Biodiversity, as an important component of ecosystems, faces unprecedented decline due to factors such as habitat loss. Many ecosystem services depend on biodiversity and influence crop yield and quality. In viticulture, the importance of groundcover management, as cover crops or spontaneous grassing, is particularly important for the conservation of biodiversity and consequently, the preservation of ecosystem services. The integration of remote sensing technologies and artificial intelligence in this context remains limited, especially concerning groundcover classification in viticulture. In response to this challenge, our research focuses on developing a methodology for the identification and classification of groundcovers within vineyards inter-row. Employing an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, equipped with RGB cameras, and advanced deep learning models, we categorize groundcovers into nine classes of which seven distinct cover crop communities groups. Our study aims to establish a method for identifying vineyard inter-row groundcover, with the ultimate goal of creating a comprehensive groundcover map. The results demonstrate that using the UNet model with backbone architectures significantly enhances classification performance. Specifically, the model with an EfficientNetB0 backbone achieved an accuracy of 85.4%, a mean IoU of 59.8%, and a Jaccard score of 73.0%. This study validates the capabilities remote sensing and deep learning technologies in supporting the monitoring of biodiversity in vineyards, laying the groundwork for future researches to allow the model to monitor larger surface with time and cost advantages and expanding the dataset to encompass a broader range of vineyard types, soil conditions, and geographic.

The main purpose of this study was to create a prototype of an unmanned aerial system equipped with intelligent hardware and software technologies necessary for monitoring the health and growth of crops in orchards. Another important objective was to use low-cost sensors that accurately measure ultraviolet solar radiation. The device, which needs to be attached to the commercial DJI Mini 4 Pro drone, should be small in size, portable, and have very low energy consumption. For this purpose, the widely used Vishay VEML6075 digital optical sensor was selected and implemented in a prototype, alongside a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W minicomputer. To collect data from these sensors, a program written in Python was used, containing specific blocks for data acquisition from each sensor, to facilitate the monitoring of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, or battery current. By analyzing the data obtained from the sensors, several important conclusions are drawn that may provide valuable pathways for the further development of mobile or modular equipment. Furthermore, the results of the plant condition analysis with proposed models in the Geographic Information System (GIS) environment were also presented. The visualization of maps indicating variations in vegetation condition led to the identification of problem areas like hydric stress.

Microbes found in soil can have a significant impact on the taste and quality of wine, also referred to as wine terroir. To date, wine terroir has been thought to be associated with physical and chemical characteristics of the soil. However, there is a fragmented understanding of the contribution of vineyard soil microbes to wine terroir. Additionally, vineyards can play an important role in carbon sequestration, since the promotion of healthy soil and microbial communities directly impact greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. We review 24 studies that explore the role of soil microbial communities in vineyards and their influence on grapevine health, grape composition, and wine quality. Studies spanning 2015 to 2018 laid a foundation by exploring soil microbial biogeography in vineyards, vineyard management effects, and the reservoir function of soil microbes for grape-associated microbiota. On the other hand, studies spanning 2019 to 2023 appear to have a more specific and targeted approach, delving into the relationships between soil microbes and grape metabolites, the microbial distribution at different soil depths, and microbial influences on wine flavor and composition. Next, we identify research gaps and make recommendations for future work. Specifically, most of the studies utilize targeted sequencing (16S, 26S, ITS) which only reveals community composition. Utilizing high-throughput omics approaches such as shotgun sequencing (to infer function) and transcriptomics (for actual function) is vital to determine the specific mechanisms by which soil microbes influence grape chemistry. Going forward, understanding long-term effects of vineyard management practices and climate change on soil microbiology, grapevine trunk diseases, and the role of bacteriophages in vineyard soil and wine making would be a fruitful investigation. Overall, the studies presented shed light on the importance of soil microbiomes and their interactions with grapevines in shaping wine production. However, there are still many aspects of this complex ecosystem that require further exploration and understanding to support sustainable viticulture and enhance wine quality.

: Soil free living nematodes community composition was compared for five agro-management systems in a basaltic soil. The sites differed in their long-term management system and were designated as organic farming (OM), conventional (MI), natural pasture (NP), foliage farming (FF) and open field (OF). The effect of five diverse land use types in vineyard growth in basaltic soils on soil free living nematodes, density, diversity, and functionality in the plant rhizosphere was examined. We found 22 families, 42 genera of which only 14 genera were present in all soil samples, three bacteria feeders, 4 fungi feeders, 3 omnivores-predators and 4 plant parasites, in the soil collected from the five sampling sites. The organic and conventional managements were found to influence soil free living nematode community and its trophic composition. The higher abundance of bacteria feeders included the Cephalobidae and Panagrolaimidae families. The fungi feeders included the Anguinidae and Aphelenchidae families. Ominvores-predators included the Aprocelaimidae and Qudsianematidae, and the plant parasites included the Anguinidae (genus Anguina), Nothotylenchidae and Tylenchidae families. The changes in plant parasite nematodes were one of the main pests in the below-ground rhizosphere biome. Promoting the bacterial community could be a beneficial and promising way for a considerable increase in organic management.

The American leafhopper Erasmoneura vulnerata, detected in Europe in early 2000s, has recently become a pest in North-Italian vineyards. Issues were recorded in organic and conventional vine-yards despite the application of insecticides devoted to the control of other pests. Erasmoneura vulnerata completes three generations, and the second generation is frequently associated to large populations. The selection of appropriate active ingredients and the timing of their application is crucial for effective pest control. Field trials were carried out in North-eastern Italy, using a randomized design, to evaluate the impact of insecticides applied against other grapevine leafhoppers on E. vulnerata populations. The beginning of the second generation was selected as best timing for insecticide application. For a number of natural products, two applications were planned. Among the selected insecticides, the most effective were acetamiprid, flupyradifurone and lamb-da-cyhalothrin. Regarding natural products, the most effective was kaolin that could represent an alternative to pyrethrins in organic vineyards. The identification of pest threshold levels and the evaluation of side effects of the most effective insecticides on key natural enemies occurring in vineyards are required

Mealybugs cause economic loss to vineyards through physical damage, fouling fruit and leaves with honeydew, and the transmission of viruses. Planococcus ficus is one of several mealybug species in vineyards, and one that causes economic damage over a relatively large global range. To develop novel management tools, host resistance to P. ficus, which has not previously been identified for any grape cultivars, was studied. Ten grape lines (species, cultivars, and rootstocks) were evaluated for P. ficus resistance across two separate potted plant assays. Significant differences were detected among cultivars and rootstocks in the recorded number of P. ficus juveniles, adults and egg sacs. Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay were two of the most susceptible grape cultivars for mealybug population growth, whereas rootstocks IAC 572, 10-17A and RS-3 all demonstrated some level of resistance. Southern fire ant (Solenopsis xyloni) was positively associated with mealybug populations, but did not have a negative effect on the observed presence of other arthropod species including potential predators.

Canopy characteristics are crucial for accurately and safely determining the pesticide quantity and volume of water used for spray applications in vineyards. The inevitably high degree of intra-plot variability makes it difficult to develop a global solution for the optimal volume application rate. Here, the design procedure of, and the results obtained from, a variable rate application (VRA) sprayer are presented. Prescription maps were generated after detailed canopy characterization, using a multispectral camera embedded on an unmanned aerial vehicle, throughout the entire growing season in Torrelavit (Barcelona) in four vineyard plots of Chardonnay (2.35 ha), Merlot (2.97 ha), and Cabernet Sauvignonn (4.67 ha). The maps were obtained by merging multispectral images with information provided by DOSAVIÑA®, a decision support system, to determine the optimal volume rate. They were then uploaded to the VRA prototype, obtaining actual variable application maps after the application processes were complete. The prototype had an adequate spray distribution quality and exhibited similar results in terms of biological efficacy on powdery mildew compared to conventional (and constant) application volumes. The VRA results demonstrated an accurate and reasonable pesticide distribution, with potential for reduced disease damage even in cases with reduced amounts of plant protection products and water.

In Mexico viticulture represents the second source of employment in the agricultural area after the fruit and vegetable sector. In developed countries, remote sensing is widely used for vineyard monitoring, however, this tool is barely used in developing countries of Iberoamerica. In this re-search, our overall objective is to characterize two vineyards in the state of Queretaro (Mexico) using Sentinel-2 and meteorological data, specifically spectral and thermal indices. Results showed that spectral indices obtained from Sentinel-2 bands have characterized adequately the phenolog-ical evolution of the different varieties of the vineyards. The Modified Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index (MSAVI) was adequately used to discriminate the first stages of vineyards, while the Nor-malized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was useful to monitor vineyards during the rest stages of vineyards. Thermal indices have shown that the best grape varieties were those that can adapt to both cooler and warmer temperatures, have a reasonable ripening period, and can produce wines with balanced acidity and flavors. In conclusion, the combination of meteorological (including thermal indices) and remote sensing data (NDVI and MSAVI) provide information for choosing the suitable grape variety for this region.

The viticulture sector, spanning over 7.3 million hectares worldwide, plays a crucial economic role but faces challenges such as labor shortages, rising production costs, market competition, and climate change stresses. Addressing these issues requires monitoring the spatial and temporal variability in vineyard productivity. Traditional ground-based observations, though accurate, are time-consuming and limited in scope. Precision viticulture, leveraging technologies like GPS, remote sensing, and artificial intelligence, offers efficient, non-destructive monitoring tools. This study aims to develop and test a technological workflow using the mobile app Digivit, integrated with the AgroSat platform, to estimate yield variability in vineyards. The workflow was performed during the 2023 growing season in a series of vineyards near Siena (Italy) and involved two main steps: spatial variability characterization using AgroSat and yield estimation using the mobile Digivit app. AgroSat processed Sentinel-2 NDVI data to identify homogeneous zones, while Digivit used smartphone images of grape clusters to estimate yields. The field campaign, performed three weeks before harvest, involved monitoring representative vines within identified zones and uploading georeferenced images for cluster segmentation analysis. Yield estimates were validated against measured weights, showing a strong linear correlation (R²=0.85, RMSE=43.74g). Excluding one outlier improved correlation to R²=0.95, RMSE=14.58g. Vineyard-level yield predictions were compared with harvest data, achieving an overall error of approximately 7%, in agreement with other methods in the literature. The study demonstrates that the Digivit app provides accurate, timely yield prediction, supporting farmers in harvest planning and winemaking management. The user-friendly mobile app approach facilitates a broader adoption of precision viticulture technologies among farmers, overcoming barriers related to technical expertise.

The protection of grapevine from the diseases is now particularly focused on the development of environmentally friendly strategies. Although sulphur is not in itself a toxic substance, a large use towards powdery mildew, in organic vineyards especially, may cause problems to environment, health and safety of viticultural workers and plant phytotoxicity. The activity on powdery mildew of sulphur applied at doses reduced up to 50% in tank mixtures with silicates and Equisetum arvense based products, never tested on grapevine, was assessed. Two-year trials were carried out applying the products every 7-9 days in the period of greatest risk for spring ascosporic infections, in two organic vineyards in the Abruzzo region, Italy. The effectiveness towards the disease of the mixtures was demonstrated, often to a greater extent than that of full-dose sulphur, normally used in the vineyards. Furthermore, in vines treated with the mixtures, increases in yield quantity and quality, such as higher contents of soluble solids and lower levels of total acidity, have been shown. Due to the strong efficacy demonstrated on the leaves, silicon-based products + sulphur mixtures can also be recommended in eradicative applications, aimed at reducing the inoculum of the disease. The great activity of the mixtures demonstrated in this study suggests confirmation through further investigations on different cultivars and vine-growing areas at different levels of infection, also testing the effectiveness of individual silicon products against the disease.

Soil erosion seriously affects vineyards. In this study, the influence of two plant covers on soil moisture and the effect of different physiographic conditions on runoff and sediment yields were evaluated in a rainfed vineyard formed by four fields (NE Spain) during 15 months. One field had spontaneous vegetation as plant cover and three fields had a cover crop of common sainfoin. The vineyards’ rows were dry and stable, whereas the inter-row areas were wet although very variable, and the corridors were wet and very stable. Soil moisture in the inter-row areas with Common sainfoin was much higher than in the rows (62% - 70%) whereas this difference was lower with spontaneous vegetation (40%). Two runoff and sediment traps (STs) were installed in two ephemeral gullies, and 26 time-integrated surveys (TIS) done. The mean and maximum runoff yields were 9.8 and 30.7 l TIS^–1 in ST2 and 13.5 and 30.2 l TIS^–1 in ST3. The mean turbidity was 333 and 19 g l^–1, and the maximum sediment yields were 41,260 and 2,778 g TIS^–1 in ST2 and ST3. Changes in the canopy covers (grapevines and plant covers) and rainfall parameters explained the runoff and sediment dynamics.