WyomingView intern Salerno highlights the utility of Landsat images for zoning crop field

Vincent Salerno (BS Rangeland Ecology & Watershed Management major) highlighted the utility of Landsat images for mapping variability in sugar beet growth.  His research was focused on generating information required for zoning fields based on how crops grows.  After zoning their fields, farmers can apply appropriate amount of fertilizers and other chemicals instead of treating the entire field as a single unit.

Landsat image of the sugar beet field in Worland, WY

Vincent Salerno, recipient of the spring 2008 WyomingView internship, processed Landsat images acquired in 2006 and 2007 for a field (192 acres) in Worland, Wyoming.

Vince digitally classified the images and identified areas of high, medium and low vigor (or growth) within the field.  By comparing crop growth patterns from both years, he generated a zone map for this field.

He reported that the infrared bands of the Landsat images are useful for identifying differences in crop growth.  Further he recommended that images of this farm, acquired in earlier years can be used for identifying past patterns of crop growth which can be used for refining the zone map.

This research was made possible through the invaluable support of Mr. Jim Gill, Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service agent for Washakie County, WY.

Vince presented his findings in the Wyoming Undergraduate Research Day events on 26 April 2008.
Title: Satellite Remote Sensing Technology for Identifying Variability in Sugar Beet Growth.

His presentation can be viewed in the UW Digital Library