Application of Spectral Indices for the Evaluation of Conservative Techniques in Crops Management

Soil conservative practices, including no-tillage and sod-seeding, reduce energy inputs and prevent organic matter from exposure to oxidation and hinder losses of moisture; for these reasons, they could represent a solution for crop cultivation not only in water stress conditions. The satellite image acquisition technology allows to access databases of satellite maps with different spectral indices. Some of these, based on spectrum bands with wavelengths in the near and far infrared zone, are dedicated to the surface water content of crops or soils. The purpose of the study was to compare durum wheat yield in conservative agricultural practices compared to conventional one in a Mediterranean climate conditions, by analysing data collected from the Sentinel2 satellite; to study the effects of automatic driving versus manual one on crop production and on the spectral indices NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), NDWI (Normalized Difference Water Index) and NMDI (Normalized Multi-band Drought Index); and to find a correlation between the indices considered and the yields of the current crop. The results indicated the possibility of the spectral indices to understand the effect of the tillage practices on soil moisture. The use of these indices - available free of charge from ESA (European Space Agency) dataset - allows to have a high-frequency information tool for evaluating the effect of agricultural practices, dynamics of crops and characteristics of the soil; moreover, it could provide a greater awareness on the application of management choices dedicated to sustainability.