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.

Download the PDF

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…

Influence of soil management and vine water regime on leaf gas exchange, berry composition and quality of Chasselas wines in Switzerland

A soil management and vine irrigation trial was carried out for 4 consecutive years from 2020 to 2023 at agroscope’s experimental vineyard in leytron (Valais, Switzerland) with the Chasselas grape variety (clone 14-33/4, grafted on 5bb). Two types of soil maintenance (bare soil with chemical weeding and sown grass) coupled with two water regimes (with and without drip irrigation from flowering to veraison) were compared in a randomized design with four replicates of 10 vines each.

Read More

Oxygen consumption by diferent oenological tanins in a model wine solution

INTRODUCTION: Oenological tannins are widely used in winemaking to improve some characteristics of wines [1] being the antioxidant properties probably one of the main reasons [2]. However, commercial tannins have different botanical sources and chemical composition [3] which probably determines different antioxidant potential. There are some few references about the antioxidant properties of commercial tannins [4] but none of them have really measured the direct oxygen consumption by them. The aim of this work was to measure the kinetics of oxygen consumption by different commercial tannins in order to determine their real capacities to protect wine against oxygen. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 4 different commercial tannins were used: T1: condensed tannin from grape seeds, T2: gallotannin from chinese gallnuts, T3: ellagitannin from oak and T4: tannin from quebracho containing condensed tannins and ellagitannins.

Read More

NADES extraction of anthocyanins derivatives from grape pomace

Grape pomace is one of the main by-products generated after pressing in wine-making. It’s valorization through the extraction of bioactive compounds is the answer for the development of sustainable processes. Nevertheless, in the recovery of anthocyanins derivatives, the extraction stage continues to be a limiting step. The nature of the sample and the type of solvent determine the efficiency of the process

Read More

Rare earth elements distribution in grape berries

Rare Earth Elements (REEs) include 15 lanthanides, yttrium and scandium. Their occurrence in soil and plants seems to be closely tied to the geological composition of the underlying mother rock, to the physical and chemical properties of the soil and to the specific ability of the plant to take up and accumulate these microelements.

Read More

Bioprotective effect of non-Saccharomyces yeasts in wines made without SO2

The sulphur dioxide (SO2) is the most widely used additive in the wine industry because of its preservative action. However, in recent years the number of wineries that produce wines without SO2 has increased significantly because its allergenic character.

Read More