The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) as a proxy of soil fertility under no-tillage: Features for different Chernozems and applied treatments in Russian forest-steppe region

Sofia Sushko; Kristina Ivashchenko; Aleksei Dobrokhotov; Ludmila Orlova; Elena Zakharova; Eugeny Gerasimov; Svetlana Neprimerova

doi:10.21638/spbu03.2024.405

Authors

Sofia Sushko Laboratory of Carbon Monitoring in Terrestrial Ecosystems, Institute of Physicochemical and Biological Problems in Soil Science, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Institutskaya, 2, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0664-7641
Kristina Ivashchenko Laboratory of Carbon Monitoring in Terrestrial Ecosystems, Institute of Physicochemical and Biological Problems in Soil Science, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Institutskaya, 2, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russian Federation
Aleksei Dobrokhotov Agrophysical Research Institute, Grazhdansky pr., 14, Saint Petersburg, 195220, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9368-6229
Ludmila Orlova National Conservation Agriculture Movement, ul. Kuibysheva, 88, Samara, 443099, Russian Federation; Agro-Innovation Center “Orlovka”, ul. Tsentral’naya, 42, Stary Amanak, 446472, Russian Federation
Elena Zakharova Samara State Medical University, ul. Chapaevskaya, 89, Samara, 443099, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7287-5960
Eugeny Gerasimov Agro-Innovation Center “Orlovka”, ul. Tsentral’naya, 42, Stary Amanak, 446472, Russian Federation
Svetlana Neprimerova Agrophysical Research Institute, Grazhdansky pr., 14, Saint Petersburg, 195220, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7018-9994

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu03.2024.405

Abstract

Using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) as a proxy for soil fertility would be highly useful for adapting no-tillage to specific environmental conditions and for monitoring soil quality. Therefore, our study aimed to evaluate the relationship between satellite-based NDVI (May-August 2022) and soil fertility under no-tillage in the forest-steppe of Russia, considering different Chernozems (Haplic and Luvic) and treatments (none / with microbial inoculation and irrigation). Among the soil fertility indices (0–10 cm), content of organic and in organic C (SOC and C_inorg), total N, available P and K, SOC:N, pH, microbial bio mass (MBC) and respiration were assessed. Overall, soil nutrient dependence of NDVI was found for Luvic Chernozem in both microbe-inoculated (SOC, N, K with R² = 0.72 – 0.95) and untreated sites (SOC, SOC:N with R² = 0.58 – 0.66). For Haplic Chernozem, only a negative relationship between NDVI and C_inorg was found (R² = 0.47) at an untreated site, which was eliminated by using irrigation with microbial inoculation. Thus, NDVI can be a robust tool for predicting soil nutrient levels for no-tilled Luvic Chernozem, but not for Haplic Chernozem. At the same time, applied treatments can significantly change the specifics of this relationship, which is important to consider in remote sensing of soil fertility.

Keywords:

microbial inoculants, irrigation, Haplic / Luvic Chernozems, soil nutrient levels, microbial biomass, inorganic carbon

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