Get reliable rangeland science

The aim of the study was to evaluate the suitability of LAI calculated from satellite data (LAI-sat) for semi-natural grassland yield prediction in Noteć river valley based on relations between in-situ ground measured yield indicators and LAI computed from in-situ values (LAI-cept) compared to relations between those indicators and LAI-sat data. The research was carried out in the years 2020-2023 within the project GrasSAT (www.grassat.eu) on semi-natural grasslands located in Noteć river valley (Wielkopolskie region in central-western Poland). Annual yield data were collected from ca. 150 ha of semi-natural grass vegetations located on organic soils used extensively for cutting raw material for conserved fodder. In each grassland, ground measurements were carried out in a representative 30 m × 30 m plot every 2-3 weeks during the growing season. Fresh and dry matter yield was determined from biomass samples collected using a quadrat frame. LAI-cept was measured using AccuPAR LP-80 ceptometer and LAI-sat was obtained from platform Weekeo based on Se ntinel-2 satellite images at 10 m pixel resolution. Statistical analysis has shown that all the tested relations had high correlation coefficients. The accuracy between LAI and FM or DM was slightly higher for for LAI-cept than LAI-sat. The optical remote sensing LAI applied for semi-natural grassland yields prediction is an efficient method that can be used to monitor the productivity of grass communities located in riparian areas of river valleys. This can help in planning for agricultural practices, can be an efficient tool in decision support system of semi-natural grassland management, and offsetting financial risks on large scales.