Evaluating Seedling Vigor of Current and Emerging Cotton Cultivars

Characterizing canopy development in the past using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was demonstrated to be an effective tool. However, characterizing seedling development with NDVI has not been properly demonstrated. Alternatives, such as digital conventional cameras that detect red, green, and blue (RGB) channels are incredibly common today and require a minimal investment compared to conventional NDVI equipment. Furthermore, vegetation indices, such as the Green-Red Vegetation Index (GRVI) can be easily calculated from RGB images. The goal of the project was to evaluate the ability to discern differences in seedling vigor utilizing RGB-derived indices and NDVI methodologies to detect differences in seedling development. Research was conducted at the University of Missouri’s Lee Farm in Portageville, MO. This study included a total of fifty-eight cotton varieties in 2018 and with 28 varieties in 2019 with 4 replicate plots for each variety for both years. Remote sensing data were collected 14 and 21 days after planting and included Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and aerial RGB photography. RGB images were converted with Imagej into vegetation index images and vegetation indices were derived for each plot. Significant differences were noted between all fifty eight varieties when observing the NDVI of each plot in 2018. Significant differences were not observed in the GRVI most likely due to the altitude of the UAV in 2018.