# Advancing Crop Yield Predictions: AQUACROP Model Application in Poland's JECAM Fields
## 2 Materials and Methods
### Data Processing Methodology
#### 2.3.5 Crop Yield Prediction  
To forecast crop yields, the study utilized the AquaCrop model, incorporating data derived from both in-situ LAI measurements and satellite observations facilitated by the Sentinel-2 satellite constellation.  
A pivotal component of satellite data processing involved implementing the NDVI as a crucial parameter within the AquaCrop model. The NDVI computation utilized specific spectral channels from Sentinel-2, including the Red and Near-Infrared bands, with the formula:  
\[\mathrm{NDVI}=\frac{(\mathrm{NIR}+\mathrm{Red})}{(\mathrm{NIR}-\mathrm{Red})} \tag{6}\]  
The integration of NDVI served as a cornerstone in computing canopy cover (CC), a parameter responsible for quantifying the fraction of the soil surface covered by the canopy.  
Efforts were made to mitigate the impact of clouds on the accuracy of derived values. Cloud masking involved using the Sentinel-2 Quality Assessment (QA) band, specifically excluding pixels identified as cloudy in the QA band with a threshold below 10%, ensuring a rigorous selection process for accurate NDVI computation. This process ensured that computed NDVI values accurately represented vegetation status by filtering out interference caused by cloud cover.  
In this study, two parallel simulations were conducted using the AquaCrop model. In the first scenario, in-situ LAI measurements were utilized instead of canopy cover, while in  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Crop Types**} & \multirow{2}{*}{**Soil Textural Class**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**Soil Water Content (\(\theta\))**} & **TAW** & **Ksat** \\ \cline{3-6}  & & **SAT (vol \%)** & **FC (vol \%)** & **PWP (vol \%)** & **(mm/m)** & **(mm/day)** \\ \hline Winter wheat & clay loam & 50 & 39 & 23 & 160 & 125 \\ \hline Maize & loam & 46 & 31 & 15 & 160 & 500 \\ \hline Sugar beet & loam & 46 & 31 & 15 & 160 & 500 \\ \hline Winter rapeseed & clay loam & 50 & 39 & 23 & 160 & 125 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular} Where SAT is saturated soil moisture level, which indicates when the entire pore space is filled with water; FC represents the maximum amount of water retained by well-drained soil against gravitational forces, available to plants; Permanent Wilting Point (PWP) is the soil water content at which plants cease to take up water and permanently wit; Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity (Ksat) refers to how hydraulic conductivity determines the soil’s ability to conduct water. In saturated soil, all pores are filled with water, and the hydraulic conductivity value reaches its maximum value. TAW is total available soil water, calculated for soil water balance. TAW is derived from the water characteristics of the soil’s fine fraction and gravel content [24].  
\end{table}
Table 1: Soil textural classes for different crops in the JECAM area.  
the second scenario, satellite-derived NDVI was employed. This dual approach allowed for a comprehensive assessment, providing insights into the model's performance under different data sources, namely, in-situ and satellite-based measurements.