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Oil palm trees health in Malay...
Oil palm trees health in Malaysia
A Pléiades Neo Red-Edge application
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MYSA, the Malaysian Space Agency, is developing an algorithm to monitor plant health, strengthen the agricultural sector and enhance food security. A major priority is the health of oil palm trees, which are vital to Malaysia’s position as a leading palm oil producer.
To support this, MYSA uses satellite imagery to provide plantation owners with fast, reliable and objective information about tree health at the plantation level. This information helps stakeholders make better decisions, such as optimising fertiliser use and applying pest control efficiently, all while supporting sustainable practices.
Vegetation Spectral Signature
Pléiades Neo satellites feature a spectral band known as the Red-Edge band (696-749 nm), positioned at the transition region between the visible and near-infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.
The Red-Edge band is where chlorophyll absorption is low, making it highly sensitive to chlorophyll content in leaves. As it shows a steep increase in the reflectance of vegetation pixels, it can be an excellent indicator of vegetation health. The Red-Edge band allows the overall Canopy Chlorophyll Content (CCC) to be estimated, a key indicator of tree health.
Combined with the 30cm spatial resolution of Pléiades Neo, this analysis can be conducted at the individual tree level using the Tree Density Calculator across an entire plantation.
Oil Palm Trees Health, Tree density calculator
The Tree Density Calculator is an open-source GIS tool designed to detect tree tops and estimate tree density.
When applied to an oil palm plantation, the tool characterises each individual tree by delineating each tree crown and provides tree density data for each plot within the plantation.
Thanks to Pléiades Neo very high-resolution imagery, the accuracy of the delineation of the tree crown and the identification of missing or dead trees is improved.
Oil Palm Trees Health, Canopy Chlorophyll Content
Using the tree crown mask, the Canopy Chlorophyll Content (CCC) is calculated for each individual tree. This enables a detailed assessment of tree health.
Mapping tree health across the plantation provides an overview of areas with high CCC (indicating very healthy trees) and areas with low CCC (indicating trees with abnormally low vigor).
Variations in tree health can be attributed to multiple factors, including plantation age, soil fertility, uneven fertiliser application and the presence of pests or diseases.
With the technology and expertise to produce accurate tree health maps, oil palm planters will benefit in the following ways:
- At the plantation scale, localising plots where tree health issues are prevalent;
- Within a plot, pinpointing individual trees with health concerns.
This information is crucial in helping planters monitor plantations more effectively, adapt practices, and anticipate or mitigate tree health issues. Ultimately, this leads to more secure production, improved profitability and enhanced sustainability of the production system.
Key roles of the Agency include:
- Space Systems testing and measurement services,
- Implementation and coordination of space exploration activities,
- Space sector research and development,
- Space application systems and products development,
- Providing technical advice on space science, technologies and applications in Malaysia.
Airbus Pleiades Neo opens the potential for MYSA to consolidate our knowhow and expertise in transforming space technologies to support user agencies to better manage oil palm trees with high precision. This study shows again that Space technology plays a significant role in enabling and contributing to sustainable management of Malaysian agriculture.
YBhg. Dato’ Gs. Haji Azlikamil Napiah
Director General, Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA), Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI)
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