Agri-photovoltaics (apv) describes the dual use of an agricultural area for food production and solar power generation. There are already a number of systems in operation around the world with various crops and under a wide range of different set-ups. In large parts, they still allow mechanical cultivation and other positive side effects of an APV system were observed in addition to the increase in utilization in the form of electricity and food: effects on the water balance and passive protection against extreme weather events.

Within a research project for simulating the nitrogen turnover in vineyard soils and the nitrogen uptake by the grape vine, a previously developed plant growth model (Nendel and Kersebaum 2004) had to be evaluated. A dataset was obtained from a monitoring experiment at three vineyard sites with different soil types, conducted in the years 2003 and 2004.

Microbial pathogens of plant have evolved to sense, interpret, and use light to direct their development. One aspect of this evolved relationship is photolyase-mediated repair of UV-induced damage to pathogen DNA. Application of germicidal UV (UV-C) at night circumvents the blue light-driven repair of pathogen DNA and allows non-phytotoxic doses of UV-C to suppress a variety of pathogenic microbes and even certain arthropod pests without damage to vines or fruit. Lamps arrays have been designed specifically for the canopy architecture of grapevines and have been deployed on both tractor-drawn and robotic carriages for partial to near-complete suppression of powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator), sour rot (fungal, bacterial, and arthropod complex), and downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola).

Chemical studies aiming at assessing how a wine reacts towards oxidation usually focus on the characterization of wine constituents, such as polyphenols, or oxidation products. As an alternative, the key oxidation intermediate hydrogen peroxide H2O2 has never been quantified, although it plays a pivotal role in wine oxidation. H2O2 is obtained from molecular oxygen as the result of a first cascade of oxidation reactions involving metal ions and polyphenols. The produced H2O2 then reacts in a second cascade of oxidation to produce reactive hydroxyl radicals that can attack almost any chemical substrate in wine.

In most viticultural regions, grapevines are cultivated grafted, employing either hybrid or pure species of various American Vitis spp., such as V. berlandieri, V. rupestris, and V. riparia, as grapevine rootstocks. These rootstocks play a crucial role in providing resistance to the Phylloxera insect pest. Beyond Phylloxera resistance, it is desirable for grapevine rootstocks to exhibit resistance to other soil-borne pathogens and adaptability to abiotic stress conditions. The introduction of new rootstocks holds promise for adapting agriculture to climate change without altering the characteristics of the final harvested product.