Utilizing spectral vegetation indices for yield assessment of tomato genotypes grown in arid conditions

Abdulhakim A Aldubai; Abdullah A Alsadon; Khalid A Al-Gaadi; ElKamil Tola; Abdullah A Ibrahim

doi:10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.12.030

Utilizing spectral vegetation indices for yield assessment of tomato genotypes grown in arid conditions

Saudi J Biol Sci. 2022 Apr;29(4):2506-2513. doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.12.030. Epub 2021 Dec 16.

Authors

Abdulhakim A Aldubai^{1

2}, Abdullah A Alsadon¹, Khalid A Al-Gaadi^{3

4}, ElKamil Tola^{3

4}, Abdullah A Ibrahim¹

Affiliations

¹ Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
² Agriculture Research and Extension Authority, Sana'a 87148, Yemen.
³ Precision Agriculture Research Chair, Deanship of Scientific Research, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Agricultural Engineering, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Tomato is among important vegetable crops cultivated in different climates; however, heat stress can greatly affect fruit quality and overall yield. Crop reflectance measurements based on ground reflectance sensor data are reliable indicators of crop tolerance to abiotic stresses. Here, we report on using non-destructive spectral vegetation indices to monitor yield traits of 10 tomato genotypes transplanted on three different dates (Aug. 2, Sept. 3 and Oct. 1) during 2019 growing season in the Riyadh region. The ten genotypes comprised six commercial cultivars-(Pearson Improved, Strain B, Valentine, Marmande VF, Super Strain B, and Pearson early) --and four local Saudi cultivars (Al-Ahsa, Al-Qatif, Hail and Najran). Spectral reflectance data were utilized using a FieldSpec 3 spectroradiometer in the range of 350-2500 nm to calculate nine vegetation indices (VIs): Normalized Water Band Index (NWBI), Difference Water Index (NDWI), Photochemical Reflectance Index (PRI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Green Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (GNDVI), Red Edge Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI), Red Edge Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (RENDVI), Renormalized Difference Vegetation Index (RDVI), and Normalized Difference Nitrogen Index (NDNI). VIs and yield parameters (total fruit yield, harvest index) revealed that second transplanting date was optimal for all the genotypes. Valentine showed the best growth performance followed by Najran, Hail, Super Strain B and finally Pearson early. For all the three transplanting dates, Valentine recorded the highest total fruit yield. Additionally, some genotypes had no significant differences in the VIs values or the total fruit yield between the second and third transplanting dates. This study indicated that yield parameters could be linked to rapid, non-destructive hyperspectral reflectance data to predict tomato production under heat stress.

Keywords: Heat stress; Solanum lycopersicum L.; Spectral reflectance; Vegetation indices.