Using RADARSAT to Map Tillage and Residue on Agricultural Fields

Mapping tillage characteristics, and the corresponding crop residue cover, is important for monitoring the adoption of conservation tillage practices and for quantifying wind and water erosion. To investigate the potential of RADARSAT for identifying tillage and residue characteristics, RADARSAT and ground data were gathered over a site in southern Manitoba in October of 1996. From the limited analysis completed to date, results are encouraging for detecting some residue and tillage classes early in the fall using RADARSAT data. Once fields have been tilled several times, differences in surface roughness and residue conditions among fields are reduced and separation into distinct classes is difficult. Consequently, the timelines of RADARSAT coverage will be important for this application.