AUTOMATIC APPLE TREE BLOSSOM ESTIMATION FROM UAV RGB IMAGERY

Plant–soil feedback (PSF) is an important mechanism to explain plant performance in natural and agricultural systems but is hard to quantify in field experiments. We used unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based optical sensors to test whether PSF effects on plant traits can be quantified remotely. We show that PSF effects in the field occur and alter several important plant traits that can be sensed remotely and quantified in a non-destructive way at high resolution using UAV-based optical sensors.

Emission from agriculture-driven deforestation can be mitigated by reducing the expansion of agriculture into forests through intensification and utilizing non-forested land for agriculture. Climate-smart agriculture can reduce emissions from existing agricultural land. Tropical countries which are priorities for action can be identified by assessing the mitigation potential of these interventions, by assessing capacity for implementation and the risks associated with these approaches.