Integration of NDVI Imagery and Crop Coverage Registration System for Apiary Schedule

Abstract Beekeepers need to establish migratory apiaries to benefit from pollen and nectar source plants as in order to increase honey yield. Thus, following the flowering seasons of honey source plants has vital importance when deciding the route of migration. In this study, MODIS imagery was used to generate weekly NDVI data between 1st April to 31st August 2018, when beekeeping activities start and end in the study area. Although MODIS images have high temporal resolution, low spatial resolution (250 meters) makes them insufficient when deciding the crop types and plants. While detecting plants in natural plant areas requires high spatial resolution NDVI, Crop Coverage Registration System (CCRS) parcel-based crop coverage records can enrich the NDVI data without increasing spatial resolution in agricultural lands. Thus, the CCRS data were integrated with NDVI images for migratory beekeeping in agricultural areas as an innovation. To generate both high temporal and spatial resolution, NDVI and CCRS data were integrated together with a beekeeping suitability map to generate the apiary schedule. The results were verified with 176 existing apiary locations and production dates retrieved from field studies which revealed the existence of three seasons in the study area as early and late apiaries (in natural plant areas) and apiaries in agricultural lands. Accuracy analysis showed that 82% of the apiaries intersected with suitable locations and that apiaries in agricultural areas were detected five days earlier than in field studies and obtained more accurately than natural plant apiaries.