SITE-SPECIFIC MANAGEMENT OF COTTON PRODUCTION USING REMOTE SENSED THERMAL IMAGERY WITHIN A CONSERVATION TILLAGE SYSTEM

Thermal infrared (TIR) imagery has shown promise for early detection of crop stress while conservation tillage practices have provided benefits to cotton production. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate cotton production on rolling terrain irrigated with subsurface-drip irrigation (SDI) while using TIR for in-season detection of cotton response to irrigation and management in Northern Alabama. A 15-acre field located at the Tennessee Valley Research and Extension Center (TVREC) was used for this study. The field was managed as a no-tillage, continuous cotton system. Treatments consisted of irrigation (SDI vs. non-irrigated) and crop residue cover (cover vs. no-cover). TIR imagery was acquired in-season using an unmanned aerial system equipped with a TIR sensor. Results indicated that TIR emittance correlated well with canopy cover (r = -0.44, alpha < 0.05) and stomatal conductance (r= -0.48, alpha < 0.05). Differences between irrigated and non-irrigated plots existed with irrigated yields over 50% higher. Cover treatments yielded higher than no-cover. Results from this investigation showed promise that TIR imagery could be used for site-specific management of cotton.