Identification of Western Corn Rootworm Larval Damage in Cornfield by Radar Data

摘要

The structure of a healthy, Western Corn Rootworm (WCR) free cornfield shows straight rows in a clear order and upstanding corn-stalks. The WCR larval infection causes wilted broken corn-stalks laying randomly on the ground. That means the damage itself causes physical and visible disorder in the cornfield. Our goal is to assess and identify the disorder and structural changes caused by WCR using polarimetic radar images (ALOS PALSAR). We used 3 different individual features (Monoculture-feature, Optical-feature, Radar-feature) derived from remote sensing data to identify WCR larval damage. We carried out retrospective examinations and operational regional assessment in 2008 to test the efficiency of our remote sensing methodology. This project demonstrates the potential in the integrated assessment of optical and radar satellite images to assess and identify the disorder and structural changes caused by WCR larvae as well as other agricultural damages. Using polarimetric radar technique increased the accuracy significantly. By the successful development, this project can effectively contribute to the WCR identification, spread-monitoring and control in Hungary as well as in the European Union. This project was implemented in 2008 in the framework of our successful tender called by the Hungarian Space Office and with the support of the Ministry of Environment and Water. The ALOS PALSAR data were provided by ESA (ESA EO CAT-1 5162) and FOMI. The reference data collection and the ground assessment were carried out by the experts of the Central Agricultural Office of Bekes County.