Reliable estimation of crop yield is vital for refining farming operations and guaranteeing food supply. This investigation tested the capacity of machine learning techniques to estimate tomato yield using meteorological measurements, spectral reflectance bands, and vegetation indices subjected to different nitrogen levels and bio-stimulant applications to generate variation in crop development. UAV-mounted sensors captured spectral information across seven acquisition dates spanning October 27 to December 15, 2023, matching critical developmental windows: vegetative establishment (acquisition 1), anthesis (acquisitions 2 and 3), fruit set and enlargement (acquisitions 4, 5, and 6), and initial maturation (acquisition 7). Discriminating explanatory variables were selected via the Pearson correlation metric (r > 0.65, P < 0.05), incorporating Near Infrared (NIR), Red Edge, and Red wavebands, together with vegetation indices comprising NDVI, GNDVI, NDRE, and SAVI. Remotely sensed canopy signatures gathered throughout the fruit set and enlargement window (acquisitions 5 and 6) displayed the tightest association with harvested yield (r = 0.66–0.74), reinforcing the necessity of spectral intelligence from the middle to latter parts of the cycle. When comparing predictive algorithms, both linear regression (LR) and XGBoost yielded the strongest predictive skill, producing root mean squared error (RMSE) figures of 16.13 kg and 16.15 kg, respectively, matched with R² values reaching 0.63. Support vector machine (SVM) and decision tree (DT) implementations also delivered competent outcomes, achieving RMSE scores of 17.15 kg and 17.18 kg, respectively. By comparison, the deep learning architecture lagged notably (RMSE = 23.49 kg, R² = 0.23), plausibly attributable to data scarcity. This research spotlights the prognostic capability inherent in spectral wavebands and underscores the centrality of growth-stage-aligned spectral acquisition for yield forecasting.
The delineation of hazelnut plantations has the potential to assist land management and utilization strategies, thereby enabling the advancement of collaborative precision agriculture infrastructures. This investigation addresses the recognition of hazelnut cultivation by leveraging both optical and radar remote sensing. A comparative appraisal of various Machine Learning methodologies is conducted. The framework put forward harnesses multi-temporal information from the Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 archives, acquired over several years and processed in cloud computing environments. A data collection encompassing 62,982 annotated instances is furnished, with 16,561 cases assigned to the ‘hazelnut’ category and 46,421 to the ‘other’ category, gathered from 8 disparate geographic sectors within the province of Viterbo. Two distinct comparative assessments are performed: initially, a Nested 5-Fold Cross-Validation routine is used to fit, tune, and compare multiple Machine Learning classifiers confined to a single sector. In a follow-on trial, the classifiers were fitted on one sector and then validated against the remaining seven geographic sectors. The investigation confirms that AI-driven interpretation of Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 imagery is a viable solution for hazelnut cartography. The outcomes indicate that Random Forest delivers the most robust generalizability, achieving peak results in the second trial, with 96% accuracy and an F1 score of 91% for the ‘hazelnut’ group.
Acquiring data across many locations and enabling fast decision-making are strengths of hyperspectral measurements. Nevertheless, a range of data processing approaches (Savisky-Golay [SG], first derivative [FD], and normalization) and modeling frameworks (partial least squares regression [PLS], weighted k-nearest neighbor [KKNN], support vector machine [SVM], and random forest [RF]) can be applied to establish the strongest link between physical observations and hyperspectral signatures. In this study, FD emerged as the top processing technique, while SVM was the leading model for estimating mean cotton (Gossypium spp., Malvaceae) height and node counts. Conversely, the integration of FD with RF achieved the highest accuracy in predicting cotton leaf area index, canopy cover, and chlorophyll levels throughout the growing period. Furthermore, outputs from models built with both SVM and RF corresponded closely to the pseudo-CHIME satellite wavebands, a process in which field-collected hyperspectral data were adjusted to the spectral intervals of an anticipated spaceborne hyperspectral sensor. The knowledge and outcomes supplied here will equip growers and other players in the cotton sector to execute swift, well-informed actions that could foster higher productivity and sustainable intensification.
Precision farming increasingly depends on diverse agricultural data sources, yet these sources are often discussed as isolated technologies rather than as complementary inputs within decision-support systems. This article develops a conceptual taxonomy of agricultural data sources for precision farming by classifying remote sensing, geospatial layers, IoT sensors, machinery-generated records, climate and weather data, soil data, environmental observations, farm-management records, and farmer knowledge. The taxonomy approach is literature-grounded and organized around data-generation mechanism, spatial and temporal scale, resolution, format, uncertainty, interoperability requirements, ownership concerns, farmer usability, decision-support relevance, and analytics readiness. Rather than treating data as automatically useful, the article argues that each source family has distinct strengths, limitations, validation needs, and practical conditions of use. Remote sensing can support spatial monitoring, IoT sensors can provide high-frequency observations, machinery records can document operational activity, climate and soil data can contextualize crop response, and farmer knowledge can support interpretation, feasibility assessment, and local validation. The contribution is an original data-source taxonomy that helps researchers, advisors, farmers, and technology developers evaluate how agricultural data sources can be combined responsibly for precision farming. The taxonomy supports more coherent data integration, more transparent AI-ready agricultural systems, and more farmer-centered decision support.