High-Resolution Vineyard Nutrient Management, 2020-2024

This Coordinated Agricultural Project in the SCRI focus areas Plant Production and Production Efficiency (50%) and Technology (50%) seeks to enable grape growers to make data-driven nutrient-management decisions for spatially heterogenous vineyards and diverse production markets. We propose to develop grower-friendly decision-aid tools for vineyard nutrient management to optimize inputs and business profitability via improved vineyard productivity and fruit and product quality, while minimizing adverse impacts on the environment. The tools— remote sensors that determine grapevine macronutrient and micronutrient status coupled with modern plant tissue sampling protocols—would give growers near real-time in-field access to spatial and temporal metrics for vine nutrition variability. Importantly, these tools would enable growers to act upon these measures via variable rate synthetic or organic fertilizer application. Crop yield and quality impacts for all grape sectors—fresh, wine, juice, raisins—would be included. Thus the project objectives are to 1) develop non-destructive, near-real-time tools to determine grapevine nutrient status across entire vineyards; 2) determine efficiency and suitability of precision vineyard nutrient management; 3) define grapevine nutrient ranges based on environment and production market; and 4) estimate economic impact and feasibility of vineyard nutrient management, extend knowledge to stakeholders, and advance understanding of grower decision making. Anticipated project deliverables include 1) non-destructive sensing tools to measure vine nutrient status; 2) more precise, region-specific plant tissue sampling procedures and guidelines for more precise nutrient management; and 3) website and durable extension publications outlining best nutrient management practices and economic impact of improved nutrient management and sustainability. https://highresvineyardnutrition.com/