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Article

Integrating Multi-Sensor Data Fusion to Map Isohydric Responses and Maize Yield Variability in Tropical Oxisols

by
Fábio Henrique Rojo Baio
1,*,
Paulo Eduardo Teodoro
1,
Job Teixeira de Oliveira
1,
Ricardo Gava
1,
Larissa Pereira Ribeiro Teodoro
1,
Cid Naudi Silva Campos
1,
Estêvão Vicari Mellis
2,
Isabella Clerici de Maria
2,
Marcos Eduardo Miranda Alves
1,
Fernanda Ganassim
1,
João Pablo Silva Weigert
1,
Kelver Pupim Filho
1,
Murilo Bittarello Nichele
1 and
João Lucas Gouveia de Oliveira
3
1
Departament of Agronomy, Chapadão do Sul Campus (CPCS), Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Chapadão do Sul 79560-000, MS, Brazil
2
Agronomic Institute of Campinas (IAC), Campinas 13012-970, SP, Brazil
3
Department of Agronomy, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Ilha Solteira 15385-007, SP, Brazil
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
AgriEngineering 2026, 8(4), 131; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriengineering8040131
Submission received: 28 January 2026 / Revised: 11 March 2026 / Accepted: 23 March 2026 / Published: 1 April 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Farming: New Agricultural Technology in Precision Agriculture)
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Abstract

Maize cultivation in tropical Oxisols during the second growing season faces significant climatic risks, where spatial heterogeneity in soil water retention often dictates economic viability. This study integrated a trimodal sensing approach, combining multispectral, thermal, and LiDAR data, with proximal physiological measurements to map isohydric responses and yield variability. Conducted in the Brazilian Cerrado, the research monitored a one-hectare maize field using UAV-based sensors alongside ground truth evaluations of gas exchange, leaf water potential, and soil moisture. Results revealed high yield variability (6.6 to 13.4 Mg ha−1) primarily governed by clay content-mediated water availability. Maize exhibited strict isohydric behavior, maintaining homeostatic leaf water potential through preventive stomatal closure, which limited CO2 assimilation in zones with lower water retention. A significant statistical decoupling was observed between plant height and final grain yield, as water stress impacted reproductive stages more severely than vegetative growth. Furthermore, the Temperature Vegetation Dryness Index (TVDI) served as a robust proxy for biomass vigor rather than mere water deficit. These results confirm that yield variability in tropical Oxisols was not a product of hydraulic failure, but rather a consequence of carbon limitation necessitated by the crop’s conservative hydraulic management to maintain leaf water potential within safe thresholds.
Keywords: precision agriculture; Zea mays L.; LiDAR; thermal imaging; isohydric behavior; management zones; red-edge vegetation indices; water use efficiency precision agriculture; Zea mays L.; LiDAR; thermal imaging; isohydric behavior; management zones; red-edge vegetation indices; water use efficiency
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MDPI and ACS Style

Baio, F.H.R.; Teodoro, P.E.; Oliveira, J.T.d.; Gava, R.; Teodoro, L.P.R.; Campos, C.N.S.; Mellis, E.V.; Maria, I.C.d.; Alves, M.E.M.; Ganassim, F.; et al. Integrating Multi-Sensor Data Fusion to Map Isohydric Responses and Maize Yield Variability in Tropical Oxisols. AgriEngineering 2026, 8, 131. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriengineering8040131

AMA Style

Baio FHR, Teodoro PE, Oliveira JTd, Gava R, Teodoro LPR, Campos CNS, Mellis EV, Maria ICd, Alves MEM, Ganassim F, et al. Integrating Multi-Sensor Data Fusion to Map Isohydric Responses and Maize Yield Variability in Tropical Oxisols. AgriEngineering. 2026; 8(4):131. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriengineering8040131

Chicago/Turabian Style

Baio, Fábio Henrique Rojo, Paulo Eduardo Teodoro, Job Teixeira de Oliveira, Ricardo Gava, Larissa Pereira Ribeiro Teodoro, Cid Naudi Silva Campos, Estêvão Vicari Mellis, Isabella Clerici de Maria, Marcos Eduardo Miranda Alves, Fernanda Ganassim, and et al. 2026. "Integrating Multi-Sensor Data Fusion to Map Isohydric Responses and Maize Yield Variability in Tropical Oxisols" AgriEngineering 8, no. 4: 131. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriengineering8040131

APA Style

Baio, F. H. R., Teodoro, P. E., Oliveira, J. T. d., Gava, R., Teodoro, L. P. R., Campos, C. N. S., Mellis, E. V., Maria, I. C. d., Alves, M. E. M., Ganassim, F., Weigert, J. P. S., Filho, K. P., Nichele, M. B., & Oliveira, J. L. G. d. (2026). Integrating Multi-Sensor Data Fusion to Map Isohydric Responses and Maize Yield Variability in Tropical Oxisols. AgriEngineering, 8(4), 131. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriengineering8040131

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