Remote Sensing

Remote sensing is obtaining information about an object without physical contact, typically carried out with sensors onboard satellites, aircraft, or land-based platforms. Today, several technologies can be integrated into these carriers to map and monitor different plant biophysical traits with high spatial and temporal resolution. New sensors and information and communication technologies provide opportunities to refine agronomic management and advance agricultural research. Understanding the nature and limitations of the available technologies is essential for their correct use in applications such as precision agriculture. These techniques rely on identifying relationships between the sensor signals and plant traits such as biochemical composition, architecture, and water status. Depending on the type of sensor, we may use vegetation indices, physical models, or machine learning algorithms. A new paradigm in plant science called phenomics is emerging, combining information on plant genotypes and the environment with remote sensing.