Integration of Sentinel-1 and -2 imagery through advanced cloud computing improves hillside vineyard soil moisture analysis

Grape yield and quality are tightly linked to soil moisture (SM), making SM monitoring critical, especially as climate change increases reliance on irrigation in rain-fed areas. Sentinel-1 (S1) radar and Sentinel-2 (S2) optical satellites offer valuable high-resolution, frequent data streams ideal f...

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Main Authors: Farid Faridani, Alessandro Mataffo, Giandomenico Corrado, Antonio Dente, Claudio Rossi, Guido D’Urso, Boris Basile
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Agricultural Water Management
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377425002550
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author Farid Faridani
Alessandro Mataffo
Giandomenico Corrado
Antonio Dente
Claudio Rossi
Guido D’Urso
Boris Basile
author_facet Farid Faridani
Alessandro Mataffo
Giandomenico Corrado
Antonio Dente
Claudio Rossi
Guido D’Urso
Boris Basile
author_sort Farid Faridani
collection DOAJ
description Grape yield and quality are tightly linked to soil moisture (SM), making SM monitoring critical, especially as climate change increases reliance on irrigation in rain-fed areas. Sentinel-1 (S1) radar and Sentinel-2 (S2) optical satellites offer valuable high-resolution, frequent data streams ideal for measuring surface SM dynamics. However, despite the recognized potential of satellite remote sensing, Change Detection (CD) techniques have not been widely applied for SM monitoring within more challenging hillside grapevine vineyard environments. To address this gap, this study developed and validated two CD methods for retrieving SM at 20 m resolution using Google Earth Engine. The first method (CDS2) used S2 optical bands (Red, NIR, SWIR), while the second (CDS1S2) combined S1’s C-band radar (VV polarization) with S2 optical data. The methods were tested in two hillside vineyards (northern/southern Italy) and validated using independent reference data from flat bushlands (TxSON, Texas). Comparisons with in-situ measurements showed both methods effectively captured SM dynamics. However, combining S1 and S2 data (CDS1S2) provided significantly more accurate estimates than using S2 alone (CDS2), achieving higher R² (0.23–0.41 vs. 0.16–0.21) and lower RMSE (3.6–5.7 % vs. 3.8–7.1 % [m³/m³]). This improvement is attributed to S1's ability to penetrate vegetation and operate under various atmospheric conditions. This research demonstrates a scalable, user-friendly, and reproducible geospatial approach for precision viticulture. It highlights the potential of integrating advanced remote sensing technologies to enhance vineyard water management and sustain agricultural productivity amidst environmental changes.
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publishDate 2025-06-01
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spelling doaj-art-d2e843a5c4e44c0f92339bdc0e8093332025-08-20T02:05:07ZengElsevierAgricultural Water Management1873-22832025-06-0131510954110.1016/j.agwat.2025.109541Integration of Sentinel-1 and -2 imagery through advanced cloud computing improves hillside vineyard soil moisture analysisFarid Faridani0Alessandro Mataffo1Giandomenico Corrado2Antonio Dente3Claudio Rossi4Guido D’Urso5Boris Basile6Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici 80055, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici 80055, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici 80055, ItalyMastroberardino Società Agricola srl, Atripalda 83042, ItalyLINKS Foundation, Turin 10138, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici 80055, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici 80055, Italy; Corresponding author.Grape yield and quality are tightly linked to soil moisture (SM), making SM monitoring critical, especially as climate change increases reliance on irrigation in rain-fed areas. Sentinel-1 (S1) radar and Sentinel-2 (S2) optical satellites offer valuable high-resolution, frequent data streams ideal for measuring surface SM dynamics. However, despite the recognized potential of satellite remote sensing, Change Detection (CD) techniques have not been widely applied for SM monitoring within more challenging hillside grapevine vineyard environments. To address this gap, this study developed and validated two CD methods for retrieving SM at 20 m resolution using Google Earth Engine. The first method (CDS2) used S2 optical bands (Red, NIR, SWIR), while the second (CDS1S2) combined S1’s C-band radar (VV polarization) with S2 optical data. The methods were tested in two hillside vineyards (northern/southern Italy) and validated using independent reference data from flat bushlands (TxSON, Texas). Comparisons with in-situ measurements showed both methods effectively captured SM dynamics. However, combining S1 and S2 data (CDS1S2) provided significantly more accurate estimates than using S2 alone (CDS2), achieving higher R² (0.23–0.41 vs. 0.16–0.21) and lower RMSE (3.6–5.7 % vs. 3.8–7.1 % [m³/m³]). This improvement is attributed to S1's ability to penetrate vegetation and operate under various atmospheric conditions. This research demonstrates a scalable, user-friendly, and reproducible geospatial approach for precision viticulture. It highlights the potential of integrating advanced remote sensing technologies to enhance vineyard water management and sustain agricultural productivity amidst environmental changes.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377425002550Climate changeRemote sensingSoil moistureGeospatial analysisSatellite imageryViticulture
spellingShingle Farid Faridani
Alessandro Mataffo
Giandomenico Corrado
Antonio Dente
Claudio Rossi
Guido D’Urso
Boris Basile
Integration of Sentinel-1 and -2 imagery through advanced cloud computing improves hillside vineyard soil moisture analysis
Agricultural Water Management
Climate change
Remote sensing
Soil moisture
Geospatial analysis
Satellite imagery
Viticulture
title Integration of Sentinel-1 and -2 imagery through advanced cloud computing improves hillside vineyard soil moisture analysis
title_full Integration of Sentinel-1 and -2 imagery through advanced cloud computing improves hillside vineyard soil moisture analysis
title_fullStr Integration of Sentinel-1 and -2 imagery through advanced cloud computing improves hillside vineyard soil moisture analysis
title_full_unstemmed Integration of Sentinel-1 and -2 imagery through advanced cloud computing improves hillside vineyard soil moisture analysis
title_short Integration of Sentinel-1 and -2 imagery through advanced cloud computing improves hillside vineyard soil moisture analysis
title_sort integration of sentinel 1 and 2 imagery through advanced cloud computing improves hillside vineyard soil moisture analysis
topic Climate change
Remote sensing
Soil moisture
Geospatial analysis
Satellite imagery
Viticulture
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377425002550
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