Radiometric measurements and crop yield forecasting Some observations over millet and sorghum experimental plots in Mali

Abstract

A series of 45 plots of millet and sorghum were installed in Sotuba, Mali, during the 1985 rainy season. They comprised five varietiescommonly found in the surrounding countryside. Radiometric measurements together with phenological observations and leaf measurements were made every 7-10 days. At harvest the biomass was dried and each of its components was weighed.The data analysis shows that the grain-to-straw relationship can vary widely and is less dependent on the species/variety than on the environmental conditions. The comparison of accumulated normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) versus instantaneous NDVI has shown the superiority of the first one through its higher stability. Total biomass is linearly correlated with accumulated NDVI since the tillering, while the final grain production is better correlated with accumulated NDVI after the booting. Furthermore, the terms of the regression seem to be time dependent.