Assessment of a Yield Prediction Method Based on Time Series Landsat 8 Data

Abstract

Abstract The active biomass of cultivated plants and average yield decreases as a result of biotic and abiotic stress effect. The extent of the reduction can be quantified on the basis of remotely sensed data. The aim of this research is to evaluate the suitability of Landsat 8 data for a wheat yield estimation. We processed Landsat 8 recordings for the period 2013–2019 and generated NDVI data. Time series NDVI data were calibrated and validated with observed wheat yield averages. The agricultural plots around Karcag, Hungary, were our research area. The relation between Landsat NDVI data and yield was strongest and highest in the total biomass period (R2 = 0.53–0.54) and the estimation error based on RMSE is between 0.48–0.7 t.ha−1.