Monitorization through precision agriculture of a rice (Oryza sativa L.) culture production in Ribatejo region

Remote sensed data has already an important role in crop management. In fact, NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) has been use for staple crop management and monitorization since 80’s, namely in rice, wheat and maize. Accordingly, this study aimed to monitor, through precision agriculture, the development of a highly produced and consumed rice genotype in Portugal (Ariete variety), submitted to a selenium biofortification workflow. Rice biofortification was promoted during the production cycle, and assessed after two foliar applications with selenium (sprayed with 50 and 100 g Se.ha^-1 of sodium selenite). In this context, NDVI showed a high and identical value between control and biofortified plants, which indicated that the culture displayed a higher vigor and was in a healthy state of development despite foliar applications. Analyzes were further carried out for monitor the mobilization of photoassimilates, showing that plants did not demonstrate any negative impact on net photosynthesis and there was even a slight rise in 50 g.ha^-1 Na₂SeO₃ treatment. Additionally, to characterize the soil of the paddy rice field, some parameters were also analyzed, namely, organic matter, humidity, pH and electrical conductivity, being found that the parameters ranged between from 1.085 - 1.575 %, 12.05 - 17.45 %, 5.70 – 6.20, respectively while the average conductivity was 223.4 S µcm^-1. Concerning to soil color, and considering the parameters L, a* and b* of the CieLab scale, significantly higher values in samples without humidity and without humidity and organic matter were found. In spite of the differences found, it is concluded that biofortification process did not affect any physiological parameters in rice plants.