Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for soybean biomass and nutrient uptake estimation in response to production systems and fertilization strategies

The system fertilization approach emerged to improve nutrient use efficiency in croplands. This new concept aims at taking advantage of cycling within an agroecosystem obtain maximum production from each unit. To monitor this effect, methodologies such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) are promising evaluate plant biomass and content. We evaluated NDVI a predictor shoot biomass, P K uptake, yield soybean. Treatments consisted two systems [integrated crop-livestock (ICLS) cropping (CS)] periods phosphorus (P) potassium (K) (crop fertilization—P applied soybean sowing—and pasture establishment). was weekly growth stage V2 up R8, using Greenseeker ® canopy sensor. At stages V4, V6, R2, R4, plants were sampled after evaluation for chemical analysis. Soybean uptake similar between strategies ( > 0.05). were, respectively, 25.3% 29.7% higher ICLS compared CS < For NDVI, interaction days sowing 0.05) observed. increased 0.95 96 0.92 92 ICLS. A significant relationship observed Our results show that vegetation index can be used estimating early crops, providing farmers with tool evaluating spatial variability nutrition.