Terroir 2012 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 An internet-based gis application for vineyard site assessment in the U.S. and matching grape variety to site

An internet-based gis application for vineyard site assessment in the U.S. and matching grape variety to site

Abstract

Vineyard site selection and determination of adapted grape varieties for a site are the most fundamental factors contributing to vineyard success, but can be challenging to ascertain, especially in developing wine regions. The objective of this research is to demonstrate, and describe the development of an internet based, scientifically objective tool to facilitate vineyard site assessment and grape variety selection in the US. The core of this tool is a spatially explicit environmental database relevant to wine grape production including climate, soil and topography data. The climate summaries are sourced from the U.S. National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The daily elements included in our dataset are maximum temperature, minimum temperature, mean temperature, dew point, precipitation, and elevation for 1929 to present. Similarly, our soil database is derived from the Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) database for the continental U.S.A and the Harmonized World Soil Database for global soil data. Parameters include soil texture, pH, soil depth, water holding capacity, etc. This database was used to derive established and novel environmental indices relevant to grape production. The indices were used as inputs to mathematical and statistical models to examine the relationship between environmental factors and variety production in selected established growing regions. Finally, we incorporated both the environmental database, and the site/varietal selection models into a web-based site and grape variety selection tool. This tool enables a potential wine grape grower to either determine varieties most suited to a particular site or delineate areas most suitable for growing a particular grape variety.

DOI:

Publication date: October 1, 2020

Issue: Terroir 2012

Type: Article

Authors

Elvis TAKOW (1), Edward W. HELLMAN (2), Andrew G. BIRT (1),
Maria D. TCHAKERIAN (1), Robert N. COULSON (1)

(1) Knowledge Engineering Laboratory, Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843 USA
(2) Texas A&M University, AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 1102 East FM 1294, Lubbock, TX 79403 USA; Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University

Contact the author

Keywords

GIS, viticulture and site sélection

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2012

Citation

Related articles…

PHENOLICS DYNAMICS OF BERRIES FROM VITIS VINIFERA CV SYRAH GRAFTED ON TWO CONTRASTING ROOTSTOCKS UNDER COMBINED SALINITY AND WATER STRESSORS AND ITS EFFECT ON WINE QUALITY

Wine regions are getting warmer as average temperatures continue raising affecting grape growth, berry composition and wine production. Berry quality was evaluated in plants of Vitis vinifera cv Syrah grafted on two rootstocks, Paulsen (PL1103) and SO4, and grown under two salinity concentrations (LS:0.7dS/m and HS:2.5dSm-1) in combination with two irrigation regimes (HW:133% and CW:100%), being the seasonal water application 483mm (control, 100%). Spectrophotometer measurements from berry skin during veraison and harvest stages and from “young” wine samples, were indicative of the stressors effect and the mediation of the rootstocks. At veraison (i) total phenolics content were high under LSHW (0.7dSm-1 and high water conditions) for SO4 and PL1103.

Behaviour of two training systems for mechanical pruning combined with different nitrogen fertilizations on cv. Colombard

Today winegrowers involved in mechanical winter pruning are applying this viticultural technique on two main training systems, the free cordon, appearing to be the more efficient, and the trellised vertical shoot positioning (VSP) system. The main reasons for maintaining the trellis are generally due to common habits in vineyard management, risk of wind damage for the shoots, or risk of decrease in photosynthesis potential. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of the two training systems on vine. In addition, different nitrogen fertilization levels were applied on the two systems to evaluate the best combination to achieve yield and grape quality.

Role of climate on grape characteristics of “Moscato bianco” in Piemonte (Italy)

L’objectif de l’étude était de connaître le rôle du climat sur les aspects phénologiques du cépage « Moscato bianco » dans les différentes zones de production du vin Moscato d’Asti aocg en Piemonte (Italie) et ses effets sur l’époque de vendange. La représentation cartographique ( échelle 1 :25000) de exposition, altitude, climat, index

New tools for a visual analysis of vineyard landscapes?

A vineyard landscape is above all an area observed by someone, that is to say a physical entity perceved and represented by this person.

Differentiating and grouping of oltrepo’ pavese environments according to grape maturation

The maturation patterns process has been very studied. In particular the modelization of the sugars and titratable acidity during the ripening period was an important approach, in particular for the prediction of harvest date (Barillere et al., 1988; Jourion et al.,1987; Maujean et al., 1983; Scienza, 1989). In Oltrepò Pavese, the widest viticultural district of Lombardy – Northern Italy – (about 15000 hectares), grape maturation trends shows high variability, due to the large variation in environmental characteristics of vineyards (altitude, exposure, soil type, mesoclimate) and to “cultivar x environment” interaction.