Precise monitoring of rice (Oryza sativa) biomass using RISAT-1 data

For improving productivity in low productivity zones of eastern region, a program named Bringing Green Revolution in Eastern India (BGREI) was initiated by Ministry of Agriculture. BGREI program mainly aimed at using improved package of practices for rice cultivation at selected sites. The effect of the improved package of practices on kharif rice has been monitored through use of space borne satellite data in various districts of Odisha in 2014. Present study aimed at precise monitoring of this program using microwave remote sensing data as optical data is generally not available at suitable timing due to cloud cover during rice planting season. Assessment of potential of BGREI program was carried out in different BGREI plots by retrieval of growth parameters like transplanting date, crop vigor and estimation of biomass. The response of improved packages and practices in terms of change in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) backscatter obtained from Radar Imaging Satellite-1 (RISAT-1) was compared with non BGREI plots using normal package of practices. District wise analysis of kharif rice in BGREI implemented plots vis-a-vis control plots was done in the current study using SAR data. Multi-date SAR data were acquired over the region coinciding with transplanting, tillering and peak vegetative stage of rice crop for computation of transplantation date and peak biomass retrieval. To classify all rice area, decision rule based model was used. Kandhamal district, being a low productive rainfed area, showed maximum increase of 30%. Other districts, namely, Koraput, Jarsuguda, Balasore, Puri and Gajapati showed an improvement in biomass from 10–16% and Rayagadh which was already under improved package of practice as it belongs to irrigated belts did not show any improvement. Uniformity in transplanting dates was also observed in BGREI implemented sites in different districts of Odisha.