Each month, experts at Washington State University publish free guides for gardeners, farmers, fellow scientists, community members, and industry partners.
The latest publication from WSU Extension helps growers of agricultural crops understand and use remote sensing technology to curb water loss. View more new publications and find an archive of guides at the WSU Extension Publications website.
Methods of Estimating Crop Evapotranspiration with Remote Sensing: Advantages and Limitations (TB99E)
Evapotranspiration, the evaporation of water from plants and soil, is an invisible but significant source of water loss in agriculture. Recent advances using the latest remote sensing can benefit farmers and producers looking to estimate or reduce their water use, and many of these resources are free and publicly available. Learn more about some of the methods used for tracking crop evapotranspiration in the field with this guide, authored by Amanda Stahl, WSU research associate; Georgine Yorgey, director, WSU Energy Program, and associate director, Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources; and R. Troy Peters, professor in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering.