Terroir 2006 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Use of the soils information system for detailed vineyard soil surveys and as a component of precision viticulture

Use of the soils information system for detailed vineyard soil surveys and as a component of precision viticulture

Abstract

Vineyard soil surveys can be costly and time consuming. The Soils Information System (SIS) provides a set of tools to do a quick evaluation of soil physical properties in the vineyard. First, a system equipped with GPS and EM38 equipment, provides a very precise DEM and a soil electrical conductivity map. Specific sampling points are located for a tractor-mounted geotechnical probe to make soil physical measurements. Sensor readings are used to make precise estimations of soil texture, compaction, moisture and resistivity in the field. The probe reaches a depth of 1.2 to 1.5 meters. The data obtained are used to construct thematic maps, such as soil texture, soil compaction, and soil moisture availability maps. Finally, soil cores can be collected and sent to the laboratory to validate the SIS measurements and perform further analyses when required. This system has been used in vineyards located in different terroir regions of California, France and Spain. Results demonstrated a more precise delineation of soil map units than traditional survey methods using pits and augers. This approach allowed a more precise mapping of soil depth to the underlying rock layers. It also provided the information necessary to design an irrigation system in a newly planted vineyard. In summary, SIS provides a rapid and effective approach to precision mapping of terroir components and will have broad applications for precision viticulture.

Download the PDF

DOI:

Publication date: December 22, 2021

Issue: Terroir 2006

Type: Article

Authors

Jean-Jacques LAMBERT (1), Mark STELFORD (2), John SAMUELSON (3) and James O’BRIEN (3)

(1) Department of Viticulture and Enology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
(2) John Deere Agri Services, Hoffman Estates, IL, USA
(2) Soil and Topography Information (STI), Madison, WI, USA

Contact the author

Keywords

electrical conductivity, soil mapping, Digital Elevation Models (DEM), terroir, soil probe

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2006

Citation

Related articles…

Hierarchy of the interactions between physical and biological parameters intervening in the Pyrenean Gascon foothill vineyard

Un travail sur les A.O.C. du piémont pyrénéen occidental permet de construire une hiérarchie de paramètres climatiques, géo-pédologiques, morphologiques, de saisir leurs niveaux d’interaction et d’élaborer une méthodologie pour proposer un zonage
Read More

The opportunities offered by the climate change

Based on the results of experiments since 2000 at the Institut Agro Montpellier and at INRAE – Pech Rouge, and on the international experience acquired during scientific missions, a global reflection on the opportunities offered by climate change is proposed.

Read More

Tolerance to sunburn: a variable to consider in the context of climate change

Climate change effects on grapevine phenology and grape primary and secondary metabolites are well described in recent literature. Increasing frequency and intensity of heat waves may be responsible for important yield losses in the future. However, the impact of this event is not so well described in literature. The present study highlights the importance of grape variety tolerance as a mitigation tool to climate change.

Read More

Optimisation de la fertilisation du Cot sur le Causse de l’Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée Cahors

The Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée area of ​​Cahors (Lot) covers an area of ​​21,700 ha, spread over 45 municipalities, of which only 4,300 are planted with vines. The main grape variety of this AOC is the Cot noir which represents 70% of the grape varieties, thus giving their typicality to the wines of this region; but despite this importance, to our knowledge, its physiology has remained relatively unstudied.

Read More

Impact of harvest date on the terroir expression and the aroma profile of Touraine Sauvignon wines

L’objectif d’une étude sur trois années vise, pour des terroirs différents et connus pour le profil des vins qui en sont issus, à exploiter au mieux le potentiel des raisins en optimisant la date de récolte ; pour chacun des trois terroirs, les minivinifications sont réalisées à partir de trois dates de récolte . Il s’avère, grâce à un suivi analytique important (sol, précurseurs et arômes) et une caractérisation organoleptique bien encadrée (analyse sensorielle pertinente et objective), que le choix de la date de récolte, en fonction du terroir, a une incidence sur le profil du vin et devient un outil pour l’élaborateur.

Read More