Proceedings of GiESCO 2019

New and developing technologies, that provide sensors and the software systems for using and interpreting them, are becoming pervasive through our lives and society. From smart phones to cars to farm machinery, all contain a range of sensors that are monitored automatically with intelligent software, providing us with the information we need, when we need it. This technological revolution has the potential to monitor all aspects of vineyard activity, assisting growers to make the management choices they need to achieve the outcomes they want. For example, a future vineyard may possess automated imaging that generates a three dimensional model of the vine canopy, highlighting differences from the desired structure and how to use canopy management to improve fruit composition, or generates maps with yield estimates and measurements of berry composition throughout the growing season.

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.