Tracking Red Palm Mite Damage in the Western Hemisphere Invasion with Landsat Remote Sensing Data

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Entomology
• Remote Sensing
• Invasive Species Management

Background:

• Red palm mite (Raoiella indica) is an invasive pest affecting coconut palms (Cocos nucifera) in the Caribbean and surrounding regions.
• Early detection of invasive pests is crucial for effective management and relies on identifying vegetation changes.
• Satellite time series data, like Landsat, offer potential for monitoring vegetation health and pest impacts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of satellite-derived green normalized difference vegetation index (GNDVI) for detecting red palm mite infestations.
• To analyze Landsat satellite data for changes in coconut palm health related to red palm mite presence in Brazil, El Salvador, and Trinidad-Tobago.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Google Earth Engine to process time series data from Landsat 5, 7, and 8 satellites.
• Generated GNDVI data for coconut palm plantations in key regions.
• Compared GNDVI values before and after the confirmed detection dates of red palm mites.

Main Results:

• Little to no significant differences in GNDVI were observed before and after the initial detection of red palm mites at the studied locations.
• The study found current satellite platforms and GNDVI may not be sensitive enough to detect early-stage red palm mite damage.

Conclusions:

• The green normalized difference vegetation index (GNDVI) derived from current Landsat satellite data has limitations in detecting early red palm mite (Raoiella indica) infestations on coconut palms.
• Further research into alternative remote sensing approaches and indices is necessary for improved early detection and management of this invasive pest.