Rice growth dynamics: NDVI modeling with sentinel-2 and environmental influences

Accurate monitoring of rice growth phase and phenology is crucial for food security in Indonesia, where rice is a staple crop. This study utilizes Sentinel-2 imagery and remote sensing techniques to efficiently assess rice growth dynamics over a large agricultural area at PT. Sang Hyang Seri, Subang, West Java. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was derived from Sentinel-2 data and correlated with plant age to determine rice growth stages. Furthermore, the influence of rainfall, soil type, and slope on NDVI values was analyzed to quantify the impact of these physical factors on rice development. Results indicate that the temporal trend of NDVI during the rice growth cycle can be effectively modeled using a second-order parabolic curve. While the overall rice growth duration was approximately 110 days, land units delineated based on physical factors (OATRAL, DFTRL, DFTTL) exhibited variations in NDVI values, suggesting differential plant fertility. Correlation analysis revealed that rainfall, soil type, and slope significantly affect plant fertility, though not the overall growth duration. Nursery duration, however, was found to influence the age of rice planting. These findings demonstrate the utility of Sentinel-2 NDVI for high-resolution monitoring of rice phenology and highlight the importance of considering environmental factors for optimizing rice production in the region.