Net Ecosystem Exchange of covercrops using AgriCarbon-EO [IGARSS’2022]
Determination of agricultural fields carbon budget is needed to devise the best sustainable agriculture practices, and quantify future subsidies in the agricultural sector. One major sustainable practice is covercrops that are planted in between main crops cycles, enabling storage of carbon and reduction
of reflected heat. Their benifit in enhancing the soil carbon content and soil biodeversity is even multiplied when Green-tillage is applied.
AgriCarbon-EO team is accessing the impact of cover crops over fields pertaining to the Nathais partner cooperatives. Natais is a leader in Popcorn and a strong advocate of Sustainable practices in Agronomy.
In July 2022, the AgirCarbon-EO approach was presented by Ahmad Al Bitar at the IGARSS’2022, the flagship conference of the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (GRSS).
Over a set of 172 fields in South-West France were covercrop was applied prior to Maize cycle, twin-experiments were run using AgriCarbon-EO at full 10 meters resolution in a covercrop and no-covercrop configuration. AgriCarbon-EO was run using the Copernicus Sentinel-2 data processed by THEIA. The positive impact of covercrop in storing carbon was quantified through the NEE.
Reference:
A. AL Bitar, T. Wijmer, L. Arnuad, R. Fieuzal, J.-F. Soussana, H. Gibrin, M. Ferlicoq, Dejoux J.-F., E. Ceschia, “Quantification of the impact of cover crops on Net Ecosystem Exchange using AgriCarbon-EO”, 2022 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium IGARSS, 2022.