Non-destructive yield estimation of onion and garlic using UAV-based hyperspectral imaging and hybrid machine learning models

Accurate pre-harvest yield estimation of underground bulb crops such as onion and garlic is important for precision agriculture, harvest planning, and food-security-oriented decision-making. However, their harvestable organs develop below ground and cannot be directly observed using conventional remote sensing methods. This study aimed to develop a non-destructive yield estimation framework by integrating UAV-based hyperspectral imaging with hybrid machine learning models. Field experiments were