Advanced Precision Viticulture: Monitoring, VRT, Robotics, and Sustainable Vineyard Management
Precision viticulture leverages cutting-edge technologies to enhance vineyard management by monitoring spatial variability and applying site-specific interventions. With tools like remote and proximal sensors, UAVs, and decision support systems (DSSs), grape growers can optimize vineyard practices, reduce environmental impacts, and improve grape quality. From disease forecasting to variable rate technology (VRT), these innovations enable sustainable, data-driven viticulture.
Precision Viticulture involves two main aspects:
- monitoring technologies for mapping spatial variability and
- technologies for site-specific cultural inputs, known as variable-rate technologies (VRTs) and robotics
Additional technologies, such as disease forecasting and Decision Support Systems (DSSs), support grape growers in taking preventive measures. Below, is explored the available precision tools and their applications in viticulture. These technologies aim to enhance vineyard management by providing detailed, actionable insights, reducing environmental impact, and improving grape quality.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
ICT forms the backbone of data collection, processing, and transfer in precision viticulture. This involves using computers, mobile computing systems, and internet-enabled devices. Advanced mobile computing systems with high-speed processors are crucial for managing large data volumes from fields.
Remote and Proximal Monitoring
Several technologies and sensors are utilized to gather georeferenced information within and between vineyards, mainly categorized into remote and proximal sensing technologies. Remote Monitoring Satellites, aircraft, and UAVs (drones) are extensively used in remote monitoring.
Remote Monitoring:
- Satellites: The Global Positioning System (GPS) and other high-resolution satellites like Sentinel-2, RapidEye, and
WorldView series provides critical data for vineyard management. These satellites offer high spatial resolution, which is essential for mapping vineyard variability and assessing vine vigor, canopy structure, and phenolic content. - Aircraft: Equipped with various sensors, aircraft can monitor large areas with high resolution, although they are most cost-effective for areas larger than 10 hectares or 24.7 acres (Matese and Di Gennaro, 2015).
- UAVs: UAVs, including rotary-wing and fixed-wing types, provide highly detailed imagery with spatial resolution down to centimeters. They are ideal for small to medium fields and can carry a variety of sensors to monitor different vineyard aspects, such as plant health, yield estimation, and water stress.
Proximal Monitoring:
- Radiometric and Fluorometric Sensors: These sensors measure canopy vigor, stress, chlorophyll content, nitrogen concentration, and leaf area index.
They help in evaluating the physiological status of the vines. - Geophysical and Spectro-Radiometric Sensors: Used for assessing soil composition and structure, these sensors are critical for understanding the vineyard's terroir.
- Optical Sensors: Including fluorometric and spectrophotometric sensors, these tools are essential for determining grape quality and the ripeness of berries.
Overall, precision viticulture technologies enable more efficient and sustainable vineyard management by providing detailed, actionable insights into vineyard conditions. This approach enhances the quality and consistency of grape production while minimizing environmental impact.
These sensors are integrated into farm machinery or handheld devices to gather detailed ground information. Some are installed on moving vehicles, while others, such as optical sensors, are used manually. Wireless sensor network (WSN) technologies, configured in vineyards, offer efficient tools for remotely monitoring key variables in real-time.
- Canopy Assessment by Proximal Sensors
Radiometric sensors, which measure electromagnetic radiation reflected by vegetation, provide quick data collection, allowing for the indirect evaluation of the canopy's state. This spectral response is influenced by radiation absorption due to pigments, offering insights into vegetation cover and plant health (Casa, 2017). Passive radiometric sensors rely on external light sources and are sensitive to varying lighting conditions, whereas active sensors use built-in artificial light sources, minimizing these variations and enabling nighttime data collection. Commercially available radiometric sensors include the OptRx, used for assessing crop vigor, and the CropSpec, which measures chlorophyll content, indicating nitrogen levels in leaves. Fluorometers, another type of optical sensor, detect chlorophyll fluorescence, helping predict vineyard stress conditions. This
information reflects the plant's functional state and photosynthetic potential. The photosynthetic potential, expressed through metrics like the electron transport rate (ETR), along with leaf and air temperatures, can be used to estimate net photosynthesis rates in leaves.
- Soil Assessment by Proximal Sensors
Monitoring soil health is crucial in precision viticulture, with various sensors assessing soil variability. Soil electrical conductivity (EC), related to texture, water retention, organic matter content, and salinity, can be measured using mobile platforms with sensors and GPS. Electrical resistivity sensors and electromagnetic induction sensors are common tools that provide valuable data on soil properties. Geophysical sensors, which measure potential drops in soil currents, also help assess soil characteristics such as texture, humidity, and salinity.
- Grape Quality and Yield Assessment
Assessing grape quality is vital for commercial viticulture, with optical sensors facilitating non-destructive monitoring. These devices are used to estimate grapevine nitrogen status and measure parameters such as chlorophyll, flavanols, anthocyanins, sugar content, acidity, and water content. At the same time, they can be mounted on mechanical harvesters and measure grape yield using volumetric assessments or load cell measurements.
For monitoring fruit composition and quality, non-destructive technologies such as near-infrared spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging are used to track changes in berry composition and color pigments. These technologies provide alternatives to traditional destructive testing methods, enabling real-time vineyard monitoring.
- Assessment of Microclimate and Other Parameters Using Wireless Sensor Networks
Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are crucial for real-time vineyard monitoring. Comprising wireless nodes and sensor boards, these networks collect and transmit data to a base station for analysis. WSNs are particularly useful for measuring micrometeorological parameters at vine canopy and soil levels(Burrell et al.,2004). New sensor technologies, such as dendrometers and sap-flow sensors, enhance the capability to monitor plant water status for irrigation scheduling.
- Forecasting and Decision Support Systems (DSSs)
DSSs provide valuable tools for identifying vineyard problems, such as nutrient deficiencies and pest infestations, and suggest management strategies. Commercial DSSs, offer comprehensive guidance for grape production, while others, developed by research institutes, support irrigation, soil nutrition, and pest management.
- Variable Rate Technology (VRT):
Variable Rate Technology (VRT) VRT-equipped farm machinery uses sensors and GPS to execute precise operations based on prescription maps created from vineyard data. It can be used for precision applications of fertilizers, pesticides, and selective harvesting. VRT can significantly reduce inputs, saving up to 30% on fertilizers and pesticides while increasing profits by 20%.
Robotics
In viticulture, robotics is an emerging technology that promises to revolutionize agricultural practices by 2050. These robots will be equipped with non-invasive monitoring technologies and GPS for real-time assessment of vineyard parameters such as yield, vigor, water stress, and grape quality.
Sensors for Early Pest and Disease Detection and Water Management
Machine learning and computer vision are increasingly used to detect diseases, aiding in precise and efficient pest management. Water status assessment in vineyards is vital, especially under changing climate conditions characterized by water scarcity and higher temperatures. Technologies like thermal imaging and near-infrared spectrometry are employed to monitor vine water status, aiding in efficient irrigation management.
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