UAV-based multispectral and thermal indexes for estimating crop water status and yield on super-high-density olive orchards under deficit irrigation conditions
Efficient water management is critical for sustainable agriculture in Mediterranean climates, particularly in super-high-density (SHD) olive orchards where water scarcity poses significant challenges. This study assessed the potential of UAV-based thermal and multispectral imagery to monitor crop wa...
| Autores principales: | , , , , , |
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| Formato: | Artículo |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
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Springer
2025
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| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-025-10240-6 https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11939/9085 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11119-025-10240-6 https://rdcu.be/ey7uH |
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| author | Ramírez-Cuesta, Juan Miguel Martínez-Gimeno, María Amparo Badal, Eduardo Tasa, Maria Bonet, Luis Pérez-Pérez, Juan Gabriel |
| author_browse | Badal, Eduardo Bonet, Luis Martínez-Gimeno, María Amparo Pérez-Pérez, Juan Gabriel Ramírez-Cuesta, Juan Miguel Tasa, Maria |
| author_facet | Ramírez-Cuesta, Juan Miguel Martínez-Gimeno, María Amparo Badal, Eduardo Tasa, Maria Bonet, Luis Pérez-Pérez, Juan Gabriel |
| author_sort | Ramírez-Cuesta, Juan Miguel |
| collection | ReDivia |
| description | Efficient water management is critical for sustainable agriculture in Mediterranean climates, particularly in super-high-density (SHD) olive orchards where water scarcity poses significant challenges. This study assessed the potential of UAV-based thermal and multispectral imagery to monitor crop water status and predict yield under different regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategies. Conducted over two seasons (2018–2019) in a commercial SHD olive orchard (Olea europaea L., cv. ‘Arbequina’) in Villena, Spain, the experiment involved four irrigation treatments ranging from full irrigation (FI) to progressively restricted RDIs. UAV flights captured thermal infrared and multispectral imagery at key phenological stages, to calculate Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), which were validated against plant-based measurements of stem water potential (Ψstem). The results demonstrated that thermal parameters, including canopy temperature and CWSI, effectively identified water stress levels, although their sensitivity was influenced by environmental conditions and sensor limitations. NDVI proved to be a reliable indicator of vegetative growth and yield, with values closely linked to irrigation levels and fruit load. The approach incorporating both canopy and soil reflectance (NDVIcrop+ground) provided the most accurate assessment of crop performance. These findings highlight the value of UAV-based remote sensing technologies for optimizing irrigation management in SHD olive orchards, particularly under deficit irrigation regimes. However, further advancements in sensor accuracy and index normalization are recommended to enhance their applicability and precision in agricultural practices. |
| format | Artículo |
| id | ReDivia9085 |
| institution | Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA) |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Springer |
| publisherStr | Springer |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ReDivia90852025-08-18T17:26:23Z UAV-based multispectral and thermal indexes for estimating crop water status and yield on super-high-density olive orchards under deficit irrigation conditions Ramírez-Cuesta, Juan Miguel Martínez-Gimeno, María Amparo Badal, Eduardo Tasa, Maria Bonet, Luis Pérez-Pérez, Juan Gabriel CWSI NDVI Regulated deficit irrigation Vegetative development F06 Irrigation Olea europaea precision agriculture Efficient water management is critical for sustainable agriculture in Mediterranean climates, particularly in super-high-density (SHD) olive orchards where water scarcity poses significant challenges. This study assessed the potential of UAV-based thermal and multispectral imagery to monitor crop water status and predict yield under different regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategies. Conducted over two seasons (2018–2019) in a commercial SHD olive orchard (Olea europaea L., cv. ‘Arbequina’) in Villena, Spain, the experiment involved four irrigation treatments ranging from full irrigation (FI) to progressively restricted RDIs. UAV flights captured thermal infrared and multispectral imagery at key phenological stages, to calculate Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), which were validated against plant-based measurements of stem water potential (Ψstem). The results demonstrated that thermal parameters, including canopy temperature and CWSI, effectively identified water stress levels, although their sensitivity was influenced by environmental conditions and sensor limitations. NDVI proved to be a reliable indicator of vegetative growth and yield, with values closely linked to irrigation levels and fruit load. The approach incorporating both canopy and soil reflectance (NDVIcrop+ground) provided the most accurate assessment of crop performance. These findings highlight the value of UAV-based remote sensing technologies for optimizing irrigation management in SHD olive orchards, particularly under deficit irrigation regimes. However, further advancements in sensor accuracy and index normalization are recommended to enhance their applicability and precision in agricultural practices. 2025-08-18T17:25:23Z 2025-08-18T17:25:23Z 2025 article acceptedVersion Ramírez-Cuesta, J. M., Martínez-Gimeno, M. A., Badal, E., Tasa, M., Bonet, L., & Pérez-Pérez, J. G. (2025). UAV-based multispectral and thermal indexes for estimating crop water status and yield on super-high-density olive orchards under deficit irrigation conditions. Precision Agriculture, 26(3), 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-025-10240-6 https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11939/9085 10.1007/s11119-025-10240-6 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11119-025-10240-6 https://rdcu.be/ey7uH en This research was partially funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through a project (RTA2012-00059) of the National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA) and by the IVIA’s grant 51911 and FEDER funds. Juan G Pérez-Pérez and J.M. Ramírez- Cuesta gratefully acknowledges the postdoctoral contracts from the ‘Ramón y Cajal’ programme (RYC- 2015-17726, RYC-2023-045589, respectively), supplied by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MINECO). Maria Tasa was recipient of a pre-doctoral contract from the Generalitat Valenciana (ACIF- 2021/413). embargoedAccess Springer electronico |
| spellingShingle | CWSI NDVI Regulated deficit irrigation Vegetative development F06 Irrigation Olea europaea precision agriculture Ramírez-Cuesta, Juan Miguel Martínez-Gimeno, María Amparo Badal, Eduardo Tasa, Maria Bonet, Luis Pérez-Pérez, Juan Gabriel UAV-based multispectral and thermal indexes for estimating crop water status and yield on super-high-density olive orchards under deficit irrigation conditions |
| title | UAV-based multispectral and thermal indexes for estimating crop water status and yield on super-high-density olive orchards under deficit irrigation conditions |
| title_full | UAV-based multispectral and thermal indexes for estimating crop water status and yield on super-high-density olive orchards under deficit irrigation conditions |
| title_fullStr | UAV-based multispectral and thermal indexes for estimating crop water status and yield on super-high-density olive orchards under deficit irrigation conditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | UAV-based multispectral and thermal indexes for estimating crop water status and yield on super-high-density olive orchards under deficit irrigation conditions |
| title_short | UAV-based multispectral and thermal indexes for estimating crop water status and yield on super-high-density olive orchards under deficit irrigation conditions |
| title_sort | uav based multispectral and thermal indexes for estimating crop water status and yield on super high density olive orchards under deficit irrigation conditions |
| topic | CWSI NDVI Regulated deficit irrigation Vegetative development F06 Irrigation Olea europaea precision agriculture |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-025-10240-6 https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11939/9085 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11119-025-10240-6 https://rdcu.be/ey7uH |
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