Remote Sensing for Assessing Cotton Defoliation, Regrowth Control and Root Rot

Cotton defoliation and post-harvest destruction are important cultural practices for cotton production. Cotton root rot is a serious and destructive disease that affects cotton yield and lint quality. This paper presents exemplary applications of remote sensing technology for evaluating cotton defoliation and regrowth control methods and for mapping cotton root rot infestations. Ground reflectance spectra and airborne color-infrared (CIR) digital imagery were used in these studies. Ground reflectance spectra effectively separated different levels of defoliation and airborne multispectral imagery permitted both visual and quantitative differentiations among defoliation treatments. Both ground reflectance and airborne imagery were able to differentiate cotton regrowth among herbicide treatments for cotton stalk destruction. Airborne imagery accurately identified root rot areas within fields. Results from these studies indicate that remote sensing can be a useful tool for evaluating the effectiveness of cotton defoliation and regrowth control strategies and for detecting and mapping root rot infestations in cotton fields. Compared with traditional visual observations and ground measurements, remote sensing techniques have the potential for effective and accurate assessments of various cotton production operations and pest conditions.