Operational Use of Remote Sensing for Harvest Management of Rice

Abstract

Harvesting at the optimum timing is critical for production of hig-quality rice. Relationship between the optimum harvesting date (i.e., maturing date) and spectral reflectance was investigated using reflectance data from airborne-sensor and hig-resolution satellite sensors. The reflectance at around 670 nm was best correlated with the date of maturity. A new remote sensing method was developed for predicting the maturing date of rice in each field by combining the reflectance data and the data of the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of maturing date in a region.