Monitoring water deficit in vineyards by means of Red and Infrared measurements

Vineyard water availability is one of the most important variables both in plant’s production and wine quality, once it regulates several processes, among which the stomata activity. To avoid water deficit, wine producers introduced artificial irrigation in their vineyard, using a semi-empirical process to calculate water amount. Some previous research presented measurements in the infrared wave bands and PAR (photosynthetic active radiation) as a process to estimate water stress and to calculate water needs. This paper analyses and explores the relationship that could be established between red, infrared and PAR in vegetation indices calculation and leaf area index and the relationship between these indices and water availability or deficit. Data from this process could be used to design irrigation schemes, saving water and controlling vineyards needs.