Remote sensing to monitor cover crop adoption in southeastern Pennsylvania

摘要: In the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, winter cereal cover crops are often planted in rotation with summer to reduce loss of nutrients and sediment from agricultural systems. Cover can also improve soil health, control weeds pests, supplement forage needs, support resilient cropping southeastern Pennsylvania, be successfully established following corn (Zea mays L.) silage harvest strongly pro- moted for use this niche. They grain, soybean (Glycine max L.), vegetable harvest. con- servation has been supported through a combination outreach, regulation, incentives. On-farm implementation is thought increasing, but actual extent not well quantified. Satellite imagery used map green crop vegetation on fields and, when integrated additional remote sensing data products, evaluate wintertime vegetative groundcover specific crops. This study Landsat SPOT (System Probatoire d' Observation de la Terre) satellite imagery, USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Cropland Data Layer, amount four Pennsylvania counties (Berks, Lebanon, Lancaster, York) 2010 2013. December 2010, windshield survey was conducted collect baseline implementation, particular focus identifying harvested (expected earlier date lower levels residue), versus grain later higher residue). spectral indices were detect both residue surveyed fields. Analysis showed consistent increases over four-year period determined that trends did result annual weather variability, indicating farmers increasing adoption practices such as promote vegetation. Between 2013, occurrence increased 36% 67% Berks County, 53% 75% Lancaster 42% 65% Lebanon 26% 52% York County. Apparently, efforts Watershed have coincided rapid increase Pennsylvania. However, despite these increases, between 25% 48% remained without substantial wintertime, further opportunity adoption.