Tillage Assessment in Time Series of Spaceborne Radar Data Over Rice Paddy Fields in Northern Italy

Food traceability in organic agriculture requires a comprehensive "crop history"that includes information from the moment seedlings begin to sprout. Radar remote sensing could contribute in this framework by providing satellite-observable variables and time sequences that help build a more complete crop history. One possible application of this concept is monitoring tillage techniques, which have different impacts on soil properties. The so-called "minimum tillage"reduces erosion and surface runoff, and translates into different backscattering mechanisms in spaceborne radar observation, compared to those of conventional ploughing. In this work, preliminary experiments were conducted to assess the type of tillage based on sequences of spaceborne radar data, specifically plowing-and-harrowing versus minimum tillage. By using radar remote sensing, customers can achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the history of their food from "farm-to-fork", which can be particularly important for high-tier organic food.