Terroir 2016 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 A 4D high resolution vineyard soil assessment for soil-hydrological interpretation in combination with automated data analysis and visualization to manage site-specific grape and wine quality

A 4D high resolution vineyard soil assessment for soil-hydrological interpretation in combination with automated data analysis and visualization to manage site-specific grape and wine quality

Abstract

A Visual Information eNvironment for Effective agricultural management and Sustainability (VINES) is under development, which can provide significant competitive advantages to winegrowers by sustaining their appellation-specific grape and wine qualities and yields while measurably conserving water resources. The system has been designed to validate, refine, and improve the Automatic Landform Inference Mapping (ALIM) soil modeling/ sampling method, and to define the key components for perennial crop production, in general, and wine grapes in particular.

The feasibility of this novel technology has been validated through analysis of data collected to date through sensor deployment in West Coast vineyards and the development of highly resolved 4D soil maps that can visualize vine water availability. A comparison of predicted map-based water flow at several depths and locations vs. in-field sensor sampled values was conducted.

The accuracy of predicted soil characteristics across vineyard blocks at several locations has been validated based on physical and chemical analyses and statistical comparisons. The first completed real-time spatial soil functional maps have been used to design visual analytics to create an effective decision-making environment applicable in commercial vineyards.

Working directly with vineyard managers and winemakers, this integrated research and extension project has collaboratively developed an interactive, user-driven decision making environment that harnesses visual analytics to organize all the inputs from deployed soil sensors, high-resolution spatial soil function and water dynamic responses, while integrating all available historic and current data flows. VINES is designed to integrate future soil, plant, viticulture, and enological models into its decision support system to help respond to changing climatic and especially to drought conditions, and to improve general vineyard management, harvest scheduling, and long-term sustainability and life-cycle decisions.

DOI:

Publication date: June 23, 2020

Issue: Terroir 2016

Type: Article

Authors

David S. EBERT (1), Phillip R. OWENS (1), Trester J. GOETTING (2), Julie A. JOHNSON (3), Christian E. BUTZKE (1)

(1) Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
(2) Robert Biale Vineyards, Napa, CA, USA
(3) Tres Sabores Winery, Rutherford, CA, USA

Contact the author

Keywords

soil mapping, terroir, wine quality, plant water availability, visualization, decision-support

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2016

Citation

Related articles…

About validation of a method for the determination of volatile compounds in spirituous beverages using contained ethanol as a reference substance

The paper proposes an algorithm for validating a modified internal standard method using ethyl alcohol contained in the test sample as a reference substance.

Analytical and Chemometric Investigation of Phenolic Content of South African Red Wines

Phenolic compounds have been the focus of a lot of research in recent years for their important contribution to sensory characteristics of wine, their beneficial health effects, as well as the possibility they offer of characterising wines. In this contribution, a method is developed that allows the direct injection of wine samples followed by liquid

Vitamins in grape must: let’s lift a corner of the veil

Although vitamins stand as major actors to yeasts prime metabolic pathways, their significance in oenology and winemaking remains rather obscure nowadays, having been mostly unexplored for several decades.

Les outils pour favoriser le renouvellement des générations en viticulture

French lawmakers have chosen the family-type winegrowing business as the benchmark for drafting the legal framework for winegrowing businesses and winegrowers. In france (source: msa), in 2022, there were 1,444 new winegrowers, an increase of 3% compared with 2021, representing 10% of new farm managers. The retention rate for winegrowers is 75% (up 13% on 2021), compared with 77% for all agricultural sectors (stable).

Late season canopy management practices to reduce sugar loading and improve color profile of Cabernet-Sauvignon grapes and wines in the high irradiance and hot conditions of California Central Valley

Global warming is accelerating grape ripening, leading to unbalanced wines from fruit with high sugar content but poor aroma and colour development. Reducing the size of the photosynthetic apparatus after veraison has been shown to delay technological ripeness in cool climates, but methods have not been tested in areas with high irradiance and temperature where fruit exposure could have disastrous effects on berry composition. In this Cabernet-Sauvignon trial, we compared the application of an antitranspirant (pinolene), to severe canopy topping and above bunch zone leaf removal, all performed at mid-ripening, with an untouched control. We monitored the vines weekly by measuring stem water potential, gas exchange, fruit zone light exposure. We sampled berries to measure berry weight, total soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity, and the anthocyanin profile. At harvest, we assessed yield components, measured carbon isotope discrimination, rated sunburn on clusters, and produced experimental wines. We submitted harvest samples to metabolomic profiling through PFP-Q Exactive MS/MS and wines to sensory analysis. Application of the antitranspirant significantly reduced stomatal conductance and assimilation rate but did not affect the stem water potential. Inversely, leaf removal and topping increased water potential but did not affect leaf gas exchange. The late topping was the only treatment able to decrease sugar content (up to 2Bx), increase titratable acidity and pH, and improve anthocyanin content because of lower degradation of di-hydroxylated forms. Late leaf removal above the bunch zone increased lightning conditions in the canopy and produced the most significant damage on fruits. Yield components were not affected. This work suggests that late-season canopy management can effectively control ripening speeds and improve grapes and wines. Still, the effect on grape exposure in a critical time must be well balanced to avoid problems with the appropriate technique.