Enhancing Vineyard Health with Mapp.it Operations

A Guide to Using Mapp.it Operations for Organic Matter Application

Vineyard management is a delicate balance of science and art, requiring a keen understanding of the unique needs of grapevines. One crucial aspect of successful vineyard cultivation is the application of organic matter, which plays a pivotal role in soil health and overall grapevine vitality. The Operations feature in Mapp.it allows users to plan and execute various tasks, such as precise application of agrochemicals, water, or organic matter by leveraging Satellite and Plant level data. In this blog post, we will explore how the operations feature in Mapp.it can be a game-changer for vineyard owners and managers, offering a tailored approach to organic matter application based on the specific needs of the vineyard.

Fig. 1: Organic matter application using the Mapp.it Operations feature.

Organic matter serves as the lifeblood of the soil, influencing its structure, water retention, nutrient availability, and microbial activity. For vineyards, maintaining healthy soil is essential for robust grapevine growth, disease resistance, and optimal fruit production. Applying organic matter in the right amounts on the right place, at the right times is key to improve soil health and crop yield/quality.

Fig. 2: Soil organic matter and its multidimensional importance.

To reach this goal, Mapp.it leverages on the use of several tools, such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The NDVI is a widely used tool in Precision Viticulture due to having a strong spatial and temporal relation to the vineyard stress and vigor [1]. Several links can be found between NDVI vigor levels (High, Medium and Low vigor) and yield, pruning weight, soil nutrition, pH and berry compositions. [2,3,4]. By using UAV as the sensor of choice, issues affecting the vine variability are readily identified [5]. This allows to correctly identify under-performing areas typically affected by nutrition issues, such as low nutrient content, high ph, or ionic imbalances, among others. Several of these issues can be solved by a correct timely application of organic matter.

Fig. 3: Classification of plant-level data according to NDVI index. Red is low vigour, Blue is is high.

By using the Mapp.it Operations, the under-performing areas are readily identified (Fig. 3) throughout the growing season, efficiently guiding your team for precise field treatments (Fig 4). The Mapp.it Operations feature ensures that each zone receives the appropriate amount of organic matter, promoting more sustainable and profitable agricultural practices.

Fig. 4: Creating an Operation from Satellite data

In conclusion, incorporating organic matter into your vineyard management strategy is now more precise and efficient than ever, thanks to Mapp.it’s operations feature. By leveraging the power of data-driven recommendations, customized planning, and real-time monitoring, vineyard owners and managers can enhance soil health, promote sustainable practices, yield superior grape quality and ultimately increase profitability. With Mapp.it, the future of vineyard management is ripe with possibilities.

Fig. 5: Tractor in field Operation

Don’t hesitate to contact the Mapp.it team for a free consultation and discover how we can transform your field operations.

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Happy farming,

The Mapp.it team

References

[1] — Kazmierski, M.; Glémas, P.; Rousseau, J.; Tisseyre, B. Temporal stability of within-field patterns of NDVI in non irrigated Mediterranean vineyards. J. Int. Sci. Vigne Vin 2011, 45, 61–73.

[2] — Vélez, S.; Rubio, J.A.; Andrés, M.I.; Barajas, E. Agronomic classification between vineyards (‘Verdejo’) using NDVI and Sentinel-2 and evaluation of their wines. Vitis 2019, 58, 33–38.

[3] — Ferrer, M., Echeverría, G., Pereyra, G. et al. Mapping vineyard vigor using airborne remote sensing: relations with yield, berry composition and sanitary status under humid climate conditions. Precision Agric 21, 178–197 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-019-09663-9

[4] — Hubbard, S.S., Schmutz, M., Balde, A. et al. Estimation of soil classes and their relationship to grapevine vigor in a Bordeaux vineyard: advancing the practical joint use of electromagnetic induction (EMI) and NDVI datasets for precision viticulture. Precision Agric 22, 1353–1376 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-021-09788-w

[5] — Investigation of the similarities between NDVI maps from different proximal and remote sensing platforms in explaining vineyard variability

[CEC]- Cation Exchange Capacity

[UAV]- Unmanned Autonomous Vehicle a.k.a. Drone