Active Sensor Based Evaluation of Multiple Wheat Genotypes Across Dryland and Irrigated Cropping Systems.

ABSTRACT

Remote sensing based indices such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) can detect biomass and nitrogen (N) variability in crop canopies. The objectives of this study were (i) to determine if active sensor based NDVI readings can differentiate among multiple wheat genotypes (ii) to determine if NDVI readings can help to classify wheat genotypes into grain yield productivity classes. This study was conducted in north-eastern Colorado for two years, 2010 and 2011.  The NDVI readings were taken weekly during the winter wheat growing season from March to June, 2010 and 2011. The results indicate that NDVI readings were able to differentiate among multiple wheat genotypes across dryland and irrigated cropping systems, and NDVI readings successfully classified multiple wheat genotypes into productivity class. This study demonstrates the potential of using Green Seeker based NDVI readings as a promising tool to screen wheat genotypes for high Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE), traits.

* Corresponding author: Dr.Raj Khosla (raj.khosla@colostate.edu )

Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA

Keywords: Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), wheat genotypes, dryland and irrigated.