Combining electromagnetic induction and remote sensing data for improved determination of management zones for sustainable crop production

Abstract. Accurate delineation of management zones is essential for optimizing resource use and improving yield in precision agriculture. Electromagnetic induction (EMI) provides a rapid, non-invasive method to map soil variability, while the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) obtained with remote sensing captures above-ground crop dynamics. Integrating these datasets may enhance management zone delineation but presents challenges in data harmonization and analysis. This study presents a workflow combining unsupervised classification (clustering) and statistical validation to delineate management zones using EMI and NDVI data in a single 70 ha field of the patchCROP experiment in Tempelberg, Germany. Three datasets were investigated: (1) EMI maps, (2) NDVI maps, and (3) a combined EMI-NDVI dataset. Historical yield data and soil samples were used to refine the clusters through statistical analysis. The results demonstrate that four EMI-based zones effectively captured subsurface soil heterogeneity, while three NDVI-based zones better represented yield variability. A combination of EMI and NDVI data resulted in three zones that provided a balanced representation of both subsurface and above-ground variability. The final EMI-NDVI derived map demonstrates the potential of integrating multi-source datasets for field management. It provides actionable insights for precision agriculture, including optimized fertilization, irrigation, and targeted interventions, while also serving as a valuable resource for environmental modelling and soil surveying.