Plant water stress detection based on aerial and terrestrial infrared thermography: A study case from vineyard and olive orchard

Abstract

Irrigation scheduling is critical for vineyards and olive orchards, since it directly affects yield and fruit composition. Regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategies have been applied on both crops with positive results in the past. However, to successfully regulate stress levels, it is necessary to have accurate measurements of plant water status, which is usually achieved using a pressure chamber. In this regard, canopy temperature (Tc) has been shown to be an accurate indicator of plant water stress. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of water stress detection based on aerial and terrestrial infrared thermography for a vineyard and an olive orchard. Lat..