791804 Description

Purdue Agronomy Farm Soybean Cultural Practices (791804)

The objectives of this experiment are to determine (1) the threshold of early season spectral detection of soybeans, (2) the spectral response of soybeans as a function of growth and amount of vegetation, and (3) the effect of soil background differences, particularly soil color, on the spectral response and early detection of soybeans. The treatments were as follows:

     3 Planting Dates
     2 Row Spacings
     2 Cultivars
     2 Soil Types

A split plot design with two replications was used. Spectral and agronomic measurements were made as for the corn experiment.

The spectral reflectance measurements were made with a Landsat band radiometer (Exotech 100). Radiant temperatures and overhead color photographs of the canopies were obtained simultaneously with the reflectance measurements.

The major agronomic measurements of the plots included growth stage, percent soil cover, height, leaf area index, biomass, and surface soil moisture and condition. Grain yields were measured at harvest time.

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