terclim by ICS banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 High-resolution aerial thermography for water stress estimation in grapevines

High-resolution aerial thermography for water stress estimation in grapevines

Abstract

Aerial thermography has emerged as a promising tool for water stress detection in grapevines, but there are still challenges associated with this technology, particularly concerning the methodology employed to extract reliable canopy temperature values. This consideration is relevant especially in vertically trained vineyards, due to the presence of multiple surfaces which are captured by drone thermal cameras with high-resolution. To test the technology and the data analysis required, a field study was conducted during the 2022-2023 season in a model vineyard with multiple scions-rootstock combinations trained on a vertical shoot-positioning (VSP) system. Additionally, three irrigation regimes were implemented to introduce variability in water stress levels. A commercial Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with an integrated RGB, and thermal camera was used to capture high-resolution aerial images over the vineyard. Eight different pixel extraction methods, considering classical and novel approaches, were tested against manual pixel extraction to determine which method performed the best. From the methods tested, the two Gaussian mixture models (GMM2) showed the best performance in terms of accuracy and precision. The average canopy temperature obtained by this method was contrasted with stem water potential measurements, showing significant differences between well-watered and dryland treatments. Aerial thermography complemented by the GMM2 method shows great potential as a tool for water stress estimation in grapevines, however, several factors play a role in method performance. These include the degree of stress in the vineyard, amount of cover crops, and canopy density amongst others. Suggestions regarding the critical aspects that need to be evaluated further to optimize the methodology and reduce the uncertainties associated to the application of this technology will be discussed in context of the results obtained.

Download the abstract

DOI:

Publication date: June 14, 2024

Issue: Open GPB 2024

Type: Article

Authors

Carlos Poblete-Echeverria1*, Thomas Chalmers1, Melane A. Vivier1

1 South African Grape and Wine Research Institute (SAGWRI), Faculty of AgriSciences, Stellenbosch University, Matieland 7602, South Africa

Contact the author*

Keywords

Precision viticulture, Water management, Digital analysis, Pixel extraction methods, Thermal imagery

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Open GPB | Open GPB 2024

Citation

Related articles…

Key phenolic compounds in the pulp of new red-fleshed table grape hybrids: anthocyanins and flavonols 

The cultivated area of table grapes worldwide has experienced a paramount increase over the last two decades. In this current scenario, traditional varieties are being replaced by new cultivars that prioritize a profitable and sustainable agriculture, while satisfying consumer demands. It is widely recognized that wine varieties, especially those with red berry flesh, are renowned for their high antioxidant capacity and phenolic compounds, which promote health. Recently, this topic has also gained significance in table grape breeding programs.

Read More

Interactions of wine polyphenols with dead or living Saccharomyces cerevisiae Yeast Cells and Cell Walls: polyphenol location by microscopy

Tannin, anthocyanins and their reaction products play a major role in the quality of red wines. They contribute to their sensory characteristics, particularly colour and astringency. Grape tannins and anthocyanins are extracted during red wine fermentation. However, their concentration and composition change over time, due to their strong chemical reactivity1. It is also well known that yeasts influence the wine phenolic content, either through the release of metabolites involved in the formation of derived pigments1, or through polyphenol adsorption2,3.

Read More

Impact of climate change on the viticultural climate of the Protected Designation of Origin “Jumilla” (SE Spain)

Protected Designation of Origin “Jumilla” (PDO Jumilla) is located in the Spanish provinces of Albacete and Murcia, in the South-eastern part of the Iberian Peninsula, where most of the models predict a severe impact of climate change in next decades. PDO Jumilla covers an area of 247,054 hectares, of which more than 22,000 hectares

Read More

Effects of management and seed mixture on species composition of vineyard inter-row vegetation, soil characteristics and grape berry traits

Context and purpose. Viticulture has exerted a profound influence on the landscape and biodiversity of numerous countries for centuries.

Read More

Vineyard nutrient budget and sampling protocols

Vineyard nutrient management is crucial for reaching production-specific quality standards, yet timely evaluation of nutrient status remains challenging. The existing sampling protocol of collecting vine tissue (leaves and/or petioles) at bloom or veraison is time-consuming. Additionally, this sampling practice is too late for in-season fertilizer applications (e.g. N is applied well before bloom). Therefore alternative early-season protocols are necessary to predict the vine nutrient demand for the upcoming season. The main goals of this project are to 1) optimize existing tissue sampling protocols; 2) determine the amount of nutrients removed at the end of the growing season.

Read More