Author(s): Lia Ramos Fernandez; David Quispe Tito; Jose Luis Huanuqueno Murillo; Camila Leandra Cruz Grimaldo; Luis Angel Ruiz Fernandez
Linked Author(s): Lia Ramos Fernández
Keywords: Precision agriculture tress sensing CWSI Oryza sativa Intermittent irrigation
Abstract: The rising demand for rice, coupled with the potential for future droughts, underscores the necessity for innovative water-conservation methods. Consequently, this research aimed to examine the variability of the crop water stress index (CWSI) in rice fields utilizing continuous flood irrigation (CI), employing thermal images captured by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The study took place in Lambayeque, Peru, from August to December 2021, across five plots with CI irrigation. Among these, three experienced flooding due to seepage from higher plots (FL), while one was periodically dry (AWD). Measurements of stomatal conductance (Gs) were taken, and thermal images were captured using an H20T camera mounted on a Matrice 300 RTK RPA, calibrated with a portable infrared radiometer. The findings indicated that the average CWSI values were 0.42±0.25 for AWD, 0.39±0.24 for CI, and 0.37±0.25 for FL. The Gs values were recorded as 689±211.40,668±230.58, and 689±218.08, with yields of 9.10,10.54, and 10.31 t/ha for AWD, CI, and FL, respectively. It was concluded that thermal imaging aided in estimating CWSI across different irrigation methods and revealed that the AWD system, despite raising CWSI to 0.86, enabled a 42% reduction in water use at the expense of a 14% yield decrease compared to CI. This information is crucial for managing irrigation in rice fields.
Year: 2025