Extension services as a crucial link for cross-disciplinarity success in vitiviniculture

Abstract

A strong and innovative agricultural sector is essential for rural development, and in vitiviniculture this strength increasingly depends on interdisciplinary collaboration. Climate change, drought, territorial desertification, and natural hazards demand solutions that combine agronomy, ecology, technology, and socio-economic knowledge. In this context, extension services act as the critical link enabling cross-disciplinary approaches to succeed in the field. By improving access to information, training, digital tools, and advisory support, extension agents turn research into practical strategies that reinforce rural resilience.

Viticulture is particularly vulnerable to climate change. The European Green Deal and “Farm to Fork Strategy” set ambitious goals involving biodiversity enhancement, soil protection, and pesticide reduction. Meeting these goals requires grape growers to integrate knowledge from plant physiology, pest ecology, data science, environmental management, and economics. Here, extension services bridge the gap, translating complex scientific insights into actionable, context-specific practices.

AVIPE’s 40-hectare dermo-farm exemplifies how applied research becomes meaningful only when supported by strong extension networks. The farm hosts diverse trials—NDVI and NDWI satellite mapping, soil electrical conductivity characterization, plant water potential monitoring over 16 weeks in 22 varieties, organic-only plots, low-water-availability strategies, mechanical weed control, sunburn-mitigation trials, and functional margins inspired by Miyawaki forests. Extension services ensure that the results of these trials reach more than 300 winegrowers, making knowledge transfer a central element of sustainability and innovation.

A long-term study involving 235 Palmela growers (2016–2024) evaluated pesticide use, decision-making patterns, pre-harvest interval compliance, and residue levels at winery intake. Pest dynamics of Jacobiasca lybica, Lobesia botrana, and emerging pests such as Cryptoblabes gnidiella and Ectomyelois ceratoniae highlighted the need for coordinated, interdisciplinary management strategies. Complementary e-DNA analyses explored how production systems, soil cover, and proximity to green corridors influence biodiversity—revealing strong positive effects from ecological infrastructures and cover crops and showing that integrated pest management promotes more biodiversity than organic production alone. Extension services again play a decisive role: they translate research insights for growers, facilitate field demonstrations, and support decision-making tools, strengthening cross-disciplinary collaboration.

The Shield4Grape EU project further enhances this framework by integrating climate science, genetics, digital technologies, and farmer-centered advisory systems. The project develops predictive models, innovative tools, and resilient practices tailored to local grapevine varieties. Its participatory approach relies on extension services to implement interdisciplinary solutions in real vineyards, promoting reduced pesticide use, biodiversity protection, and climate-adapted management. By connecting researchers, advisors, and growers, Shield4Grape demonstrates that extension services are the cornerstone for achieving cross-disciplinary success in modern vitiviniculture.