Red-Edge Information in Agricultural Remote Sensing: From Spectral Theory to Explainable Machine Learning

Abstract

The red-edge (RE) spectral region has become a central component of agricultural remote sensing because it captures physiologically meaningful changes in chlorophyll content, canopy structure and vegetation functioning. The availability of dedicated RE bands on modern multispectral satellites and advances in hyperspectral sensing have stimulated widespread applications for crop monitoring, nutrient assessment, stress detection and yield prediction. However, reported improvements over conventional visible–near-infrared (VIS–NIR) approaches remain highly variable, and the mechanisms governing when and why RE information provides additional value are often poorly synthesised. This review presents a conceptual framework that links the physical and physiological basis of RE reflectance with its condition-dependent agronomic performance and its emerging role within modern machine learning (ML) systems. We first examine how pigment absorption, canopy structure and sensor characteristics jointly determine the representation of RE information from hyperspectral measurements to operational multispectral observations. We then synthesise evidence demonstrating that the agronomic value of RE information is strongly dependent on crop characteristics, phenological stage, environmental conditions and observation geometry, explaining much of the variability reported across previous studies. Finally, we show how recent advances in ML and explainable artificial intelligence have changed the interpretation of RE information. Rather than evaluating RE-derived vegetation indices in isolation, contemporary predictive frameworks integrate RE observations with complementary spectral, climatic, structural and temporal predictors, allowing their physiological contribution to be quantified within multidimensional models. We conclude that future value of RE remote sensing will require not only continued advances in spectral measurement and vegetation index development, but also improved interpretation, transferability and operational integration of physiologically meaningful RE information within explainable, multi-source agricultural monitoring systems.