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The present study is aimed at determining whether leaf volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are good markers of the grapevine response to defence elicitors in the field. It was carried out in two distinct French vineyards (Burgundy and Bordeaux) over 3 years. The commercial elicitor Bastid® (Syngenta, Saint-Sauveur, France) (COS-OGA) was first used to optimise the VOCs' capture in the field; by bagging stems together with a stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) sensor. Three elicitors (Bastid®, copper sulphate and methyl jasmonate) were assessed at three phenological stages of the grapevines by monitoring stilbene phytoalexins and VOCs. Stilbene production was low and variable between treatments and phenological stages. VOCs—particularly terpenes—were induced by all elicitors. However, the response profiles depended on the type of elicitor, the phenological stage and the vineyard, and no sole common VOC was found. The levels of VOC emissions discriminated between weak (Bastid® and copper sulphate) and strong (methyl jasmonate) inducers. Ocimene isomers were constitutively present in the overall blends of the vineyards and increased by the elicitors' treatments, whilst other VOCs were newly released throughout the growing seasons. Nonetheless, the plant development and climate factors undoubtedly influenced the release and profiles of the leaf VOCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and light sensors has required new approaches for high-resolution remote sensing applications. High spatial and temporal resolution spectral data acquired by multispectral and conventional cameras (or red, green, blue (RGB) sensors) onboard UAVs can be useful for plant water status determination and, as a consequence, for irrigation management. A study in a vineyard located in south-eastern Spain was carried out during the 2018, 2019, and 2020 seasons to assess the potential uses of these techniques. Different water qualities and irrigation application start throughout the growth cycle were imposed. Flights with RGB and multispectral cameras mounted on a UAV were performed throughout the growth cycle, and orthoimages were generated. These orthoimages were segmented to include only vegetation and calculate the green canopy cover (GCC). The stem water potential was measured, and the water stress integral (Sψ) was obtained during each irrigation season. Multiple linear regression techniques and artificial neural networks (ANNs) models with multispectral and RGB bands, as well as GCC, as inputs, were trained and tested to simulate the Sψ. The results showed that the information in the visible domain was highly related to the Sψ in the 2018 season. For all the other years and combinations of years, multispectral ANNs performed slightly better. Differences in the spatial resolution and radiometric quality of the RGB and multispectral geomatic products explain the good model performances with each type of data. Additionally, RGB cameras cost less and are easier to use than multispectral cameras, and RGB images are simpler to process than multispectral images. Therefore, RGB sensors are a good option for use in predicting entire vineyard water status. In any case, field punctual measurements are still required to generate a general model to estimate the water status in any season and vineyard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient use of scarce water resources for optimum crop yield and quality is a major concern in dry lands. Traditionally, in-situ methods such as measurements of leaf water potential (ψL) or soil moisture have been used for estimating plant water stress in vineyards. However, these methods are time, labor, and cost-intensive, and limited to point measurements of water stress that do not offer much spatial resolution. In this study, hyperspectral images acquired from a ground-based utility vehicle were analyzed to evaluate the applicability of hyperspectral data in classifying plant water stress measured as ψL into three classes: no to mild water stress (ψL > -0.8 MPa), moderate water stress (-0.8 MPa ≤ ψL ≤ -1.2 MPa) and severe water stress (ψL < -1.2 MPa). A field trial was carried out in an experimental vineyard in arid southeastern Washington, USA. Grapevines were subjected to either full irrigation (FI) or regulated deficit irrigation (RDI). Several vegetative indices (VIs) derived from hyperspectral reflectance information were assessed to estimate the level of water stress. Linear relationships between VIs and ψL, and relative variable importance based on Gini impurity in different test models were evaluated to select optimal VIs for vine water stress classification. Green Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (GNDVI), Photochemical Reflectance Index (PRI), and Anthocyanin Index (ANT) showed consistently good trends in the data obtained over two growing seasons and were selected as the optimal VIs. In addition, air relative humidity, evapotranspiration, minimum soil temperature, and solar radiation demonstrated high significance in model development and were included in the final optimized random forest classifier (RFC) and artificial neural network (ANN) models. The RFC model had an accuracy of 73% while the ANN model had an accuracy of 70% in classifying plant water condition into three classes. Both models demonstrated good classification abilities and can be applied to analyze vine water stress and developing decision support tools for precision irrigation in vineyards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organic soil-foliar adjuvant Strong Oil (895.5 g/l degummed rapeseed oil, 102 g/l ethoxylated castor oil, 2 g/l A and E vitamins and 0.5 g/l D vitamin) was tested to determine its effectiveness in treatment with the total foliar herbicide Roundup Classic Pro (360 g/l glyphosate) in a vineyard with weed association of row type. Three species had the highest density – Johnson grass (Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.), yellow bugle (Ajuga chia L.) and common cocklebur (Xantium strumarium L.). The results showed that the organic soil-foliar adjuvant Strong Oil at a dose of 0.04 l/da enhanced the herbicidal effect against Johnson grass from unsatisfactory to satisfactory. The action against the dicotyledonous weeds was not so distinct. The addition of an adjuvant boosted the herbicidal effect in all variants, as the most economically significant raise was noticed at a dose of 0.5 l/da – the individual application of Roundup Classic Pro had satisfactory efficacy, but excellent when combined with Strong Oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental conditions are crucial factors that influence communication systems and affect animal behavior. Research in the field of biotremology has improved our understanding of insect behavior, ecology, and evolution. However, the interactions between vibrational signaling and environmental factors are less studied, mainly because of technical issues faced in field trials. We therefore developed and tested an approach to investigate the effect of abiotic factors on insect vibrational signaling and explored its implementation as a monitoring tool for insect vibrational signals, using a vineyard as an agroecosystem model. Our results showed a significant decrease in insect signaling activity during unsuitable conditions of high temperature and wind velocity. We determined for the first time, the daily signaling pattern of the two insect pests, Scaphoideus titanus and Halyomorpha halys, in natural conditions. Biotremology techniques could be profitably used to monitor not only the presence of target pest species but also the biodiversity associated with vibrational signaling insects. In particular, the method implemented in this study could be used as a tool to compare the quality of cultivated areas under different management systems.

Estimating vineyard yield in advance is essential for planning and regulatory purposes at the regional level, with growing importance in a long-term scenario of perceived climate change. With few tools available, the current study aimed to develop a yield estimation model based on remote sensing and climate data with a machine-learning approach. Using a satellite-based time-series of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) calculated from Sentinel 2 images and climate data acquired by local automatic weather stations, a system for yield prediction based on a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) neural network was implemented. The study was conducted in the Douro Demarcated Region in Portugal over the period 2016–2021 using yield data from 169 administrative areas that cover 250,000 ha, in which 43,000 ha of the vineyard are in production. The optimal combination of input features, with an Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 672.55 kg/ha and an Mean Squared Error (MSE) of 81.30 kg/ha, included the NDVI, Temperature, Relative Humidity, Precipitation, and Wind Intensity. The model was tested for each year, using it as the test set, while all other years were used as input to train the model. Two different moments in time, corresponding to FLO (flowering) and VER (veraison), were considered to estimate in advance wine grape yield. The best prediction was made for 2020 at VER, with the model overestimating the yield per hectare by 8 %, with the average absolute error for the entire period being 17 %. The results show that with this approach, it is possible to estimate wine grape yield accurately in advance at different scales.

Current and continuing climate change in the Anthropocene epoch requires sustainable agricultural practices. Additionally, due to changing consumer preferences, organic approaches to cultivation are gaining popularity. The global market for organic grapes, grape products, and wine is growing. Biostimulant and biocontrol products are often applied in organic vineyards and can reduce the synthetic fertilizer, pesticide, and fungicide requirements of a vineyard. Plant growth promotion following application is also observed under a variety of challenging conditions associated with global warming. This paper reviews different groups of biostimulants and their effects on viticulture, including microorganisms, protein hydrolysates, humic acids, pyrogenic materials, and seaweed extracts. Of special interest are biostimulants with utility in protecting plants against the effects of climate change, including drought and heat stress. While many beneficial effects have been reported following the application of these materials, most studies lack a mechanistic explanation, and important parameters are often undefined (e.g., soil characteristics and nutrient availability). We recommend an increased study of the underlying mechanisms of these products to enable the selection of proper biostimulants, application methods, and dosage in viticulture. A detailed understanding of processes dictating beneficial effects in vineyards following application may allow for biostimulants with increased efficacy, uptake, and sustainability.

Contamination of the environment by glyphosate (GLP) and its metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) is still of major concern worldwide due to specific interactions among these molecules and soil and water. Two monitoring sites were established in the Prosecco wine production area (Conegliano and Valdobbiadene) in northeastern Italy, which has been included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 2019. The study aims to increase the knowledge about GLP dynamics in this area where it has been intensively used by farmers and the potential risk for groundwater pollution is still debated. Each site was equipped with two soil-water monitoring stations consisting of multisensor soil probes and suction cups at three soil depths (10, 30, and 70 cm). Soil and water were sampled for 10 and 6 months, respectively, and analyzed for GLP and AMPA concentrations, for a total of 242 samples to describe their vertical movement and dissipation dynamics. Soil properties, in particular, the different forms of Fe and Al oxide contents, and Freundlich adsorption coefficients were quantified along the soil profile. First attempts showed that glyphosate dissipation time was 36 ± 8 days in Conegliano and Valdobbiadene soils and fully completed in both after 6 months. In contrast, AMPA dissipation dynamic —first described by an original equation—was longer than that of GLP and fully dissipated after almost 300 days. GLP showed a strong binding affinity with clay and Fe and Al chelated to soil organic matter, which likely acted as cation bridges and in turn led to low GLP mobility. GLP and AMPA were mostly detected after heavy rainfall events at 70 cm depth, likely bypassing the porous matrix of the intermediate layers.

In this study, we propose the symbiotic integration of photovoltaic (PV) systems into previously built vineyards structures, so as to reduce land intervention, visual impact and costs while suppressing impact over crop production and quality. For this purpose, we have identified grape trellises as an ideal crop type to implement this concept based on a simulation study that analyzes the shading patterns and the PV energy generation of different PV design configurations using Photovoltaic Geographical Information System’s solar radiation data and system performance tool. Our proposal consists in the vertical integration of photovoltaic surfaces over the vines, using the same trellis structure, therefore minimizing cost and land building. We found that a ratio between row distance and trellis height equal or greater than 1.5 allows for the PV integration without generating significant shadowing between consecutive lines, while vertical orientation of the panels allows complete irradiation to the plants below. Different module configurations have been proposed and evaluated, resulting in a range of 40–60% installable capacity (compared to a ground mounted installation) with negligible shadowing over the leaves and grapes. Land equivalent ratio for the proposed architectures ranges between 1.27–1.50, therefore confirming the viability of this proposed agrivoltaic solution.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are influenced by physical, chemical, biological, and anthropogenic factors. The objective of the study is to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the emissions of three important agricultural GHGs (CO2, N2O, and CH4) in both rows and alleys of a vineyard (1) and to understand their interactions with the agricultural operations carried out in the experimental plot, namely tillage, inter-row management, application of mineral and organic fertilizers, and irrigation and pruning, as well as the agroclimatic conditions of the plot (2). The study was conducted in a vineyard of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Tempranillo blanco in the DOCa. Rioja grape-growing region, during 2017, 2018, and 2019. Cumulative CO2 emissions were highest in 2018, reaching 934.7 ± 66.5 kg ha−1 day−1 in the alleys and 926.8 ± 76.5 kg ha−1 day−1 in the rows, in agreement with the wetter year and organic matter decomposition at the end of 2017. N2O emissions during the three-year study were mainly affected by mineral fertilizer application, with increases of 41.1 g ha−1 day−1 in the alleys and 49.3 g ha−1 day−1 in the rows during 2018, and 33.1 g ha−1 day−1 in the alleys and 39.6 g ha−1 day−1 in the rows in 2019. Regarding CH4, anaerobic soil conditions in 2018 (the year with the highest rainfall) led to the highest flux of CH4 emissions to the atmosphere, with 215.5 ± 51.0 g ha−1 day−1 in the corridors and 238.4 ± 54.9 g ha−1 day−1 in the rows. This study emphasizes the complex interplay of physical, chemical, biological, and human-related factors affecting GHG emissions in viticultural soils. Understanding these dynamics is essential for developing sustainable vineyard practices that minimize emissions and contribute to climate change mitigation.

The present study investigates the functionalecological status of typical light clay soils in vineyards in the southern region of Crimea, using both traditional (including fallow soils) and organic land-use systems. This analysis was carried out by examining agrochemical indicators, microbial respiratory activity, microbial biomass, and the ecological status of the microbial community. In organic vineyard soils, the mean substrate-induced respiration, microbial biomass carbon and the ratio of microbial biomass to organic carbon were found to be 2.8, 4.0, and 4.1 times higher, respectively, compared to conventional farm soils. On the contrary, the microbial metabolic coefficient was 1.4 times lower, signifying more favorable conditions for the functioning of the soil microbiota. The increased mobile sulfur content in organic vineyard soils (18.3 mg kg−1 vs. 8.0 mg kg−1 in traditional farms) and inadequate mobile phosphorus supply in some farms present potential risks. The suboptimal functional state of the microbiome in fallow soils previously under traditional plant protection necessitates comprehensive ecotoxicological analyses before development. Assessing the soil functional ecological status through an ecophysiological evaluation of the microbiome is vital for understanding ampelocenosis soils and making informed decisions on vineyard management practices.

The use of rootstocks and clones with different vigor and sensitivity to water deficit is an important and useful agronomic tool for vineyard management. It is essential to search for systems and strategies that maximize efficiency and productivity in the use of water. The objective of this work was to carry out a comparative economic and environmental evaluation, using the life cycle cost (LCC) and life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, of the organic cultivation of seven Monastrell clones under two irrigation strategies, as well as to evaluate the productivity of water. The grape production depended significantly on the clone and the irrigation treatment, but the interaction between these factors was not significant. The differentiating effect of the °Brix on the price and gross receipts was very insignificant. Thus, the most important differences in productivity were those that determined the differences in economic productivity; clones 188 and 94 stood out for their high profitability. In relation to water, the most productive, water-use-efficient clones (94 and 188) showed very high WUE values. The combination of the selected plant material with the application of controlled deficit irrigation programs is a strategy with relevant economic and environmental effects on the sustainability of wine grape cultivation, especially in semi-arid areas with limited water resources.

Biocrusts are communities of microorganisms within the top centimeter of soil, often dominated by phototrophic dinitrogen-fixing (N2-fixing) organisms. They are common globally in arid ecosystems and have recently been identified in agroecosystems. However, unlike natural ecosystem biocrusts, agroecosystem biocrusts receive regular fertilizer and irrigation inputs. These inputs could influence seasonal biocrust N2-fixation and their relationship with soil nutrients in perennial agroecosystems, which is of particular interest given crop management requirements. In this study, biocrust and adjacent bare soil N2-fixation activity was measured in the field during the summer, fall, spring, and winter seasons in a Florida citrus orchard and vineyard using both acetylene reduction assays and 15N2 incubations. Samples were analyzed for microbial and extractable carbon (MBC, EC), nitrogen (MBN, EN), and phosphorus (MBP, EP). In both agroecosystems, biocrusts had greater microbial biomass and extractable nutrients compared to bare soil. The citrus and grape biocrusts were both actively fixing N2, despite crop fertilization, with rates similar to those found in natural arid and mesic systems, from 0.1 to 142 nmol of C2H4 g-1 of biocrust dry weight h-1 (equivalent to 1-401 mmol m-2 h-1). Lower soil temperatures and higher EC:EN ratios were associated with higher N2-fixation rates in citrus biocrusts, while higher soil moisture and higher EP were associated with higher N2-fixation rates in grape biocrusts. The N2-fixation activity of these agroecosystem biocrusts indicates the possibility of biocrusts to enhance N cycling in perennial agroecosystems, with potential benefits for crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small and medium-sized farms struggle with increased needs for monitoring in different dimensions, even by having to respond to regulatory requirements, e.g., by the global push to reduce pesticides and to improve soil health. Moreover, with the rising needs for food production there has been an effort to shift agriculture into a new era, in which the sector needs to be modernized by using new digital technologies. The goal of our research work is to provide farmers with a reliable "digital twin", i.e., a monitoring ecosystem that allows them to visualize multi-sensor data collected from their fields, but also to "plug in" predictive models, e.g., for plant disease prediction. The paper presents an extensible solution, designed in co-creation with stakeholders, that can use a wide range of "sensors", ranging from free satellite images, low-cost off-the-shelf sensors, to even novel technologies, such as odour sensors. The TWINSOR concept is introduced, but also a first prototype applied to the vineyard is described as a first result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climatic changes observed in Poland are manifested by an increase in air temperature, but not an increase in rainfall, which causes an increase in the water needs of plants, and hence the necessity to develop irrigation systems for crops. The aim of this study was to assess the water needs of grapevines in 2021–2050 in the Bydgoszcz region (northern Poland), an area with high requirements for supplementary irrigation. The calculations were based on the expected changes in air temperature according to the climate change scenario for Poland: the 4th Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change—Special Report on Emissions Scenarios: balanced scenario (A1B). The average monthly temperature in 1981–2010 was used in the calculations. The water needs of grapevines were estimated using the reference evapotranspiration calculated using the Blaney–Criddle equation, and then using the crop coefficient and potential (crop) evapotranspiration. It was found that in 2021–2050, the water needs of grapevines, both during the growing season (May–September) and during the irrigation period (June–August), will increase by 6%. The highest and significant increase in water needs, by 10%, should be expected in August. The estimated increase in water needs of grapevines indicates the need to development sustainable irrigation systems for vineyards in northern Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agronomía & Ambiente is the property of Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The effectiveness of a seeded cover crop to minimize soil nutrient losses was evaluated in a rainfed vineyard. Two sediment tanks were installed (ST2: drainage area with high ground cover (GC: 82%) and ST3: very high GC (89%)) and samples from 26 time-integrated periods (TIP) were collected over 15 months. The average soil nutrient content was previously estimated in the drainage areas of ST2 (Ntotal: 0.967 mg/g; Pava: 0.411 mg/g; Kava: 1.762 mg/g) and ST3 (Ntotal: 0.711 mg/g; Pava: 0.437 mg/g; Kava: 1.856 mg/g). The sediment nutrient concentrations and the sediment/soil enrichment ratios were comparable between ST2 and ST3, but the total loss of nutrients clearly differed among areas. The loss of nutrients in the area with lower GC (379.7 g N-P-K/ha/yr) was 8.3 times higher than in the area with higher GC (45.8 g N-P-K/ha/yr), and this pattern remained during the months with low, medium and high GC: 91.9, 2.1 and 2.1 g N-P-K/ha/month in ST2 and 6.9, 3.0 and 3.5 g N-P-K/ha/month in ST3. The benefits of greater GC promote the environmental and agronomic sustainability by the functions of the cover crop, favoring healthy soils and a reduction in the investment of the farmers in fertilizers. This is very relevant in a postpandemic world under the threat of the war in Ukraine, the lack of fertilizers and the need for a local production of food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Winemaking involves a wide diversity of microorganisms with different roles in the process. The wine microbial consortium (WMC) includes yeasts, lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid bacteria with different implications regarding wine quality. Despite this technological importance, their origin, prevalence, and routes of dissemination from the environment into the winery have not yet been fully unraveled. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the WMC diversity and incidence associated with vineyard environments to understand how wine microorganisms overwinter and enter the winery during harvest. Soils, tree and vine barks, insects, vine leaves, grapes, grape musts, and winery equipment were sampled along four seasons. The isolation protocol included: (a) culture-dependent microbial recovery; (b) phenotypical screening to select fermenting yeasts, lactic acid, and acetic acid bacteria; and (c) molecular identification. The results showed that during all seasons, only 11.4% of the 1424 isolates presumably belonged to the WMC. The increase in WMC recovery along the year was mostly due to an increase in the number of sampled sources. Acetic acid bacteria (Acetobacter spp., Gluconobacter spp., Gluconoacetobacter spp.) were mostly recovered from soils during winter while spoilage lactic acid bacteria (Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Lactobacillus kunkeii) were only recovered from insects during véraison and harvest. The fermenting yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was only isolated from fermented juice and winery equipment. The spoilage yeast Zygosaccharomyces bailii was only recovered from fermented juice. The single species bridging both vineyard and winery environments was the yeast Hanseniaspora uvarum, isolated from insects, rot grapes and grape juice during harvest. Therefore, this species appears to be the best surrogate to study the dissemination of the WMC from vineyard into the winery. Moreover, the obtained results do not evidence the hypothesis of a perennial terroir-dependent WMC given the scarcity of their constituents in the vineyard environment along the year and the importance of insect dissemination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Lucrari Stiintifice, Universitatea de Stiinte Agricole Si Medicina Veterinara Ion Ionescu de la Brad Iasi, Seria Horticultura is the property of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (Editura Ion Ionescu de la Brad) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Precision fertilization implies the need to identify the variability of soil fertility, which is costly and time-consuming. Remotely measured data can be a solution. Using this strategy, a study was conducted, in a vineyard, to delineate different management zones using two indicators: apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). To understand the contribution of each indicator, three scenarios were used for zone definition: (1) using only NDVI, (2) only ECa, or (3) using a combination of the two. Then the differences in soil fertility between these zones were assessed using simple statistical methods. The results indicate that the most beneficial strategy is the combined use of the two indicators, as it allowed the definition of three distinct zones regarding important soil variables and crop nutrients, such as soil total nitrogen, Mg2+ cation, exchange acidity, and effective cation exchange capacity, and some relevant cation ratios. This strategy also allowed the identification of an ionic unbalance in the soil chemistry, due to an excess of Mg2+, that was harming crop health, as reported by NDVI. This also impacted ECa and NDVI relationship, which was negative in this study. Overall, the results demonstrate the advantages of using remotely sensed data, mainly more than one type of sensing data, and suggest a high potential for differential crop fertilization and soil management in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, as the population and the living standards expanded, so did the use of energy and materials. Renewable energy resources are being used to help address the energy issue and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Because lignocellulosic biomass resources are widely available and renewable, various processes are used to convert these resources into bioenergy. In the current study, two production processes were evaluated, namely the transformation of vine shoot waste into value-added biofuels, i.e., pellets/briquettes and bioethanol. The life cycle assessment (LCA) technique was used for simulating and documenting the environmental performance of two biomass waste to biofuels pathways, possible candidates for closing loops in the viticulture production, according to the circular economy models. The SimaPro software was used to perform the LCA. The results show that the pellets/briquettes production process has a lower negative influence on the studied environmental impact categories compared to the production of bioethanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Káli Basin in the Balaton Uplands, four of the eight settlements bordering each other (Balatonhenye, Köveskál, Kővágóörs, Monoszló) were inhabited by petty nobles belonging to the gentry, living in curial villages, with a great deal of autonomy, self-governance, and within the framework of their established legal norms and legal customs. They lost most of their privileges in the mid-19th century, but some of their old and new legal customs survived until the mid-20th century. The study reviews part of their extensive living conditions, essentially from the last third of the 18th century. The way of life in this region, known for high-quality grapes and livestock, has changed a lot in the more than 200 years. The study describes each typical component of this life in view of the provisions of established law, customary law, and legal customs. Considering legal distinctions, it addresses secular and ecclesiastical administration, legal relationships regarding vineyards, certain work customs, succession laws, and the vestiges of petty nobility that survived into the 20th century. The role of certain legal customs contrary or complementary to the laws (contra legem, praeter legem) is also mentioned. The study provides a brief overview, or at least a taste, of the special (petty noble) legal folklore of the Káli Basin, which is rich in legal customs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to determine the effects of some tillage methods; it included conventional tillage and conservation tillage with some weed control applications on weed manifestation in organic vineyards. The organic vineyard experiment area was designed as main and sub-plots. The effects of some methods of conventional tillage, no-tillage, and conservation tillage on weed coverage, densities, fresh weight, and dry weight were determined in the organic vineyard experiment area. These tillage methods were applied in the main plots. A chisel and heavy-duty disk harrow were used for conservation tillage methods. The plough and disc harrow were also applied as conventional methods. Other allelopathic methods (olive mill wastewater, radish (Raphanus sativus L.), and broccoli (Brassica oleracea L.) were applied as sub-plots in the experiment area. As a result of the statistical analysis of the values obtained in the study, the most effective method, the application of the plough and disc harrow, was determined for weed coverage and fresh and dry weight weeds in the main plots. The olive mill wastewater was also determined as the most effective application in the subplots. In terms of grape yield, the most effective method in the main plots was the plough + disc harrow application (6.8068 kg vinestock‒1). The planting of broccoli (6.4485 kg vinestock‒1) was determined as the most effective sub-plot application for grape yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterisation of soil variables illuminates the influence of the soil on wine quality and other features. The patterns and spatial variability of soil reaction and the content of organic matter, clay, and carbonates of vineyard soils have been investigated throughout the Rioja PDOC area. In total, 212 geo-referenced soil samples were collected from the topsoil (0–30 cm) and subsoil (30–60 cm). Following physical and chemical analysis, the data were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis: minimum, maximum, mean, median, skewness, kurtosis, standard deviation (SD), and coefficients of variation (CVs). Kriging was applied to create distribution maps. Most of these soils are neutral or moderately basic, with high carbonate contents; the clay content is also high but organic matter contents are low. Contents of calcium carbonate and clay are very variable but significant differences were not found between the surface and subsurface pH, carbonate content and clay content; the mean content of organic matter content is low, but somewhat higher in the sub-surface layer, probably because of deep ploughing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extensive employment of copper-based fungicides has increased copper concentration in vineyard soils. The present study's objectives were to monitor copper concentration in two vineyard soils during two cropping seasons and study the ecotoxicological effects on the earthworm Eisenia fetida. Total, soluble, and bioavailable copper fractions were measured at the end of two cropping seasons and different depths in two vineyards of central Italy, characterised by three anticryptogamic control methods: copper compounds, chitosan, and combined treatments of them. A laboratory experiment to assess the effects on Eisenia fetida was conducted with soil samples collected in the vineyards with a mean copper concentration of 60 mg/kg and two higher concentrations of 90 and 150 mg/kg. Results showed low levels of total copper concentration in the first 20 cm of soils, regardless of antifungal treatment, highlighting prudent management of the vineyards under study, but the soluble fractions showed a significant increase in all samples during the two cropping seasons. At the dose of 150 mg/kg, earthworms suffer during the first two days, showing weight loss and DNA damage, but they are able to recover until day 28, showing no permanent harm at this copper concentration in soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil organic matter (SOM) is considered to be the most important part of the soil. C and N and their forms are most often used to evaluate SOM. In the last decades, C indices have begun to be used to assess soil quality for C changes in SOM due to the different soil management. Since C cycle is closely related to N, there is an assumption that N indices will be sensitive to N changes in SOM under the different soil management. The objective of the study was to evaluate the extent of C and N indices on C and N changes in SOM (in Rendzic Leptosol) under the different soil management practices (1. G: grass and no fertilization - as control; 2. T: tillage; 3. T+FYM: tillage + farmyard manure; 4. G+NPK3: grass + NPK 125-50-185 kg ha-1; 5. G+NPK1: grass + NPK 100-30-120 kg ha−1) in a productive vineyard (Nitra-Dražovce; Slovakia) during the period of 13 years. The results showed that the soil organic carbon (SOC) was reduced by 26% compared to G because of intensive cultivation on one hand, but on the other hand, in T + FYM treatment no significant changes in SOC over the 13 years of the experiment were observed. A higher labile carbon (CL) content was in G+NPK3 then follows: G+NPK1 > G > T+FYM > T for topsoil. In topsoil, carbon lability increased after a higher level of mineral fertilization, while in subsoil after intensive cultivation. The values of CPI for topsoil decreased in the following order: G+NPK1 > T+FYM > G+NPK3 > T. Based on CMI values, intensive C changes in the SOM due to the soil management practices were observed in T treatment. The highest accumulation of carbon and decomposable organic matter occurred in G+NPK3. Incorporation of FYM, and both rates of NPK increased values of NMI by 45, 47 and 36% respectively compared to T for topsoil. The highest values of the NPI were detected because of farmyard manure application and mineral fertilization at a higher rate for topsoil and because of intensive cultivation, as well as plowing of FYM for subsoil.

Irrigation can be responsible for salt accumulation in the root zone of grapevines when late autumn and winter precipitation is not enough to leach salts from the soil upper horizons, turning the soil unsuitable for grape production. The aim of this work is to present a novel methodology to outline areas, within a drip-irrigated vineyard, with a low soil moisture content (SMC) during, and after, an 11-month agricultural drought. Soil moisture (SM) field measurements were performed in two plots at the vineyard, followed by a geostatistical method (indicator kriging) to estimate the SM class probabilities according to a threshold value, enlarging the training set for the classification algorithms. The logistic regression (LR) and Random Forest (RF) methods used the features of the Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 images and terrain parameters to classify the SMC probabilities at the vineyard. Both methods classified the highest SMC probabilities above 14% that is located close to the stream at the lower altitudes. The RF method performed very well in classifying the topsoil zones with a lower SMC during the autumn-winter period. This delineation allows the prevention of the occurrence of areas affected by salinisation, indicating which areas will need irrigation management strategies to control the salinity, especially under climate change, and the expected increase in droughts.

This article aims to identify the influence of wine sector toward wine tourism in Romania. The article describes both wine sector and wine tourism. The study attempts to demonstrate the correlation between these two sectors pointing out that wine tourism in Romania is still in a developing phase. Therefore, understanding the link between these two merging industries and how they influence each other stands as the goal of the paper. Overall, the results suggest that there is a significant wine-growing potential with a conclusive outcome in wine tourism sector.

To optimize pesticide applications to the canopies of deciduous perennial crops, spray volume should be adjusted throughout the year to match the changes in canopy volume and density. Machine-vision, computer-controlled, variable-rate sprayers are now commercially available and claim to provide adequate coverage with decreased spray volumes compared with constant-rate sprayers. However, there is little research comparing variable- and constant-rate spray applications as crop characteristics change throughout a growing season. This study evaluated spray volume, spray quality (e.g., coverage and deposit density), and off-target spray losses of variable- and constant-rate sprayers across multiple phenophases in an apple (Malus domestica) orchard and a grape (Vitis vinifera) vineyard. The variable-rate sprayer mode applied 67% to 74% less volume in the orchard and 61% to 80% less volume in the vineyard. Spray coverage (percent), measured by water-sensitive cards (WSC), was consistently greater in the constant-rate mode compared with the variable-rate mode, but in many cases, excessive coverage (i.e., over-spray) was recorded. The variable-rate sprayer reduced off-target losses, measured by WSC coverage, up to 40% in the orchard and up to 33% in the vineyard. Spray application deposit densities (droplets per square centimeter) on target canopies were typically greater in variable-rate mode. However, the deposit densities were confounded in over-spray conditions because droplets coalesced on the WSC resulting in artificially low values (i.e., few, very large droplets). Spray efficiencies were most improved early in the growing season, when canopy density was lowest, demonstrating the importance of tailoring spray volume to plant canopy characteristics.

Grape growers in California utilize a variety of biological, cultural, and chemical approaches for the management of insect and mite pests in vineyards. This combination of strategies falls within the integrated pest management (IPM) framework, which is considered to be the dominant pest management paradigm in vineyards. While the adoption of IPM has led to notable and significant reductions in the environmental impacts of grape production, some growers are becoming interested in the use of an explicitly non-pesticide approach to pest management that is broadly referred to as ecologically-based pest management (EBPM). Essentially a subset of IPM strategies, EBPM places strong emphasis on practices such as habitat management, natural enemy augmentation and conservation, and animal integration. Here, we summarize the range and known efficacy of EBPM practices utilized in California vineyards, followed by a discussion of research needs and future policy directions. EBPM should in no way be seen in opposition, or as an alternative to the IPM framework. Rather, the further development of more reliable EBPM practices could contribute to the robustness of IPM strategies available to grape growers.

Biocrusts are communities of microorganisms within the top centimeter of soil, often dominated by phototrophic dinitrogen-fixing (N2-fixing) organisms. They are common globally in arid ecosystems and have recently been identified in agroecosystems. However, unlike natural ecosystem biocrusts, agroecosystem biocrusts receive regular fertilizer and irrigation inputs. These inputs could influence seasonal biocrust N2-fixation and their relationship with soil nutrients in perennial agroecosystems, which is of particular interest given crop management requirements. In this study, biocrust and adjacent bare soil N2-fixation activity was measured in the field during the summer, fall, spring, and winter seasons in a Florida citrus orchard and vineyard using both acetylene reduction assays and 15N2 incubations. Samples were analyzed for microbial and extractable carbon (MBC, EC), nitrogen (MBN, EN), and phosphorus (MBP, EP). In both agroecosystems, biocrusts had greater microbial biomass and extractable nutrients compared to bare soil. The citrus and grape biocrusts were both actively fixing N2, despite crop fertilization, with rates similar to those found in natural arid and mesic systems, from 0.1 to 142 nmol of C2H4 g–1 of biocrust dry weight h–1 (equivalent to 1–401 μmol m–2h–1). Lower soil temperatures and higher EC:EN ratios were associated with higher N2-fixation rates in citrus biocrusts, while higher soil moisture and higher EP were associated with higher N2-fixation rates in grape biocrusts. The N2-fixation activity of these agroecosystem biocrusts indicates the possibility of biocrusts to enhance N cycling in perennial agroecosystems, with potential benefits for crop production.

Xylotrechus arvicola is an emerging grape pest that generates serious sanitary problems in vineyards and is currently expanding its range throughout Spain. The increasing prevalence of this pest in Spanish vineyards has been detected since 1990. In this study, the relationship between the climate and the actual distribution of the beetle was analysed, as well as how this distribution might change in the future according to several climate change models. The methodology was based on predictive models (SDM; species distribution modelling) using climate variables as explanatory factors, although the relationships were not necessarily causal. Maxent was used as the SDM method. The current climatic niche was calculated, and the actual potential distribution area was estimated. The relationships between the climate variables and the species probability of the presence were projected to various future climate change scenarios. The main conclusions reached were that climate change will favour the expansion of X. arvicola and that the potential infestation zones will be extended significantly. Although the results, because they were based on hypothetical climate frameworks that are under constant revision, were not conclusive, they should be taken into consideration when defining future strategies in the wine industry.

In the last decade, massive implementation of detection devices that use the Internet of Things (IoT) has penetrated considerably in all areas, and the agricultural field is no exception. The article aims to provide an integrated vineyard management solution based on the Internet of Things technology in the Smart Viticulture domain. The monitored parameters for Smart Agriculture are the air temperature and humidity and soil and air humidity, which have a direct impact on grapes. The study region is at the viticulture station and the study period was from June to September in two the year 2019-2020. Vineyard perimeter includes the plantations located both on the right bank of the river Târnava Mare and on the river Târnava Mică, in a hilly area with kneaded relief, but very favorable for the culture of vines. The most common diseases of the vineyards are powdery mildew, downy mildew, and bunch rot. Moreover, the monitoring system aims to manage agricultural issues related to irrigations and analyze the measured parameters' effect, helping the farmers have healthy vineyards. Also, the paper addresses the need to achieve climate-adapted and more resilient farming, promoting better management tools based on objective data-driven decisions.

Since 2010, more and more farmers have been using remote sensing data from unmanned aerial vehicles, which have a high spatial–temporal resolution, to determine the status of their crops and how their fields change. Imaging sensors, such as multispectral and RGB cameras, are the most widely used tool in vineyards to characterize the vegetative development of the canopy and detect the presence of missing vines along the rows. In this study, the authors propose different approaches to identify and locate each vine within a commercial vineyard using angled RGB images acquired during winter in the dormant period (without canopy leaves), thus minimizing any disturbance to the agronomic practices commonly conducted in the vegetative period. Using a combination of photogrammetric techniques and spatial analysis tools, a workflow was developed to extract each post and vine trunk from a dense point cloud and then assess the number and position of missing vines with high precision. In order to correctly identify the vines and missing vines, the performance of four methods was evaluated, and the best performing one achieved 95.10% precision and 92.72% overall accuracy. The results confirm that the methodology developed represents an effective support in the decision-making processes for the correct management of missing vines, which is essential for preserving a vineyard’s productive capacity and, more importantly, to ensure the farmer’s economic return.

The sustainability of the wine chain in the southeast of Spain is evaluated through life cycle costing (LCC) and life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies. A winery model is established based on the information provided by representative companies in the area. The LCC and LCA are applied to the production of the wine bottle, and a sensitivity analysis is applied to evaluate the effect of the different types of vineyard, as well as the weight of the glass bottle. In the cellar phase, the processes are highly technical and are very efficient in relation to the consumption of energy, water, and other inputs. However, the weight of the glass bottle should be minimized as it has a great impact on both environmental and production costs. The socioeconomic importance of the wine chain is relevant, both in quantitative terms and for what it means as a brand transmission mechanism for the agri-food sector. It should also be taken into account that the environmental cost of the processes is low, and that the activity contributes to the conservation of the soil and landscape in a semi-arid area.

This study assessed the effect of soil amendment with biochar on the production of some Mediterranean crops. Pine-derived biochar (B1) and partially pyrolyzed pine-derived biochar (B2) were used with a dose of 8 L/m2 in a corn crop, reporting a production increase of 38–270% over three years with B1, and no effect of B2 due to its poor quality. Olive stone-derived biochar (B3) was used in lavandin and vineyard crops with doses of 0.04–0.9 L/m2 and 0.37–2.55 L/m2, respectively. An increase of 23–25% in plant volume of lavandin was reported, while the production of grapes per plant was not significantly altered, although it increased by up to 66%. Soil analysis indicated that biochar does not significantly alter soil physicochemical parameters; therefore, biochar may affect plants by altering soil structure and increasing its cation exchange capacity and water management efficiency. Depending on its price, biochar application may be profitable for lavandin and corn crops, with a return-on-investment period ranging from 1 to 4 years. However, the profitability of its use in vineyards is questionable, particularly for the varieties with the lowest market price. Studies examining the economics of biochar application indicate that CO2 abatement certification may help in covering biochar application costs.

Pesticides remain the most efficient way to control pest and disease pressure in vineyards and obtain satisfactory yields in terms of quality and quantity. However, because of the harmful effects of pesticides on human health and the environment, winegrowers have had to change their practices. To reduce pesticide use, winegrowers have a range of levers at their disposal that are implemented at different spatial and temporal scales and with different intensities of change. Beyond simply reducing pesticide use, these changes can also impact farms' economic and social performances notably because vine is a perennial crop with inertia in the impacts of changes operated. In this work, we assessed the covariation between various performances with time. We used the Agrosyst database, which compiles data on the performances of French vineyard cropping systems engaged in a pesticide reduction process for the past 10 years, implementing a reduction of 34%. Based on existing knowledge on transition processes and pesticide reduction in vineyards, we used partial least squares path modelling (PLS-PM) to assess the dynamic trade-offs between different performances during the pesticide use reduction process. We verified the model we built (GoF = 0.44) and found no significant correlation between pesticide reduction, economic performances (operating costs and fuel consumption), technical performance (mechanical work time) or productivity (yield). Interestingly, we did not observe any effect from reducing fungicides on yield. We only noticed a significant correlation between the initial weed control strategy and the change in weed control strategy (β = 0.18). Furthermore, stopping herbicide use did not affect mechanical work time or costs. Our results are encouraging in terms of maintaining both agronomic and economic performances when reducing pesticides in vineyards. ● Trade-offs in 161 French vineyards were studied over a 10-year pesticide reduction. ● The constructed PLS-PM model was successfully verified. ● Pesticide use reduction were not related to economic, technical, and productivity. ● Reduction in both fungicide and herbicide had no relations to yield evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vineyards in hilly areas are often prone to erosion because of poor soil development, low soil organic matter (SOM) contents, and severe slopes. Permanent grassing, besides providing protection against erosion, can foster the soil resistance to degradation by increasing SOM that, in turn, favours the formation and limits the turnover of stable aggregates by promoting interactions between SOM and soil minerals. Although a soil's capacity to physically protect SOM is known to depend on management practices, soil properties may interact causing the soil response to vary even at relatively low spatial scales, thereby warranting site-specific sustainable soil management. The objective of this study was to evaluate how differences in soil properties within the same vineyard may modulate the effects of management practices on aggregate formation, stability as well as SOM dynamics. We exploited the spatial differences in soil types and properties in an experimental vineyard by sampling topsoil samples (0–5 cm) with contrasting texture and pH to include a non-calcareous clay loam from an Alfisol (pH 6.8, 18.6 g kg−1 organic C, 28% clay) and a calcareous loam from an Entisol (pH 8.0, 14.8 g kg−1 organic C, 14% clay), both managed for 3 years under permanent grass vs. autumn tillage. Four aggregate size fractions were separated by dry sieving, and characterized for their organic C content and distribution between functional pools by density fractionation, and their resistance to breakdown and organic C loss during wet sieving. Soil type affected aggregate formation and stability with a greater abundance of larger aggregates richer in SOM in the clay loam with respect to the calcareous loam. Tillage enhanced aggregate breakdown and SOM loss, but the effects were highly dependent on the intrinsic soil properties that drive the different mechanisms of aggregate formation and stabilization. The largest macroaggregates were most susceptible to disruption and organic C release by tillage, but a soil-dependent effect was observed as those in the calcareous Entisol were more vulnerable than those in the Alfisol topsoil, particularly due to rapid losses resulting from slaking, swelling and dispersion. Although the aggregates in fine-textured topsoil may be relatively less vulnerable to tillage, the higher proportion of organic C in the larger macroaggregates may make them nonetheless prone to significant organic C loss (in the form of POM (particulate OM) or SOM-rich fine aggregates) unless appropriate management is adopted. Therefore, special attention should be given to the spatial variability in soil properties when planning vineyard management to reduce soil degradation. • Effect of vineyard tillage vs. grassing was investigated. • Inter-vineyard soil variability was included in the study. • Clay-loam soil: higher MWD, more stable aggregates but high potential OC loss. • Calcareaous loam soil: greater structure vulnerability to tillage. • Soil-specific management is needed to prevent soil degradation in vineyards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a non-invasive system is proposed for monitoring the health of vine plants by measuring their water stress, with the goal of mitigating frequent extreme meteorological events such as droughts. The envisioned system measures the spatial distribution of the Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI) on the crop field and provides the farmers with precise control over their vine’s health and, therefore, on the final quality of their product. To ensure the accurate acquisition of the parameters needed to compute the CWSI, data are collected by field sensors on the ground and by exploiting satellite data. Data fusion then allows us to obtain an associated georeferenced heatmap of the vineyard. The solution has been tested via a prototype, which allowed the collection of information in a vineyard.

Monitoring grape nutrient status, from flowering to veraison, is important for viticulturists when implementing vineyard management strategies, in order to produce quality wines. However, traditional methods for measuring nutrient elements incur high labour costs. The aim of this study is to explore the potential of predicting grapevine leaf blade nutrient concentration based on hyperspectral data. Leaf blades were collected at two Pinot Noir commercial vineyards at Martinborough, New Zealand. The leaf blade spectral data were obtained with a handheld spectroradiometer, to evaluate surface reflectance and derivative spectra in the spectrum range between 400 and 2400 nm. Afterwards, leaf blades nutrient concentrations (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) were measured, and their relationships with the hyperspectral data were modelled by machine learning models; partial least squares regression (PLSR), random forest regression (RFR), and support vector regression (SVR) were used. Pearson correlation and recursive feature elimination, based on cross-validation, were used as feature selection methods for RFR and SVR, to improve the model’s performance. The variable importance score of PLSR, and permutation variable importance of RFR and SVR, were used to determine the most sensitive wavelengths, or spectral regions related to each biochemical variable. The results showed that the best predictive performance for leaf blade N concentration was based on PLSR to raw reflectance data (R2 = 0.66; RMSE = 0.15%). The combination of support vector regression with the Pearson correlation selected method and second derivative reflectance provided a high accuracy for K and Ca modelling (R2 = 0.7; RMSE = 0.06%; R2 = 0.62; RMSE = 0.11%, respectively). However, the modelling performance for P and Mg, by different feature groups and variable selection methods, was poor (R2 = 0.15; RMSE = 0.02%; R2 = 0.43; RMSE = 0.43%, respectively). Thus, a larger dataset is needed for improving the prediction of P and Mg. The results indicated that for Pinot Noir leaf blades, raw reflectance data had potential for the prediction of N concentration, while the second-derivative spectra were more suitable to predict K and Ca. This study led to the provision of rapid and non-destructive measurements of grapevine leaf nutrient status.

Wine Tourism is evaluated within the scope of gastronomic tourism and it is seen as an important type of tourism for countries due to its audience. Throughout history, Hatay has been a remarkable city in terms of culture, belief and gastronomy. Hatay was selected as a gastronomy city within the scope of UNESCO Creative Cities Network in 2017 and wine production is also carried out in Hatay. This study aims to reveal the perspectives of gastronomy city stakeholders towards wine tourism. Hatay province was chosen as the research region. In this sense, the stakeholders in Hatay were interviewed using the interview technique. Stakeholders interviewed; Travel Agencies, Public Officials, Hotels, Tourist Guides, Producers and Civil Society Organization. The interviewers were conducted face to face with 26 participants. In the study, descriptive analysis technique and content analysis technique were used among the qualitative analysis methods. Stakeholders were asked 4 questions in common. 9 questions were asked according to the quality of the stakeholders. Content analysis technique was applied to 4 common questions asked to the participants. Descriptive analysis technique was preferred to the other 9 questions. As a result of the research, it was revealed that there is a lack of publicity, infrastructure and marketing activities for wine tourism. One of the results of the study is stated that wine can be marketed together with the cuisine of Hatay rich in gastronomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]