PREHARVEST STATE-LEVEL WHEAT ACREAGE ESTIMATION USING IRS-IA LISS-I DATA IN PUNJAB (INDIA)

Wheat acreage of the state of Punjab, India was estimated using single -acquisition Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS)-1A LISS-I digital d ata during the 1988-89 wheat season. The methodology consisted of stra tified sample design, a 10 km by 10 km sample segments, a 10 per cent sample fraction and MXL-supervised classification. Data of February 19 89 were used and results were available by 11 April 1989, before the s tart of harvesting. The estimated acreage of 3.128+/-0.171 million hec tares (Mha) of wheat compares favourably with the Government's estimat e of 3.156 Mha. This satisfies the goal of 90 per cent accuracy at 90 per cent confidence level.