Application of Remote Sensing Technology in
Agriculture
Remote Sensing Monitoring Operation System for Agriculture Shuo YANG Remote Sensing Application Center Ministry of Agriculture of China Beijing, China 100026 E-mail: yangshuo@agri.gov.cn Abstract: The research and application of remote sensing technology in agriculture started in late 1970s in China. Over past 30 years of development and on the basis of technical introduction, R&D, the remote sensing technology in the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture has become one of elementary means in monitoring growth of main crops, production prediction and soil moisture content etc. The general objectives of remote sensing monitoring system in the Ministry of Agriculture are to establish a dynamic monitoring system covering the whole country, with complete system, combination of remote sensing with ground and stable operation. The focus is on constructions of systems of conducting main crop remote sensing monitoring, agricultural resource monitoring, and demonstration of digital and fine agriculture in terms of monitoring. This paper is to present existing status of remote sensing monitoring operation system of Remote Sensing Application Center of the Ministry of Agriculture, including major contents of remote sensing monitoring, adoption of key technology and framework of operation system and outlook for further development. 1. Major Contents of Remote Sensing Monitoring 1.1 Remote Sensing Monitoring for Main Crops Since 1999, Remote Sensing Application Center of the Ministry of Agriculture worked on continuously remote sensing monitoring on the main crops in the whole country for 8 years, the monitoring targets including 5 main crops, namely, rice, wheat, corn, soybean and cotton and monitoring content covering planting area, growth, disaster and production etc., among which, monitoring on sown area completed one month before harvest; monitoring on soil moisture content and growth conducted once every two weeks; monitoring on production once every month in late stage of