Hybrid methodology for the estimation of crop coefficients based on satellite imagery and ground-based measurements

Abstract

The objective of the current study was the investigation of specific relationships between crop coefficients and vegetation indices (VI) computed at the water-limited environment of Lake Karla Watershed, Thessaly, in central Greece. A Mapping ET (evapotranspiration) at high Resolution and with Internalized Calibration (METRIC) model was used to derive crop coefficient values during the growing season of 2012. The proposed methodology was developed using medium resolution Landsat 7 ETM+ images and meteorological data from a local weather station. Cotton, sugar beets, and corn fields were utilized. During the same period, spectral signatures were obtained for each crop using the field spectroradiometer GER1500 (Spectra Vista Corporation, NY, U.S.A.). Relative spectral responses (RSR) were used for the filtering of the specific reflectance values giving the opportunity to match the spectral measurements with Landsat ETM+ bands. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) and Enhanced Vegetation Index 2 (EVI2) were then computed, and empirical relationships were derived using linear regression analysis. NDVI, SAVI, and EVI2 were tested separately for each crop. The resulting equations explained those relationships with a very high R2 value ( > 0.86). These relationships have been validated against independent data. Validation using a new image file after the experimental period gives promising results, since the modeled image file is similar in appearance to the initial one, especially when a crop mask is applied. The CROPWAT model supports those results when using the new crop coefficients to estimate the related crop water requirements. The main benefit of the new approach is that the derived relationships are better adjusted to the crops. The described approach is also less time-consuming because there is no need for atmospheric correction when working with ground spectral measurements.