| Selective application of herbicide in agricultural cropping systems provides both economic and environmental benefits. Implementation of this technology requires knowledge of the location and density of weed species within a crop. In this study, two image classification techniques (Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) and Maximum Likelihood Classification (MLC)) are compared for accuracy in weed/crop species discrimination. In the summer of 2005, high spatial resolution (1.25mm) ground-based hyperspectral image data were acquired over field plots of three crop species seeded with two weed species. Image data were segmented using a threshold technique to identify vegetation for classification. The ANNs consistently outperformed MLC in single-date and multitemporal classification accuracy. With advancements in imaging technology and computer processing speed, these network models would constitute an option for real-time detection and mapping of weeds for the implementation of site-specific herbicide management. |
