Australia: Crop Monitoring
Australia is becoming a more active user of satellite imagery for the purpose of monitoring crop growth and yield prospects, as well as to survey environmental health through measures of soil, water and biomass resources. The main methodology for assessing crop health is the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) using spectral analysis of red and infrared reflectance from medium resolution satellite images to monitor vegetation development and health and possible problems with crop development. Vegetation images show crop growth from planting to harvest, changes over the season and emerging problems including weed growth and low soil moisture. This paper surveys the main Australian users of satellite imagery in the agricultural sector and discusses how this technology is likely to be used in the future as a supplementary source of information to boost farm productivity as well as to facilitate appropriate environmental and land use policies.
