KOCHI: In an attempt to enhance precision farming and improve crop management strategies, the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), in association with the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM) has developed a spectral library for Uma rice, a popular indigenous rice variety in Kerala, using space technology.
The team, led by Girish Gopinath of KUFOS, and U Surendran of CWRDM utilized remote sensing to study the variations in the spectral signature of Uma at different growth stages and identified spectra
indicative of water stress conditions.
The space technology-based spectrum has the potential to revolutionise the monitoring of Uma rice cultivation, reducing the need for extensive fieldwork, labour, and costs, said Girish Gopinath. The study, titled "Development of Spectral Library for Hyperspectral Data with Special Emphasis on Paddy," was funded by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology, and Environment (KSCSTE) with a grant of Rs 83.5 lakh.
Uma rice is a popular rice variety released from the Mancompu research station at Kerala Agricultural University in 1998. Uma variety has been the preferred rice variety in Kuttanad due to its high yield and stress tolerance. Despite the challenges posed by climate change and associated extreme events in paddy
cultivation in Kerala, Uma rice remains a staple, facing issues such as uneven rainfall leading to drought conditions and water stress.
The newly developed spectral library for Uma rice will help to enhance precision farming practices and contribute to improved crop management strategies, said KUFOS Vice Chancellor T. Pradeepkumar.
The library will facilitate monitoring of the growth stage, and assess water or nutrient stress. It will also enable yield estimation through the utilisation of remote sensing imagery.