Understanding how environmental factors impact grapevine water status is crucial for optimizing wine quality, especially in the face of climate change. A recent study by Delval et al. (2025) explores how soil texture heterogeneity governs the spatial distribution of grapevine leaf water potential (Ψleaf) in non-irrigated vineyards, using high-resolution remote sensing technologies.
Mapping Vine Stress with UAS Technology 🚀🍷📸
The research team employed uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) equipped with multispectral, thermal, and LiDAR sensors to monitor two Belgian vineyards over two growing seasons. This advanced imaging approach enabled them to capture detailed variations in Ψleaf, a key indicator of plant water stress.
Their findings revealed that intra-vineyard variability in Ψleaf is primarily dictated by soil hydraulic properties rather than topography. Specifically, the study demonstrated that averaged soil hydraulic conductivity over 2.5 meters depth had the strongest correlation (R² up to 0.81) with Ψleaf, especially under high evaporative demand. In contrast, topographic factors like elevation and slope played a minor role in water stress distribution.
Key Findings and Implications for Precision Viticulture 📌🍇🌾
Soil Texture Dominates Water Availability: Soil water retention and hydraulic conductivity significantly influence grapevine water potential. Vineyards with greater heterogeneity in soil texture exhibit higher variability in Ψleaf, particularly in drought conditions.
Multispectral & Thermal Imaging Improves Water Stress Detection: Combining vegetation indices from different sensors allowed for accurate prediction of Ψleaf, outperforming single-index methods. The best-performing model achieved an R² of 0.80, demonstrating the power of integrated remote sensing.
Climate Conditions Amplify Variability: The study also highlighted how drought intensifies Ψleaf disparities within vineyards, with the driest conditions leading to the highest observed variability.
Towards Smarter Vineyard Management 📊🍷🌱
This research underscores the potential of remote sensing to revolutionize viticulture by providing precise, spatially resolved insights into vineyard water status. By leveraging UAS-based data, vineyard managers can identify areas of high water stress and make informed decisions about soil management, irrigation strategies, and grape quality optimization.
With climate change posing increasing challenges for viticulture, integrating soil texture analysis with remote sensing technologies will be key to maintaining both vine health and wine quality in the years to come.
Article can be found here: https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/22/513/2025/
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