Reflectance Measurements of Soil Variability

Variations in soil physical and chemical properties can affect agricultural productivity and the environmental implications of crop production. These variations are present and may be important at regional, field, and sub-field (precision agriculture) scales. Because traditional measurements are time-consuming and expensive, reflectance-based estimates of soil properties such as texture, organic matter content, water content, and nutrient status are attractive. Soil properties have been related to reflectance measured with laboratory, in-field, airborne, and satellite sensors. Both multispectral and hyperspectral instruments have been used, with both natural and artificial illumination. Varying levels of accuracy have been obtained, with the best results (r > 0.95) using hyperspectral reflectance data to estimate soil organic matter and water content.