Hyperspectral imaging in crop fields: precision agriculture

Precision agriculture is starting to play a key role in the new generation of modern agricultural revolution. Farmers are increasingly aware of the importance of maintaining direct control of several fundamental aspects such as the state of health of crops, the amount of water or fertilizer, and possible infections that can develop in the field. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and multispectral imaging (MSI) have been applied for these matters for some decades. Nevertheless, there are still several technological and practical barriers to face. This chapter provides an overview of some of the relevant scientific literature related to the application of HSI and MSI on crop fields. Some of the applications are related to the detection of contaminants and heavy metals, the control and assessment of water sources, and the detection of the health status of the fields. The main advantages and constraints and the methods to acquire the images (by using satellites or aerial vehicles) are also shown and discussed.