Remote Sensing for Precision Agriculture: Sentinel-2 Improved Features and Applications

• Published in: Agronomy (Basel) Vol. 10; no. 5; p. 641
• Main Authors: Segarra, Joel, Buchaillot, Maria Luisa, Araus, Jose Luis, Kefauver, Shawn C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.05.2020
• Subjects: abiotic stress; Agricultural management; Agriculture; biotic stress; Climate change; computer software; Crop management; crop monitoring; Crops; Detection; Farmers; Monitoring; Photosynthesis; Physiology; Precision agriculture; Remote sensing; Researchers; Satellite constellations; Satellite imagery; Satellites; Sensors; Sentinel-2; spectral analysis; Spectral resolution; Spectrum analysis; Vegetation
• DOI: 10.3390/agronomy10050641
• ISSN: 2073-4395

The use of satellites to monitor crops and support their management is gathering increasing attention. The improved temporal, spatial, and spectral resolution of the European Space Agency (ESA) launched Sentinel-2 A + B twin platform is paving the way to their popularization in precision agriculture. Besides the Sentinel-2 A + B constellation technical features the open-access nature of the information they generate, and the available support software are a significant improvement for agricultural monitoring. This paper was motivated by the challenges faced by researchers and agrarian institutions entering this field; it aims to frame remote sensing principles and Sentinel-2 applications in agriculture. Thus, we reviewed the features and uses of Sentinel-2 in precision agriculture, including abiotic and biotic stress detection, and agricultural management. We also compared the panoply of satellites currently in use for land remote sensing that are relevant for agriculture to the Sentinel-2 A + B constellation features. Contrasted with previous satellite image systems, the Sentinel-2 A + B twin platform has dramatically increased the capabilities for agricultural monitoring and crop management worldwide. Regarding crop stress monitoring, Sentinel-2 capacities for abiotic and biotic stresses detection represent a great step forward in many ways though not without its limitations; therefore, combinations of field data and different remote sensing techniques may still be needed. We conclude that Sentinel-2 has a wide range of useful applications in agriculture, yet still with room for further improvements. Current and future ways that Sentinel-2 can be utilized are also discussed.