Abstract

Field experiments were conducted during 1992 and 1993 to study the possibility of discriminating kharif rice varieties using ground based remote sensing technique. Eight short duration varieties, viz, ASD 18, ADT 36, IR 50, IR 60, IR 64, JJ 92, TKM 9 and CO 37 which are predominantly grown in the command areas of Tamil Nadu were considered for the study. Spectral reflectance and crop biometrics were recorded at fortnightly intervals from 30 DAT upto harvest. The results revealed that four rice varieties viz, ADT 36, IR 50, IR 60 and JJ 92 alone could be discriminated from each other, whereas the other four rice varieties could not be discriminated because the spectral reflectance of these varieties were closer to one another. The crop biometrics like LAI, chlorophyll content, leaf nitrogen content and biomass production were responsible for the varietal discrimination. The discrimination was well pronounced in red and infrared bands and also in vegetation indices like IR/R and IR-R.

Keywords: Spectral reflectance; agronomic variables, remote sensing. rice varieties