Author(s)

Shujing Cao¹, Xicun Zhu^1,2*, Cheng Li¹, Yu Wei¹, Xiaoyan Guo¹, Xinyang Yu¹, Chunyan Chang¹

¹College of Resources and Environment, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China.
²Key Laboratory of Agricultural Ecology and Environment, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China.

The best hyperspectral estimation model of soil total nitrogen (TN) was established, which provided the basis for rapid and accurate estimation of soil total nitrogen content, scientific and rational fertilization and soil informatization management. A total of 92 brown soil samples were collected from the orchard of Qixia County, Yantai City, Shandong Province. After drying and grinding, the hyperspectrum of the soil was measured in the laboratory using ASD FieldSpec3. The TN contents of brown soil were measured by Kjeldahl method. The sensitive wavelengths were selected by multiple linear stepwise regression method. The hyperspectral estimation model of TN was established by Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machines (SVM). The models were validated by independent samples. The best estimation model was obtained. The sensitive wavelengths were 956 nm, 995 nm, 1020 nm, 1410 nm, 1659 nm and 2020 nm. The coefficients of determination (R²) of the two estimation models were 0.8011 and 0.8283, the root mean square errors (RMSE) were 0.022 and 0.025, and relative errors (RE) were 0.1422 and 0.1639, respectively. Random Forest model and Support Vector Machines model are feasible in estimating TN contents, but the Support Vector Machines model is better.

Hyperspectrum, Soil Total Nitrogen, Random Forest, Support Vector Machines

Cao, S. , Zhu, X. , Li, C. , Wei, Y. , Guo, X. , Yu, X. and Chang, C. (2017) Estimating Total Nitrogen Content in Brown Soil of Orchard Based on Hyperspectrum. Open Journal of Soil Science, 7, 203-215. doi: 10.4236/ojss.2017.79015.