Justification and selection of vegetation indices to determine the early soybeans readiness for harvesting

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle monitoring provides operational information on soybean harvesting readiness for breeders and agronomists. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the choice of vegetation indices to assess the content of chlorophyll a and b, which contribute to determining the early readiness of soybean crops for harvesting, based on data obtained from an unmanned aerial vehicle. The research was conducted at the soybean breeding field in 2020. Seven broad-band vegetation indices NDVI, NDRE, ClGreen (GCI), CCCI, CVI, GNDVI, MCARI were used in the study, estimating changes in chlorophyll a and b content in soybean leaves. Vegetation indices, which in complex testify to the early readiness of soybean crops for harvesting, have been revealed. The statistical difference between the values of the indices of early maturing and late maturing samples was calculated. The data obtained contributed to the development of custom formulas for assessing the early harvesting readiness of soybeans.