Articles
PHYTOMONITORING IN REALIZATION OF IRRIGATION STRATEGIES FOR WINE GRAPES
Article number
652_20
Pages
167 – 173
Language
English
Abstract
It is well known that well-timed application of water stress may surprisingly improve winemaking specification of wine grapes.
The question is what criteria are to be used for evaluating plant water status in order to realize any particular irrigation strategy.
The phytomonitoring technique has demonstrated the great potential for assessing vine water status.
In 2000-2002, the intensive study of trunk and shoot diameter behavior has been carried out on Israeli commercial irrigated vineyards with the three main grapevine varieties: Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay.
Seasonal curves of trunk and shoot diameter, obtained at all examined vineyards, had a typical shape.
The major phenological events (bloom, veraison and harvest) corresponded to characteristic breakpoints of the seasonal curve.
Application of thermal time (degree days) scale provided perfect reproducibility of seasonal curves and, consequently, coincidence of the phenological events.
A good correlation was found between the oBrix daily accumulation rate and the trunk and shoot diameter maximum daily trend at fruit ripening stage.
These facts allow to assume that the diameter seasonal curve and its segments may be used as the imprints of annual dynamics of grapevine state that enables recording, reproducing and extrapolating successful irrigation strategies.
This seems to be a substantial step ahead to precision viticulture.
The question is what criteria are to be used for evaluating plant water status in order to realize any particular irrigation strategy.
The phytomonitoring technique has demonstrated the great potential for assessing vine water status.
In 2000-2002, the intensive study of trunk and shoot diameter behavior has been carried out on Israeli commercial irrigated vineyards with the three main grapevine varieties: Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay.
Seasonal curves of trunk and shoot diameter, obtained at all examined vineyards, had a typical shape.
The major phenological events (bloom, veraison and harvest) corresponded to characteristic breakpoints of the seasonal curve.
Application of thermal time (degree days) scale provided perfect reproducibility of seasonal curves and, consequently, coincidence of the phenological events.
A good correlation was found between the oBrix daily accumulation rate and the trunk and shoot diameter maximum daily trend at fruit ripening stage.
These facts allow to assume that the diameter seasonal curve and its segments may be used as the imprints of annual dynamics of grapevine state that enables recording, reproducing and extrapolating successful irrigation strategies.
This seems to be a substantial step ahead to precision viticulture.
Authors
Y. Ton, M. Kopyt
Keywords
vineyards, sensors, grape quality, irrigation control
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