Managing wheat from space: Linking MODIS NDVI and crop models for Australian dryland wheat

The purpose of this study was to begin to explore the relationships between Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) NDVI observations with both measured and simulated above ground biomass (AGB), fractional green cover (FGrC), and leaf area index (LAI) for wheat in Victoria. These initial comparisons of MODIS NDVI with both measurements and simulation results indicate positive, linear relationships for FGrC, LAI, and AGB and either NDVI or summed NDVI. Measurements of AGB from 2012 were fitted with a linear model to summed NDVI from MODIS, resulting in an R² of 0.83. The results support the potential for extending the value of the MODIS NDVI using crop simulation models. The combination of remotely sensed and simulation data might offer regional maps of AGB and yield, which would have high value for research, resource management, policy, and potentially, crop management.