Comparative performance of thematic mapper middle-infrared bands in crop discrimination

Abstract

Single-date classification accuracies of wheat, mustard and gram were investigated using Landsat TM data of five acquisition dates (24 January, 9, 16, 25 February and 12 March 1988) and combinations of three (TM234, TM345, TM347) and four (TM1234, TM2345, TM2347) bands over an irrigated, optimum-fertility site in Hisar (Haryana). Differences in classification accuracies were tested for significance using paired sample t-test. Inclusion of middle-infrared (MIR) bands (TM5, TM7) improved the classification accuracies in all cases except TM347 for wheat and gram. Classification accuracies with TM5 were significantly higher than comparable combinations having TM7. Lower classification accuracies with TM7 are probably due to higher within-class variability of this band.