Multiband photography - Forestry and agricultural applications.

The usefulness of multiband photography in forestry and agricultural applications was evaluated by a large group of skilled photo interpreters within four California test sites. Environmental parameters selected included crop types, forest vegetation types, and tree species composition. Quantitative analyses were made of the interpretability of (1) multiband black and white photos viewed separately, (2) multiband black and white photos combined into true and false color composites, and (3) color and color infrared photos obtained simultaneously with the multiband black and white photography. Tests indicated that multiband photography consistently yielded higher interpretation accuracies than any types of single-band photography. Black and white multiband photos which were properly procured and displayed as false-color composite imagery in all cases rendered as much (or as little) information as conventional tri-emulsion color or infrared color film.