Selection of optimal combinations of inputs in a partial least squares model for prediction of soil organic matter

AbstractPartial least squares model is widely used in estimation of soil physical and chemical parameters such as soil organic matter and moisture content, due to its advantages in dealing with collinearity of variables like hyperspectral reflectance. However, it is hard to determine optimal combination of partial least squares model input for soil organic matter prediction since there are lots of possibilities such as, different mathematical transformation of spectral reflectance, wavelength ranges, and spectral resolution. Laboratory hyperspectral reflectance of soils in Songnen plain were analyzed in this study, and the orthogonal experimental design method for deriving optimal combination of input variables for soil organic matter prediction models was introduced. For intercalating orthogonal experimental design table, five different levels which commonly used by researchers were assigned to factors. Results show that the optimal combination input for single black soil is using the derivative logarith...