Use of Landsat TM and EOS MODIS imaging technologies for estimation of winter wheat yield in the North China Plain

This study focuses on the methodologies of winter wheat yield prediction based on Land Satellite Thematic Map (TM) and Earth Observation System Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imaging technologies in the North China Plain. Routine field measurements were initiated during the periods when the Landsat satellite passed over the study region. Five Landsat TM images were acquired. Wheat yields of the experimental sites were recorded after harvest. Spectral vegetation indices were calculated from TM and MODIS images. The correlation analysis among wheat yield and spectral parameters revealed that TM renormalized difference water index (RDWI) and MODIS near-infrared reflectance had the highest correlation with yield at grain-filling stages. The models from the best-fitting method were used to estimate wheat yield based on TM and MODIS data. The average relative error of the root mean square error (RMSE) of the predicted yield was smaller from TM than from MODIS.