Jha, Prakash Kumar and Amor V M Ines
Michigan State University
Presented at the All Scientist Meeting and Investigators Field Tour (2017-10-06 to 2017-10-07 )
Southwest Michigan has diverse and evolving cropping systems. Crop identification and delineating crop areas is one of the preliminary approach to understand cropping system dynamics, in which remote sensing (RS) plays a significant role. The evolving cropping systems alters the water-energy interactions in the landscape due to changes in landscape’s roughness, which in turn will result in variable crop water requirements. Irrigation contributes significantly to Southwest Michigan’s agricultural economy. Therefore, it is critical to use the most reliable and advanced technology to ensure higher water use efficiency for increasing profitability and sustainability. The overall objective is to understand the drivers of the complex and evolving cropping systems in Southwest Michigan to improve irrigation efficiency and hence, profitability and sustainability. Specifically, we aimed (i) to analyze and map cropping system dynamics in southwest Michigan through remote sensing satellite data (2000-2015), (ii) to improve estimates and spatial extent of crop evapotranspiration (ETcrop) in Southwest Michigan’s complex cropping system using remote sensing, and derive specific kc-curves. The study area of this work is Michigan’s southwest agricultural district, which consists of eight counties. Preliminary remote sensing analysis of NPP showed that total NPP has declined significantly across the counties but crop-NPP estimated through inventories showed that except St. Joseph counties every counties performance has improved. Change in total NPP is due to urbanization and conversion of wetland and forestland to urban parts. ET estimates through SEBAL model gives us real time estimates of ET, which is further, calibrated to get revised crop specific Kc-curve. Revised Kc-curve gives us informed or improved irrigation management strategies. Estimation of NPP and ET through remote sensing not only give real-time estimates but also helps in analyze other drivers behind dynamic cropping system of southwest Michigan and hence helps in profitability and sustainability.
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