IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/iwt/jounls/h050903.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Predicting the chlorophyll content of maize over phenotyping as a proxy for crop health in smallholder farming systems

Author

Listed:
  • Brewer, K.
  • Clulow, A.
  • Sibanda, M.
  • Gokool, S.
  • Naiken, V.
  • Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe

Abstract

Smallholder farmers depend on healthy and productive crop yields to sustain their socio-economic status and ensure livelihood security. Advances in South African precision agriculture in the form of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) provide spatially explicit near-real-time information that can be used to assess crop dynamics and inform smallholder farmers. The use of UAVs with remote-sensing techniques allows for the acquisition of high spatial resolution data at various spatio-temporal planes, which is particularly useful at the scale of fields and farms. Specifically, crop chlorophyll content is assessed as it is one of the best known and reliable indicators of crop health, due to its biophysical pigment and biochemical processes that indicate plant productivity. In this regard, the study evaluated the utility of multispectral UAV imagery using the random forest machine learning algorithm to estimate the chlorophyll content of maize through the various growth stages. The results showed that the near-infrared and red-edge wavelength bands and vegetation indices derived from these wavelengths were essential for estimating chlorophyll content during the phenotyping of maize. Furthermore, the random forest model optimally estimated the chlorophyll content of maize over the various phenological stages. Particularly, maize chlorophyll was best predicted during the early reproductive, late vegetative, and early vegetative growth stages to RMSE accuracies of 40.4 µmol/m-2 , 39 µmol/m-2 , and 61.6 µmol/m-2 , respectively. The least accurate chlorophyll content results were predicted during the mid-reproductive and late reproductive growth stages to RMSE accuracies of 66.6 µmol/m-2 and 69.6 µmol/m-2 , respectively, as a consequence of a hailstorm. A resultant chlorophyll variation map of the maize growth stages captured the spatial heterogeneity of chlorophyll within the maize field. Therefore, the study’s findings demonstrate that the use of remotely sensed UAV imagery with a robust machine algorithm is a critical tool to support the decision-making and management in smallholder farms.

Suggested Citation

  • Brewer, K. & Clulow, A. & Sibanda, M. & Gokool, S. & Naiken, V. & Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe, 2022. "Predicting the chlorophyll content of maize over phenotyping as a proxy for crop health in smallholder farming systems," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 1-14(3):518.
    • Handle: RePEc:iwt:jounls:h050903
    DOI: 10.3390/rs14030518
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/3/518/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.3390/rs14030518?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Adeleke Oluwole Salami & Abdul Kamara & Zuzana Brixiova, 2010. "Working Paper 105 - Smallholder Agriculture in East Africa: Trends, Constraints and Opportunities," Working Paper Series 242, African Development Bank.
    2. Nhamo, Luxon & van Dijk, R. & Magidi, J. & Wiberg, David & Tshikolomo, K., 2018. "Improving the accuracy of remotely sensed irrigated areas using post-classification enhancement through UAV [Unmanned Aerial Vehicle] capability," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 10(5):1-12..
    3. Luxon Nhamo & James Magidi & Adolph Nyamugama & Alistair D. Clulow & Mbulisi Sibanda & Vimbayi G. P. Chimonyo & Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi, 2020. "Prospects of Improving Agricultural and Water Productivity through Unmanned Aerial Vehicles," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-18, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Shaeden Gokool & Maqsooda Mahomed & Richard Kunz & Alistair Clulow & Mbulisi Sibanda & Vivek Naiken & Kershani Chetty & Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi, 2023. "Crop Monitoring in Smallholder Farms Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to Facilitate Precision Agriculture Practices: A Scoping Review and Bibliometric Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-18, February.
    2. Colette de Villiers & Cilence Munghemezulu & Zinhle Mashaba-Munghemezulu & George J. Chirima & Solomon G. Tesfamichael, 2023. "Weed Detection in Rainfed Maize Crops Using UAV and PlanetScope Imagery," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-22, September.
    3. Jiangtao Ji & Nana Li & Hongwei Cui & Yuchao Li & Xinbo Zhao & Haolei Zhang & Hao Ma, 2023. "Study on Monitoring SPAD Values for Multispatial Spatial Vertical Scales of Summer Maize Based on UAV Multispectral Remote Sensing," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-15, May.
    4. Pradosh Kumar Parida & Eagan Somasundaram & Ramanujam Krishnan & Sengodan Radhamani & Uthandi Sivakumar & Ettiyagounder Parameswari & Rajagounder Raja & Silambiah Ramasamy Shri Rangasami & Sundapalaya, 2024. "Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Measured Multispectral Vegetation Indices for Predicting LAI, SPAD Chlorophyll, and Yield of Maize," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-21, July.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Shobande, Olatunji A. & Asongu, Simplice A., 2022. "The Critical Role of Education and ICT in Promoting Environmental Sustainability in Eastern and Southern Africa: A Panel VAR Approach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    2. Silas Kiprono SAMOEI & Edwin Kipyego KIPCHOGE, 2020. "Drivers of Horticultural Exports in Kenya," Journal of Economics and Financial Analysis, Tripal Publishing House, vol. 4(2), pages 27-44.
    3. Simphiwe Innocentia Hlatshwayo & Temitope Oluwaseun Ojo & Albert Thembinkosi Modi & Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi & Rob Slotow & Mjabuliseni Simon Cloapas Ngidi, 2022. "The Determinants of Market Participation and Its Effect on Food Security of the Rural Smallholder Farmers in Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces, South Africa," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-16, July.
    4. Muatha, Irene Teresia & Otieno, David Jakinda & Nyikal, Rose Adhiambo, 2016. "Factors influencing smallholder farmers’ awareness of agricultural extension devolution in Kenya: a binary logit analysis," 2016 Fifth International Conference, September 23-26, 2016, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 246283, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).
    5. Reetsch, Anika & Feger, Karl-Heinz & Schwärzel, Kai & Dornack, Christina & Kapp, Gerald, 2020. "Organic farm waste management in degraded banana-coffee-based farming systems in NW Tanzania," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    6. Manyeki John Kibara & Kuria Simon & Rono Julius & Mulei Benson, 2024. "The Levels and Determinants of Profit Efficiency in Fodder Production: A Case of Southern Rangelands of Kenya," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(3), pages 2405-2414, March.
    7. Murunga, Powel, 2024. "Assessing Impact of Fertilizer Adoption in Boosting Small Scale Crop Farming Productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa," IAAE 2024 Conference, August 2-7, 2024, New Delhi, India 344322, International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE).
    8. Bosco Bashangwa Mpozi & Mireille Mizero & Andrew Ogolla Egesa & Paul M. Dontsop Nguezet & Bernard Vanlauwe & Patrice Ndimanya & Philippe Lebailly, 2020. "Land Access in the Development of Horticultural Crops in East Africa. A Case Study of Passion Fruit in Burundi, Kenya, and Rwanda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-18, April.
    9. Lingfei Weng & Wentao Dou & Yejing Chen, 2023. "Study on the Coupling Effect of Agricultural Production, Road Construction, and Ecology: The Case for Cambodia," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-19, March.
    10. Jieming Zhu & Chen Chen & Lie You, 2022. "Engaging Smallholders in Flower Agribusiness for Inclusive Rural Development: The Case of Yunnan, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-15, February.
    11. Elisabetta Gotor & Muhammed Abdella Usman & Martina Occelli & Basazen Fantahun & Carlo Fadda & Yosef Gebrehawaryat Kidane & Dejene Mengistu & Afewerki Yohannes Kiros & Jemal Nurhisen Mohammed & Mekone, 2021. "Wheat Varietal Diversification Increases Ethiopian Smallholders’ Food Security: Evidence from a Participatory Development Initiative," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-17, January.
    12. Msangi, Haji Athumani, 2017. "Examining The Inverse Relationship Between Farm Size And Efficiency In Tanzanian Agriculture," Research Theses 276448, Collaborative Masters Program in Agricultural and Applied Economics.
    13. Gloria Otieno & Wesley Mlsna Zebrowski & John Recha & Travis William Reynolds, 2021. "Gender and Social Seed Networks for Climate Change Adaptation: Evidence from Bean, Finger Millet, and Sorghum Seed Systems in East Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-24, February.
    14. Geoffrey Norman Tumwine & Razack B Lokina & John Mary Matovu, 2019. "The Effect of Climate Change on Agricultural Crop Returns in Uganda," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 11(4), pages 71-87.
    15. Benjamin, Emmanuel O. & Sauer, Johannes, 2018. "The cost effectiveness of payments for ecosystem services—Smallholders and agroforestry in Africa," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 293-302.
    16. Blessing J. Akombi & Kingsley E. Agho & John J. Hall & Nidhi Wali & Andre M. N. Renzaho & Dafna Merom, 2017. "Stunting, Wasting and Underweight in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-18, August.
    17. Nhamo, L. & Mpandeli, S. & Liphadzi, S. & Hlophe-Ginindza, S. & Kapari, M. & Molwantwa, J. & Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe, 2023. "Advances in water research: enhancing sustainable water use in irrigated agriculture in South Africa," Book Chapters,, International Water Management Institute.
    18. Magidi, J. & van Koppen, Barbara & Nhamo, L. & Mpandeli, S. & Slotow, R. & Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe, 2021. "Informing equitable water and food policies through accurate spatial information on irrigated areas in smallholder farming systems," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 1-13(24):36.
    19. Chepchirchir, R. & Macharia, I. & Murage, A.W. & Midega, C.A.O. & Khan, Z.R., 2016. "Impact assessment of push-pull technology on incomes, productivity and poverty among smallholder households in Eastern Uganda," 2016 Fifth International Conference, September 23-26, 2016, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 246316, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).
    20. Violah Mpangwire & Benjamin Musiita & Richard Akisimire, 2023. "The Role of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) Program on Diary Farmers in Mbarara District-A Descriptive Perspective," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 15(2), pages 13-19.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:iwt:jounls:h050903. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chandima Gunadasa (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/iwmiclk.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.