Applications of Thermal Imaging in Agriculture—A Review

In thermal remote sensing the invisible radiation patterns of objects are converted into visible images and these images are called thermograms or thermal images. Thermal images can be acquired using portable, hand-held or thermal sensors that are coupled with optical systems mounted on an airplane or satellite. This technology is a non-invasive, non-contact and non-destructive technique used to determine thermal properties and features of any object of interest and therefore it can be used in many fields, where heat is generated or lost in space and time. Potential use of thermal remote sensing in agriculture includes nursery and greenhouse monitoring, irrigation scheduling, plants disease detection, estimating fruit yield, evaluating maturity of fruits and bruise detection in fruits and vegetables. This paper reviews the application of thermal imaging in agriculture and its potential use in various agricultural practices.