 1248, doi:10.1029/2002GL016450, 2003. Copyright ©2003 by the American Geophysical Union

Abstract

Leaf area index (LAI) is an important variable for climate modeling, estimates of primary production, agricultural yield forecasting, and many other diverse studies. Remote sensing provides a considerable potential for estimating LAI at local to regional and global scales. Several spectral vegetation indices have been proposed, but their capacity to estimate LAI is highly reduced at moderate-to- high LAI. In this paper, we propose a technique to estimate LAI and green leaf biomass remotely using reflectances in two spectral channels either in the green around 550 nm, or at the red edge near 700 nm, and in the NIR (beyond 750 nm). The technique was tested in agricultural fields under a maize canopy, and proved suitable for accurate estimation of LAI ranging from 0 to more than 6.