Analyzing Vegetation Index Change of Damaged Trees by Pine Wilt Disease

Using Portable Near Infrared Camera

You Seung Kim1, Sung Eun Jung2, Woo Kyun Lee*, Jun Boom Kim1 and Tae Hyeong Kwon4

1Sundosoft Inc., Seoul 153-023, Korea
2Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 136·701, Korea
3Korea Forest Research Institute, Seoul 130·712, Korea
4SEDAS MEDIA Co. lJd, Seoul 140-2/0, Korea

 

Abstract

 Pinus densiflora(red pine) stands in Korea have been faced with the serious threat by pine wilt disease caused by Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (nematodes). It is not easy to early detect and prevent the infected trees because those cannot be visually identified during the initial phase of infection. Red pine is usually infected by B. xylophilus from May to July and can be just visually detected in October or November. While the infected trees are wilted, the spectral value of Near Infrared (NIR) is supposed to be decreased. Based on th is phenomena, in this paper, the vegetation vitaJity change of infected trees was analyzed using vegetation indices. Spectral values of Red. Green and NIR had been acquired monthly by a ponable NlR camera in the same place of red pine stands infected by pine wilt disease. It could be proven that the vegetation index. or vegetation vitality of damaged trees stms to decrease from June, in the early infecting phase.
Key words: pine will disease. BursapheJenchus xylophilus, ponable NIR camera. vegetation index