Airborne Multi-Spectral Remote Sensing of Russian Wheat Aphid1 Injury to Wheat

Abstract The Russian wheat aphid (RWA), Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko), is a severe pest of wheat in the High Plains region of the United States. Remote sensing may be an effective way to detect RWA infestations in fields for pest management decision-making purposes. We evaluated an airborne multi-spectral remote sensing system for its ability to differentiate varying levels of injury caused by RWA infestation in winter wheat fields. Two fields located in southeastern Colorado were studied in spring 2004 and two fields located in far western Oklahoma were studied in spring 2005. The proportion of wheat stems damaged by RWA in each field was measured in 20 to 24 3×3-m plots with varying levels of RWA infestation. Prior to sampling plots, multi-spectral imagery was obtained using an SSTCRIS® multi-spectral imaging system mounted NADIR in a Cessna 172 aircraft. The multi-spectral data were compared with the intensity of RWA damage to wheat plants within the plots. Correlations between vegetation indices calcula...