Viticultural practices: past, present and future

Temperature has a decisive influence on the growth and development of plants (Carbonneau et al., 1992). In particular, in the case of the vine, the temperature is an omnipresent variable in the climatic indices (Huglin, 1986). For reasons of convenience, these indices use the temperature of the air measured under shelter in a meteorological station, making the implicit hypothesis of a concordance between this temperature and that of the sites of perception of the thermal stimulus by the plant. However, development may be more dependent on soil temperature than air temperature (Kliewer, 1975). Morlat (1989) thus verified that the variability in the precocity of the vine, positively correlated with the quality of the harvest and of the wine in the Loire Valley, was mainly explained by differences in temperature of the root zones.

Exposing berries to solar radiation improves most berry composition traits. Many of these effects have been linked to photomorphogenic mechanisms and berry temperature.

Viti-tunnel®, une innovation imaginée pour répondre à deux des objectifs majeurs des viticulteurs : 1.la sécurisation de la vendange : viti-tunnel® permet de protéger les vignobles des pertes de récolte dues aux maladies, au gel et à la grêle. 2.la réduction des pesticides : viti-tunnel® permet de réduire de plus de 90 %, le recours aux produits phytosanitaires et aux passages de pulvérisateurs, et ce, en toute sécurité pour la vendange. Un dispositif automatisé pour protéger les vignes viti-tunnel® est un dispositif de mise à l’abri automatique des rangs de vigne pendant les pluies et les évènements climatiques extrêmes.

Within-field variability can be managed through Precision Viticulture (PV) protocols aiming at identifying homogeneous zones and addressing site-specific operations including selective harvesting (SH). Several authors demonstrated SH profitability in extensive viticulture while few information is available within the Italian context.

Viticulture is a major contributor to the antagonism of positive reputation and negative environmental impacts of agriculture. Vine contributes to structure landscape in the world, resulting, for example, in the delimitation of protected designations of origin (PDO). PDO vine is currently subject to the double challenge of sustainability and climate change adaptation. As vine is very sensitive to diseases and pests, vine requires a high use of pesticides to achieve its quality and yield goals. This high need for pesticides is the most important negative impact of environmental components.