Potentiality of World-View 2 data for precision agriculture

The horizon for using Earth observation in precision farming is wide in high-tech exploitations. Since October 2009, WorldView-2 (WV2) imagery has allowed new insights to the biophysical and biochemical parameters of crop species, phenological cycles and soil conditions. WV2 resolves site specific management issues such as where within the plot and how much fertilizing nitrogen a crop needs. This paper presents the enhanced potentiality of WV2 (8 bands) for precise fertilization and watering, in comparison to QuickBird (QB) imagery (4 bands), both missions owned and operated by DigitalGlobe^©. The application presented herein was tested in Brazil, over 36 land plots sown with cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), in the border sector of western Bahía, Goais and Tocantins States.