Correlation between Spring Wheat Physiological Indicators and UAV Digital Image Index in Hetao Irrigation Area

Abstract

To accurately and non-destructively monitor the growth of spring wheat in the Hetao irrigation area, UAV remote sensing was employed during various fertility stages. Digital image indices from diverse fertilization treatments were calculated and compared with physiological indices to identify the most sensitive digital image indices corresponding to these indices. The study underscored the critical importance of the flowering stage in the growth of spring wheat, thus highlighting the necessity of focusing on this stage. This finding reiterated that the flowering stage was pivotal for spring wheat development in the Hetao Irrigation Area. Several digital image indices, such as GLA, R, G, INT, g, GRVI, MGRVI, RGBVI, EXG, and GRRI, exhibited a high frequency of significant correlations with physiological indices during the four primary reproductive stages of wheat. Consequently, these sensitive digital image indices during the flowering stage can more effectively characterize the physiological indices of spring wheat.