Unraveling Crop Nitrogen-Water Dynamics with Hyperspectral-Thermal Sensing in Northern Central Valley, California

Authors

Shahryar Fazli, Chapman University
Surendra Maharjan, Chapman UniversityFollow
Wenzhao Li, Chapman UniversityFollow
Joshua B. Fisher, Chapman UniversityFollow
Rejoice Thomas, Chapman UniversityFollow
Fernando Romero Galvan, Cornell University
Gabriela Shirkey, Chapman UniversityFollow
Hesham el-Askary, Chapman UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-26-2025

Abstract

Ensuring global food security in the face of climate change requires optimizing crop water use and nutrient management. This study investigates the relationship between canopy nitrogen (N) and evapotranspiration (ET) across sunflower, rice, walnut, alfalfa, and plum crops using advanced remote sensing technologies. High-resolution hyperspectral data from NASAs Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) and thermal multispectral data from the Landsat-based OpenET system were analyzed over 1,135 km² in California. Regression analysis revealed strong spatial association between canopy N and ET for sunflower (R² = 0.82), rice (R² = 0.71), and walnut (R² = 0.68), with weaker associations for alfalfa (R² = 0.38) and plums (R² = 0.26) over the average of growing season. Temporal variations highlighted the high nitrogen efficiency of sunflower, rice, and walnut, demonstrating the capability of hyperspectral sensors to monitor nutrient-water dynamics effectively. These findings emphasize the potential of integrating hyperspectral and thermal data to enhance fertilizer and irrigation strategies. Furthermore, the study aligns with NASAs Surface Biology and Geology (SBG) mission, offering valuable insights into precision agriculture and sustainable crop management under changing climatic conditions.

Comments

This article was originally published in Earth Systems and Environment in 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41748-025-00794-w

Recommended Citation

Fazli, S., Maharjan, S., Li, W. et al. Unraveling Crop Nitrogen-Water Dynamics with Hyperspectral-Thermal Sensing in Northern Central Valley, California. Earth Syst Environ (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41748-025-00794-w

Peer Reviewed

1

Copyright

The authors

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.