Utilizing Optical Satellite Imagery to Monitor Temporal and Spatial Changes of Crop Water Stress: A Case Study in Alfalfa

Ofer Beeri, P.h.D., Chief Scientist
May 2022

The study was accepted for publication in the academic journal “Water”.
It suggests a new way of mapping the crop water stress on the pixel level – Optical Stress Index (OSI).

To evaluate the suggested method, we downloaded Sentinel-2 images and compared the stress found with that method to the leaf area index, leaf water potential, and yield from seven alfalfa growth cycles.

The results outline the ability of the new optical stress index to depict spatial and temporal changes in the alfalfa water stress and especially illustrated the changes in the crop water stress over the growth cycle and after each irrigation.

Read the full study here