TerraClim, an online spatial decision support system for the wine industry

Abstract

Climate projections for the future suggest favourable conditions for some wine producing regions, but challenging conditions for others. For instance, temperature increases are likely to shift grapevine phenology, ripening and harvest dates, and potentially affect grape quality and yield. The commercial value of accurate and up-to-date climate emerged from feedback received in response to a series of demonstrations to the wine and fruit industries. TerraClim combines high resolution terrain data with weather station data (sourced from several data providers) to model climatic conditions within an orchard or vineyard. The TerraClim climate database allows for dynamic mapping, statistical interrogation, data mining, machine learning and climate change analyses over time and space. The TerraClim initiative has a strong research and development drive that involves continuously updating and extending the climate and terrain databases, automated data collection, interpolation protocol development, as well as the extension of existing logger and weather station networks. The developed technology is novel and scalable to other regions. As proof of concept, the TerraClim webapp (www.terraclim.co.za) presents high temporal and spatial resolution maps of climatic and geographic datasets as a series of dynamic near-real time map layers. The webapp includes an interactive vineyard profiling tool, query functionality and crop/cultivar suitability analysis. TerraClim allows users to obtain pertinent information about climate, terrain and soils to aid long- and short-term agricultural decision-making.