Conservation tillage mapping and monitoring using remote sensing

Conservation tillage (CT) is a new tillage method to prevent soil erosion by retaining a certain crop residue amount on the soil surface, supplemented with other protective management measures. Identifying the location and distribution of CT measures is key to soil protection, agro-environmental monitoring, and resource utilization assessment. Remote sensing technology provides an effective tool for CT distribution mapping and monitoring due to its spatial and temporal coverage at a low cost. We aim to comprehensively review the progress in CT mapping and monitoring by using remote sensing over the past decade. We started with the definition of CT, presented the CT remote sensing mapping and monitoring principles, and analyzed CT remote sensing monitoring objects and their distribution over the last decade. The CT remote sensing monitoring research status was examined in detail from three perspectives: data sources, features, and approaches. The challenges and future prospects of CT remote sensing monitoring advancement were finally summarized. The results could provide a holistic picture to improve the understanding of CT remote sensing mapping and monitoring and provide a scientific reference for the field of conservation agriculture remote sensing.