Terroir 2016 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Application of remote sensing by unmanned aerial vehicles to map variability in Ontario Riesling and Cabernet Franc vineyards

Application of remote sensing by unmanned aerial vehicles to map variability in Ontario Riesling and Cabernet Franc vineyards

Abstract

The objective of this investigation was to verify usefulness of proximal sensing technology and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for mapping variables e.g., vine size (potential vigor), soil and vine water status, yield, fruit composition, and virus incidence in vineyards.

Twelve Niagara Peninsula sites (six each of Riesling and Cabernet franc) were chosen in 2015. Data were collected from a grid of vines (≈ 80 per vineyard) geolocated by GPS. Soil moisture and leaf water potential (ψ) data (three times during the growing season; June to September) and yield components/berry composition were collected. Ground based GreenSeekerTM data were likewise acquired June to September, while multi-spectral UAV data were obtained at veraison and processed into geo-referenced high spatial resolution maps of biophysical indices (e.g., NDVI). Following harvest, yield/berry composition maps were also prepared. These data layers in conjunction with growing/dormant season sentinel vine data [e.g. soil moisture, leaf ψ, vine size, winter hardiness (LT50)], were used for map creation. Vine size, LT50, yield, berry weight, and berry composition data were correlated in several vineyards to NDVI and other data acquired with the UAV and GreenSeekerTM, while soil and vine water status, and yield components showed direct relationships with NDVI. Spatial relationships were also apparent from examination of the maps.

Principal components analysis confirmed these relationships. Map analysis to determine spatial relationships was accomplished by calculation of Moran’s I and k-means clustering. NDVI values were considerably higher in GreenSeeker maps vs. those from UAV flights. Water status zones, and those of several fruit composition variables, were correlated with UAV-derived NDVI. Preliminary conclusions suggest that UAVs have significant potential to identify zones of superior fruit composition.

DOI:

Publication date: June 23, 2020

Issue: Terroir 2016

Type: Article

Authors

Andrew G. REYNOLDS (1), Ralph BROWN (2), Marilyne JOLLINEAU (3), Adam SHEMROCK (4), Elena KOTSAKI (1), Hyun-Suk LEE (1), Wei ZHENG (5)

(1) Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
(2) School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
(3) Dept. of Geography, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
(4) Air-Tech Solutions, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
(5) Dept. of Agriculture and Food, University of La Rioja, Logroño, La Rioja, Spain

Contact the author

Keywords

Precision viticulture, drones, leaf water potential, soil moisture

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2016

Citation

Related articles…

Impact of toasting on oak wood aroma: creation of an oak wood aroma wheel

The impact of toasting process to produce aroma from oak wood intrinsic composition is well documented. It is admitted that such complexity contribute to the wine quality after barrel ageing. Despite our knowledge on the molecular identification of aroma impact compounds of oak wood, little research have been carried out, on a sensory level, on the aroma diversity of toasted oak wood.

TOWARDS THE SHELF-LIFE PREDICTION OF OLD CHAMPAGNE VINTAGES DEPENDING ON THE BOTTLE CAPACITY

Today, nearly one billion bottles of different sizes and capacities are aging in Champagne cellars while waiting to be put on the market. Among them, several tens of thousands of prestigious cuvees elaborated prior the 2000s are potentially concerned by prolonged aging on lees. However, when it comes to champagne tasting, dissolved CO₂ is a key compound responsible for the very much sought-after effer-vescence in glasses [1]. Yet, the slow decrease of dissolved CO₂ during prolonged aging of the most prestigious cuvees raises the issue of how long a champagne can age before it becomes unable to form CO₂ bubbles during tasting [2].

Merging two genomes: a holistic approach to disentangle rootstock-mediated drought and recovery responses

Viticulture is facing many challenges due to climate change effects with increasingly attention to save resources, such as water, considering that drought events have been predicted to dramatically increase over the next future. Thanks to the -omics techniques, research pushed forward knowledge to deepen facets of drought response in diverse grapevine-rootstock combinations. However, the regulatory mechanisms orchestrating adaptation strategies during drought and recovery in grafted grapevines need further exploration. Herein, we combined ecophysiological, biochemical and molecular approaches to unravel drought and recovery-induced changes in potted Nebbiolo (NE) plants grafted onto three different rootstocks (3309, Kober5BB, Gravesac), by analysing root and leaf tissues.

Phytochemical composition of Artemisia absinthium L.

Absinthe is historically described as a distilled, highly alcoholic beverage. It is an anise-flavoured spirit derived from botanicals, including the flowers and leaves of Artemisia absinthium L. (“grand wormwood”), together with green anise, sweet fennel, and other medicinal and culinary herbs.

Un exemple de valorisation d’une étude de terroir au sein d’une unité coopérative de production à Saint Hilaire d’Ozilhan (Gard) dans les cotes du Rhône

The winegrowers of the intercommunal cooperative cellar of Saint Hilaire d’Ozilhan have been practicing terroir selection for ten years. Five years ago, after having equipped themselves with an efficient commercial structure, and anxious to improve knowledge of their terroirs and to better control quantitatively and qualitatively the range of typicality that they can develop, they asked the Syndicate Général des Vignerons Réunis des Côtes du Rhône and the Institut Coopératif du Vin to help them set up an approach to better judge the behavior of the Grenache and Syrah grape varieties in the different terroirs, then to enhance this work through the improving product quality.