Canopy reflectance response to plant nitrogen accumulation in rice

Tools to quantify the nitrogen (N) status of a rice canopy during inter-nodal elongation (IE) would be valuable for mid-season N management because N accounts for the largest input cost. The objective of this paper was to study canopy reflectance as a potential tool for assessing the mid-season status of N in a rice crop. Three field plot experiments were conducted in 2002 and 2003 on cultivars Wells and Cocodrie to study the canopy reflectance response of rice to plant N accumulation (PNA) during IE and to identify the wavelengths and vegetation indices that are good indicators of PNA. Each experiment included six pre-flood N treatments of 0, 33.6, 67.2, 100.8, 133.4 and 168 kg N ha−1. Rice canopy reflectance, biomass, tissue N concentration and PNA were measured weekly during IE. The wavelengths most strongly correlated to PNA at the beginning of IE were 937 and 718 nm. Several vegetation indices were examined to determine which were strongly correlated (>0.7) with PNA at the beginning of IE. Multiple linear regression models of PNA on selected vegetation indices explained 53–85% of the variation in PNA during the first week of IE. This study identifies the best combinations of vegetation indices for estimating PNA in rice.