During her PhD studies, Yeying Zhou investigated how UAV-based multispectral imaging and deep learning can support nitrogen management in spring barley. Based on two years of field experiments with six nitrogen application rates, she examined how drone-derived spectral information at three key growth stages can be used to estimate crop growth and nitrogen-related traits. She also explored the potential of vegetation index optimization and predictive models for nitrogen diagnosis and recommendation.

Her research showed that the effectiveness of nitrogen diagnosis depends strongly on crop growth stage and climatic variation. The study shows how remote sensing can support more precise fertilizer management and contribute to sustainable spring barley production.

The PhD study was completed at Department of Agroecology, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Wednesday, 17 June 2026 at 10:00
Place: Building 8814, room 3075, Auditorium Foulum, Department of Agroecology, AU Foulum, Blichers Allé 20, 8830 Tjele
Title of PhD thesis: UAV-based multispectral imaging and deep learning for nitrogen status diagnosis and management in spring barley
Contact information: Yeying Zhou, e-mail: au733113@uni.au.dk, tel.: +45 7160 1879
Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Iris Vogeler Cronin (chair), Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University 
Professor Paul Neve, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Copenhagen University, Denmark
Associate Professor Miguel A. Campo-Bescós, Department of Agricultural Engineering, University of Navarra, Spain  
Main supervisor: Professor Davide Cammarano, Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Co-supervisor:
Professor Mathias Neumann Andersen, Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Researcher Syed Tahir Ata-Ul-Karim, Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Associate Professor Sheng Wang, Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Technical Sciences/GSTS, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, 8000 Aarhus C.