This paper was aimed at evaluating the potential and the limitations of MODIS images for soybean classification and area estimation through a Spectral-Temporal Response Surface (STRS) method. A soybean thematic map from Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, derived from Landsat images was used as reference data to assist both sample training and results comparison. Six 16-day composite MODIS images were classified through a supervised maximum likelihood algorithm (MAXVER) adapted to the STRS method. The results were evaluated using the Kappa coefficient for the entire study area and for one region dominated by large farms and another by small ones. The STRS method underestimated the soybean area by 6.6%, for the entire study area, with a Kappa coefficient of 0.503. For regions with large and small farms the soybean area was overestimated by 8% (Kappa=0.424) and underestimated by 43.4% (Kappa=0.358), respectively. Eventually, MODIS images, through the STRS method, demonstrated good potential to classify and estimate soybean area, mainly in regions with large farms. For regions with small farms the correct identification and classification of soybean areas showed to be less efficient due to the low spatial resolution of MODIS images.
agricultural remote sensing; crop area estimation; satellite image
