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School of Agriculture

Faculty of Agriculture Forestry and Natural Environment

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Laboratory of : Laboratory of Remote Sensing, Spectroscopy, and Geographic Information Systems

Address: East Stone Building, AUTH Farm

Email: thalex@agro.auth.gr

Telephone: +30 2310 991777

 

The sustainable management of agricultural and natural resources necessitates systematic inventory and monitoring. Utilizing spectral sensors integrated into satellite platforms, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), and terrestrial agricultural vehicles, the laboratory’s students and researchers engage in the identification and mapping of soil, water, and crop status.

The rapid advancement of aerospace science and spectroscopy provides an abundance of imagery and measurements derived from diverse aerial and ground-based sensors, forming a critical component of the Internet of Things (IoT). These Earth Observation (EO) data are processed within Geographic Information Systems (GIS), frequently incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, to generate statistics and cartographic products that support informed decision-making for producers.

In the context of Precision Agriculture, cultivation strategies leverage spatial variability to minimize inputs (agrochemicals, water, etc.) or optimize management through site-specific agronomic techniques. This approach yields significant benefits for producers, consumers, and the environment. Students are trained in utilizing these tools for mapping soil and crop heterogeneity and applying specialized software (e.g., FMIS) to interpret and exploit this variability through prescription maps, irrigation network design, and other spatial interventions.

Furthermore, the laboratory procures and develops ground and aerial infrastructure, including drones, spectroradiometers, GNSS/GPS receivers, and electromagnetic or optical soil and plant scanners. The operation of these technologies and the subsequent data processing require specialized expertise provided through the laboratory’s curriculum.

The laboratory is a pioneer in the field, having developed and maintained the unique spectral library of soil physicochemical parameters for Greece and the wider Balkan region. Additionally, the Laboratory implements advanced spatial analysis, develops spatiotemporal databases, and generates thematic maps through data fusion and spatiotemporal simulation to provide high-level geoinformation services.

 

    

Research Interests and Activities

The laboratory and its graduates focus on agronomic applications of remote sensing, spectroscopy, and GIS, encompassing the broader agricultural sector and its environmental impact:

  • Monitoring and Evaluation of Agricultural Resources: Crop mapping, digital soil mapping, agricultural water use, aquaculture mapping, and multitemporal land-use change analysis.
  • Environmental Impact Assessment: Soil erosion modeling, mapping downstream wetland degradation and aquatic vegetation, monitoring of water body quality, development of early warning systems, and risk assessment for erosion and desertification.
  • Quantitative and Qualitative Attribute Estimation: Estimation of Leaf Area Index (LAI), evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and biomass. Diagnosis of nutrient deficiencies, pathogens, and abiotic stress factors in crops.
  • Precision Agriculture Applications: Optimized crop management (e.g., vineyard fertilization, olive grove stress monitoring, crop protection) and reduction of the agricultural carbon footprint.
  • Carbon Farming: Implementation of regenerative agriculture philosophies and estimation of sequestered CO2 through integrated modeling and empirical measurements.

 

Infrastructure and Equipment

The laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art computing systems and specialized software, including licenses for ArcGIS, Erdas Imagine, ENVI, and MATLAB. Hardware assets include spectral sensors, UAS (drones), GNSS receivers, portable TDR soil moisture sensors, and LAI meters.

Education

The laboratory supports undergraduate and postgraduate teaching within the Faculty of Agriculture in the fields of Remote Sensing, Spectroscopy, and Geoinformatics. It also organizes conferences, seminars, and educational workshops independently or in collaboration with international institutions.

Faculty members contribute to the following courses:

  • Precision Agriculture – Resource Conservation (N075E & NDEEP105)
  • Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems (N237E)
  • Mapping and Evaluation of Agricultural Soils and Lands (N216Y)
  • Biosystems Management via Earth Observation Systems (NDEEP115)
  • Geoinformatics (NDEEP116)
  • Mapping via Photointerpretation and GIS (ET206)

 

Experience – Publications – Theses

Representative projects implemented by the laboratory team over the last five years. Various students have participated through their theses.

 

Interreg Euro-MED, “Capturing and Storing Atmospheric CO2 for Improvement of Soil Quality – Carbon 4 Soil Quality”, 2024-2026

This project focuses on sustainable soil management techniques for carbon sequestration to mitigate the greenhouse effect and enhance soil health. Key outputs include the “Carbon Farming Toolkit” for farmers and policymakers, featuring soil organic matter reference values, analytical methodologies, and business models for carbon credit programs.

 

DramaTerroir: “Prominence of wine identity of the prefecture of Drama through holistic characterization of the natural and microbial environment” ΕΣΠΑ 2014-2020 / ΕΤΠΑ (Τ2ΕΔΚ-02974) (2021-2023)

The project aimed to comprehensively characterize the role of abiotic and microbial terroir within the viticultural zone of Drama for the primary grape cultivars grown in the region. The objective was the production of high-quality, value-added wines from white varieties (Sauvignon Blanc and Assyrtiko) and red varieties (Agiorgitiko, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot). To achieve this, a two-stage multidisciplinary approach was implemented: (a) The design and development of a geographic database of environmental parameters with a decisive impact on wine quality characteristics. These included topographic parameters (slope, aspect), soil properties (soil type, depth, organic matter, calcium carbonate, nutrients), and climatic variables (temperature, precipitation, sunshine), leading to the delineation of Terroir Units (TU), (b) The selection of a pilot vineyard for each variety to holistically evaluate the natural (abiotic) and microbial terroir and its influence on the formation of the distinct local characteristics of the grapes and resulting wines.

 

 

EU-H2020-SFS-38-2018 “Sino-EU Soil Observatory for intelligent Land Use Management – SIEUSOIL“, 2019-2022

The SIEUSOIL research project aimed to develop sustainable and holistic soil management practices based on a harmonized land information system, suitable for diverse climatic and operational conditions across various locations in the EU and China. A dedicated platform (https://www.sieusoil.eu/the-platform/) was developed to maximize land productivity. The laboratory’s role involved the assessment of Soil-Improving Cropping Systems (SICS), including precision agriculture applications, through a scaling-up process utilizing land suitability analysis.

 

 

EU-H2020-SFS-43-2017 “Enhancing food security in African agricultural systems with the support of remote sensing – AfriCultuReS, 2017-2022

The “Enhancing Food Security in African Agricultural Systems with the Support of Remote Sensing” (AfriCultuReS) project featured the Laboratory as the scientific and technical coordinator, as well as the lead of the Earth Observation Work Package. The project involved the development of an integrated agricultural monitoring and early warning system designed to acquire climatic, yield, biophysical, and economic information under various scenarios, including climate change, crop shifts, diverse production practices, and varying socioeconomic contexts. These services were consolidated into the AfriCultuReS platform and data infrastructure (http://africultures-platform.eu, https://africultures-climate.eu), providing a comprehensive oversight and decision-support tool.

Information