Terroir 2004 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Climatic zoning of viticultural production periods over the year in the tropical zone: application of the methodology of the Géoviticulture MCC system

Climatic zoning of viticultural production periods over the year in the tropical zone: application of the methodology of the Géoviticulture MCC system

Abstract

L’objectif de cette recherche est le zonage climatique des périodes viticoles de l’année dans la Vallée du São Francisco, région brésilienne productrice de vins située en climat tropical semi-aride. Dans cette région, la production peut être échelonnée sur tous les mois de l’année. La région est placée sur climat viticole à variabilité intra-annuelle, qui correspond aux régions qui, sur des conditions climatiques naturelles, changent de classe de climat viticole en fonction de la période de l’année au cours de laquelle le raisin peut être produit. La méthodologie adoptée est celle du Système de Classification Climatique Multicritères Géoviticole (Système CCM Géoviticole) (Tonietto & Carbonneau, 2004), en utilisant les fonctionnalités de modulation des indices (indices homologues appliqués sur la phénologie locale des cépages). Les indices climatiques viticoles du Système (thermique, nycthermique et hydrique) ont été adaptés aux conditions biologiques du cépage Syrah de la région, qui présente un cycle moyen débourrement-récolte (d-r) de 4 mois. L’étude utilise une base de données climatiques journalières de la période 1976-2002, avec la simulation de 36 récoltes théoriques par an (une récolte théorique a chaque décade), soit un totale de 972 sur l’ensemble de la période étudiée. Ainsi, l’Indice Héliothermique (IH12d) à été calculé sur 4 mois tout au long de l’année. L’Indice de Fraîcheur des Nuits (IF3d) a été calculé sur les 3 décades précédentes la date théorique de récolte (période de maturation). La quantité de pluie en période de maturation (P3d) a également été prise en compte en fonction des effets sur l’incidence de pourriture. Les résultats ont permis de caractériser 3 périodes climatiques viticoles distincts dans l’année : Période “a” – conditions thermiques moins chaudes pendant le cycle d-r pour l’IH12d, conditions nycthermiques (IF3d) plus fraîches et très sec (P3d) en période de maturation ; Période “b” – climat intermédiaire entre la période “a” et “c” pour l’IF3d et l’IH12d et sec à très sec pour P3d (la période “b” peut être subdivisée en 2 sous-périodes : l’une que s’initie en sortant de la période chaude et humide “c”, avec une réserve hydrique utile au niveau du sol, et évolue avec la chute des températures ; et l’autre sous-période qui débute avec l’augmentation des températures et que finie juste avant la rentrée de la période humide “c”) ; Période “c” – Le plus chaud pour l’IF3d et l’IH12d et sub-humide pour P3d. Les résultats montrent que la production de raisin de cuve pour un même cépage présente des caractéristiques potentielles distinctes en fonction des périodes de production “a”, “b” et “c”. D’une façon générale, la période “c” est la plus susceptible a une maturité du raisin incomplète en fonction du risque de pourriture (pluie et température élevée), qui peuvent amener à une récolte avant la complète maturation du raisin. Déjà les périodes “a” et “b” sont les plus aptes a une bonne maturation du raisin. La période “a” est celle qui présente le moindre risque de pluie et des températures les plus fraîches, avec la possibilité du contrôle total de la disponibilité hydrique du sol par l’irrigation. La probabilité d’occurrence des indices climatiques à été caractérisé par décade et par quartile comme information d’aide à la décision (risque ou avantages) des périodes de production. Des études complémentaires, notamment l’estimation de la réserve hydrique potentielle (Indice de Sécheresse – IS) du sol seront développées. On peut conclure que le concept de climat viticole à variabilité intra-annuelle du Système CCM Géoviticole peut être utilisé comme élément de zonage pour l’établissement, dans un même vignoble, des périodes de l’année avec un potentiel climatique supérieur de production de raisin de cuve. Ce critère climatique va être utilisé dans le zonage intégré de la région, notamment avec les facteurs édaphiques.

The objective of this research is the viticultural climatic zoning of the production periods over the year in the São Francisco Valley, a Brazilian grape-growing region located in semi-arid tropical climate. In this region, the production can be spread over all months of the year. The region is situated in climate with intra-annual variability, that corresponds to the regions which, under natural climatic conditions, change the class of viticultural climate according to the period of the year during which the grape is produced. The methodology adopted is that of the Géoviticulture Multicriteria Climatic Classification System (Géoviticulture MCC System) (Tonietto & Carbonneau, 2004), employing the modulation functions of the indices. The viticultural climatic indices of the System have been adapted to the biological conditions of the Syrah variety, which has an average cycle of 4 months from bud burst to harvest (d-r) in the region. The study is based on a daily climate database from 1976 through 2002, simulating 36 theoretic harvests per year (one theoretic harvest at every ten 10 days), amounting to a total of 972 harvests in the whole period covered by the study. In this way, the Heliothermal Index (HI12d) was calculated over 4 months throughout the year. The Cool Night Index (IF3d) was calculated over the 30 days that preceded the theoretic harvest (maturation period). The amount of rain (P3d) in the maturation period was equally been taken into account according to the potential effect of the incidence of bunch rotting. The results have allowed to distinguish 3 climatic viticultural periods during the year: Period “a” – less warm during d-r cycle (IH12d) and for night temperatures (IF3d) and very dry (P3d); Period “b” – intermediate climate between “a” and “c” period for IF3d and IH12d and dry to very dry for P3d (the period “b” can be subdivided into 2 sub-periods: one which starts with the end of the warm and sub-humid period “c”, with a useful water reserve of the soil, and evolves with the fall of the temperatures, and another which starts with the increase of the temperatures and finishes before the sub-humid period “c” returns); Period “c” – the warmest for the IH12d and IF3d, and sub-humid for P3d. The obtained results allow defining the periods “a” and “b”, even with different climatic viticultural potential, as being the most favorable for the production of grapes for wine. The probability of occurrence of the values of the climatic indices (climatic risk or advantages) was characterized at a ten-day level throughout the year. Other index to complement the study will be included, especially the potential water balance of the soil (dryness index – IS). It can be concluded that the concept of the viticultural climate with intra-annual variability of the Géovitivulture MCC System can be used as a zoning element for establishing, in the same vineyard, periods of the year with a higher climatic potential for the production of quality grapes for wine. This climatic criterion will be used in the integrated zoning of the region, especially with the edaphic factors.

Download the PDF

DOI:

Publication date: January 12, 2022

Issue: Terroir 2004

Type: Article

Authors

J. Tonietto (1) and A.H. de C. Teixeira (2)

(1) Embrapa – Centre National de Recherche de la Vigne et du Vin – Cnpuv, Rua Livramento, 515 ; 95700-000 – Bento Gonçalves, Brésil
(2) Embrapa – Centre de Recherche du Tropique Semi-Aride – Cpatsa

Contact the author

; 

Keywords

Tropical, intertropical, vin, raisin, qualité, climat avec variabilité intra-annuelle, zonage climatique, Système CCM Géoviticole 

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2004

Citation

Related articles…

Leaf vine content in nutrients and trace elements in La Mancha (Spain) soils: influence of the rootstock

The use of rootstock of American origin has been the classic method of fighting against Phylloxera for more than 100 years. For this reason, it is interesting to establish if different rootstock modifies nutrient composition as well as trace elements content that could be important for determining the traceability of the vine products. A survey of four classic rootstocks (110-Richter, SO4, FERCAL and 1103-Paulsen) and four new ones (M1, M2, M3 and M4) provided by Agromillora Iberia. S.L.U., all of them grafted with the Tempranillo variety, has been carried out during 2019. The eight rootstocks were planted in pots of 500 cc, on three soils with very different characteristics from Castilla-La Mancha (Spain). In the month of July, the leaves were collected and dried in a forced air oven for seven days at 40ºC. Then, the samples were prepared for the analysis determination, carried out by X-Ray fluorescence spectrometry. The results obtained showed that in the case of content in mineral elements in leaf, separated by soil type, we can report the importance of few elements such as Si, Fe, Pb and, especially, Sr. The rootstock does not influence the composition of the vine leaf for the studied elements that are the most important in determining the geochemical footprint of the soil. The influence of the soil can be discriminated according to some elements such as Fe, Pb, Si and, especially, Sr.

Read More

Low-cost sensors as a support tool to monitor soil-plant heat exchanges in a Mediterranean vineyard

Mediterranean viticulture is increasingly exposed to more frequent extreme conditions such as heat waves. These extreme events co-occur with low soil water content, high air vapor pressure deficit and high solar radiant energy fluxes and result in leaf and berry sunburn, lower yield, and berry quality, which is a major constraint for the sustainability of the sector. Grape growers must find ways to proper and effectively manage heat waves and extreme canopy and berry temperatures. Irrigation to keep soil moisture levels and enable adequate plant turgor, and convective and evaporative cooling emerged as a key tool to overcome this major challenge. The effects of irrigation on soil and plant water status are easily quantifiable but the impact of irrigation on soil and canopy temperature and on heat convection from soil to cluster zone remain less characterized. Therefore, a more detailed quantification of vineyard heat fluxes is highly relevant to better understand and implement strategies to limit the effects of extreme weather events on grapevine leaf and berry physiology and vineyards performance. Low-cost sensor technologies emerge as an opportunity to improve monitoring and support decision making in viticulture. However, validation of low-cost sensors is mandatory for practical applicability. A two-year study was carried in a vineyard in Alentejo, south of Portugal, using low-cost thermal cameras (FLIR One, 80×60 pixels and FLIR C5, 160×120 pixels, 8-14 µm, FLIR systems, USA) and pocket thermohygrometers (Extech RHT30, EXTECH instruments, USA) to monitor grapevine and soil temperatures. Preliminary results show that low-cost cameras can detect severe water stress and support the evaluation of vertical canopy temperature variability, providing information on soil surface temperature. All these thermal parameters can be relevant for soil and crop management and be used in decision support systems.

Read More

Effects of graft quality on growth and grapevine-water relations

Climate change is challenging viticulture worldwide compromising its sustainability due to warmer temperatures and the increased frequency of extreme events. Grafting Vitis vinifera L.

Read More

Projected changes in vine phenology of two varieties with different thermal requirements cultivated in La Mancha DO (Spain) under climate change scenarios

The aim of this work was to analyze the phenology variability of Tempranillo and Chardonnay cultivars, related to the climatic characteristics in La Mancha Designation of Origin, and their potential changes under climate change scenarios. Phenological dates referred to budbreak, flowering, veraison and harvest were analyzed for the period 2000-2019. The weather conditions at daily time scale, recorded during the same period, were also evaluated. The thermal requirements to reach each of these phenological stages were calculated and expressed as the GDD accumulated from DOY=60. Changes in phenology were projected by 2050 and 2070 taking into account those values and the projected temperatures and precipitation, simulated under two Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios –RCP4.5 and RCP8.5– using an ensemble of models. The average phenological dates during the period under study were, April 16th ± 6.6 days and April 5th ± 6.0 days for budbreak, May 31st ± 6.0 days and May 27th ± 5.3 days for flowering, July 26th ± 5.6 days and July 25th ± 5.8 days for veraison, and Ago 23rd ± 10.8 days and Ago 17th ± 9.0 days for harvest, respectively, for Tempranillo and Chardonnay. The projected changes in temperature imply an average change in the maximum growing season (April-August) temperatures of 1.2 and 1.9°C by 2050, and 1.6 and 2.6°C by 2070, under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios, respectively. A reduction in precipitation is predicted, which vary between 15% for 2050 under RCP4.5 scenario and up to 30% by 2070 under RCP8.5. The advance of the phenological dates for 2050, could be of 6, 7, 7, and 8 days for Tempranillo and 4, 6, 6 and 9 days for Chardonnay, respectively for budbreak, flowering, veraison and harvest under the RCP4.5 scenario. Under the RCP8.5 emission scenario, the advance could be up to 30% higher.

Read More

Effect of fertigation strategies to adapt PGI Côtes de Gascogne production to hot vintage

The development of fertigation could be a possible solution to adapt PGI Côtes de Gascogne (south-western France) wine production to climate change. The goal would be to limit the negative effects of water stress on yield performance expectation (around 15 tons per hectare) and to make the use of fertilizers more efficient. This study aimed to compare the effects of three strategies of water and minerals supply on grapes and wines qualities. Two fertigation practices were compared to a rainfed control which is the current standard of the local grape growing production. The fertilizers (nitrogen and potassium) were (i) fully brought by irrigation pipe during the season, (ii) partially brought by irrigation pipe and partially on the soil or (iii) fully brought on the soil at the beginning of the season for the non-irrigated control (local standard). The trial was run on cv. Colombard trained on spur pruned with vertical shoot positioning system on a sandy-silty-clay soil over the 2020 vintage which was particularly hot for the region. Moderate to strong water deficit appeared during the growing period of the berries and held on after veraison. Irrigation strategies allowed for maintaining grapevine without water deficit and being significantly different from the control water status. Grapevine with fully or partial fertigation strategies produced 25% more yield mainly due to the increase of the bunch weight. Also, the fully fertigation showed the best ratio between yield and maturity and brought 30% less of fertilizers (both nitrogen and potassium) than the two other strategies. Finally, the analysis of aromatic compounds in Colombard wines, varietal thiols family, showed the same level of concentrations for the 3 treatments, confirming that the yield performance did not impact the aromatic potential in this trial.

Read More