Pest surveillance of rice crop using satellite data - A Case study for Brown Plant Hopper

Abstract

Hyperspectral remote sensing was used to detect stress on potted rice plants caused by the Brown Planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Sta l). BPH damage influenced reflectance of rice plants compared to uninfested plants in the visible and near-infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Correlations between plant reflectance and BPH damage, when plotted against wavelengths, enabled us to identify four sensitive wavelengths, at 1986, 665, 1792 and 500 nm, in relation to BPH stress on rice plants. Based on rice plant reflectance corresponding to the sensitive wavelengths, three hyperspectral indices were developed. The BPH damage showed a positive association with normalized pigment chlorophyll index, and a negative relationship with normalized difference vegetation index and soil adjusted vegetation index. Using rice plant reflectance corresponding to the sensitive wavelengths, a multiple-linear regression model was developed and validated, which would facilitate assessment of BPH damage based on rice plant reflectance, thereby ensuring prompt forewarning to stakeholders.