Relevance of the Lin's and Host hydropedological models to predict grape yield and wine quality

Abstract. The adoption of precision agriculture in viticulture could be greatly enhanced by the diffusion of straightforward and easy to be applied hydropedological models, able to predict the spatial variability of available soil water. The Lin's and Host hydropedological models were applied to standard soil series descriptions and hillslope position, to predict the distribution of hydrological functional units in two vineyard and their relevance for grape yield and wine quality. A three-years trial was carried out in Chianti (Central Italy) on Sangiovese. The soils of the vineyards differentiated in structure, porosity and related hydropedological characteristics, as well as in salinity. Soil spatial variability was deeply affected by earth movement carried out before vine plantation. Six plots were selected in the different hydrological functional units of the two vineyards, that is, at summit, backslope and footslope morphological positions, to monitor soil hydrology, grape production and wine quality. Plot selection was based upon a cluster analysis of local slope, topographic wetness index (TWI), and cumulative moisture up to the root limiting layer, appreciated by means of a detailed combined geophysical survey. Water content, redox processes and temperature were monitored, as well as yield, phenological phases, and chemical analysis of grapes. The isotopic ratio δ13C was measured in the wine ethanol upon harvesting to evaluate the degree of stress suffered by vines. The grapes in each plot were collected for wine making in small barrels. The wines obtained were analysed and submitted to a blind organoleptic testing. The results demonstrated that the combined application of the two hydropedological models can be used for the prevision of the moisture status of soils cultivated with grape during summertime in Mediterranean climate. As correctly foreseen by the models, the amount of mean daily transpirable soil water (TSW) during the growing season differed considerably between the vineyards and increased significantly along the three positions on slope in both vineyards. The water accumulation along slope occurred in every year, even during the very dry 2006. The installation of indicators of reduction in soils (IRIS) tubes allowed confirmation of the occurrence of reductive processes in the most shallow soil. Both Sangiovese grape yield and quality of wine were influenced by the interaction between TSW content and salinity, sometimes contrary to expectations. Therefore, the studied hydropedological models were not relevant to predict grape yield and wine quality in all the hydrological functional units. The diffusion of hydropedological models in precision viticulture could be boosted considering salinity along with topography and soil hydrological characteristics.

Download Full-text

Influence of hydropedology on viticulture and oenology of Sangiovese vine in the Chianti area (Central Italy)

Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions ◽

10.5194/hessd-6-1197-2009 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 1197-1231 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

E. A. C. Costantini ◽

S. Pellegrini ◽

P. Bucelli ◽

P. Storchi ◽

N. Vignozzi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Stress ◽

Soil Water ◽

Precision Agriculture ◽

Isotopic Ratio ◽

Central Italy ◽

Geophysical Survey ◽

Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽

Redox Processes ◽

Phenological Phases

Abstract. The adoption of precision agriculture in viticulture requires the knowledge of the spatial and temporal variability of available soil water. A three-years trial was carried out in Chianti (central Italy) on Sangiovese vine to test the prediction capacity of selected hydropedological models for two soil series cultivated with grape and for delineating hydrological functional units within two vineyards. The soils of the vineyards differentiated in structure, porosity and related hydropedological characteristics, as well as in salinity. Soils were mapped with a geophysical survey and six plots were selected in different morphological positions: summit, backslope and footslope. Water content, redox processes and temperature were monitored, and yield, phenological phases, and chemical analysis of grapes were determined. The isotopic ratio δ13C was measured in the wine ethanol upon harvesting to evaluate the degree of water stress suffered by vines. The grapes in each plot were collected for wine making in small barrels. The wines obtained were analysed and submitted to a blind organoleptic testing. The results demonstrated that the tested hydropedological models can be used for the prevision of the moisture status of soils cultivated with grape during summertime in Mediterranean climate. As foreseen by the models, the amount of mean daily transpirable soil water differed considerably between the vineyards and increased significantly along the three positions on slope in both vineyards and in every year, even during the very dry 2006. However, both the response of Sangiovese to water stress and the quality of wine were influenced by the interaction between transpirable water and salinity. The installation of IRIS tubes allowed confirmation of the occurrence of redox processes, although discoloration was influenced more by soil temperature, rather than by moisture. The map produced by once only geophysical survey mirrored only partially the seasonal hydropedology of these heavily tilled soils on slope.

Download Full-text

Temporal stability of electrical conductivity in a sandy soil

International Agrophysics ◽

10.1515/intag-2016-0005 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 30 (3) ◽

pp. 349-357 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Aura Pedrera-Parrilla ◽

Eric C. Brevik ◽

Juan V. Giráldez ◽

Karl Vanderlinden

Keyword(s):

Electrical Conductivity ◽

Spatial Variability ◽

Water Content ◽

Soil Water ◽

Soil Water Content ◽

Precision Agriculture ◽

Temporal Stability ◽

Principal Component ◽

Model Parameters ◽

Soil Spatial Variability

Abstract Understanding of soil spatial variability is needed to delimit areas for precision agriculture. Electromagnetic induction sensors which measure the soil apparent electrical conductivity reflect soil spatial variability. The objectives of this work were to see if a temporally stable component could be found in electrical conductivity, and to see if temporal stability information acquired from several electrical conductivity surveys could be used to better interpret the results of concurrent surveys of electrical conductivity and soil water content. The experimental work was performed in a commercial rainfed olive grove of 6.7 ha in the ‘La Manga’ catchment in SW Spain. Several soil surveys provided gravimetric soil water content and electrical conductivity data. Soil electrical conductivity values were used to spatially delimit three areas in the grove, based on the first principal component, which represented the time-stable dominant spatial electrical conductivity pattern and explained 86% of the total electrical conductivity variance. Significant differences in clay, stone and soil water contents were detected between the three areas. Relationships between electrical conductivity and soil water content were modelled with an exponential model. Parameters from the model showed a strong effect of the first principal component on the relationship between soil water content and electrical conductivity. Overall temporal stability of electrical conductivity reflects soil properties and manifests itself in spatial patterns of soil water content.

Download Full-text

The spatial variability of soil water content in a potato field before and after spray irrigation in arid northwestern China

Water Science & Technology Water Supply ◽

10.2166/ws.2020.006 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 860-870 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tao Li ◽

Jian-feng Zhang ◽

Si-yuan Xiong ◽

Rui-xi Zhang

Keyword(s):

Spatial Variability ◽

Water Content ◽

Soil Water ◽

Soil Water Content ◽

Precision Agriculture ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Soil Layer ◽

Northwestern China ◽

Potato Field ◽

Arid Northwestern China

Abstract Assessing the spatial variability of soil water content is important for precision agriculture. To measure the spatial variability of the soil water content and to determine the optimal number of sampling sites for predicting the mean soil water content at different stages of the irrigation cycle, field experiments were carried out in a potato field in northwestern China. The soil water content was measured in 2016 and 2017 at depths of 0–20 and 20–40 cm at 116 georeferenced locations. The average coefficient of variation of the soil water content was 20.79% before irrigation and was 16.44% after irrigation at a depth of 0–20 cm. The spatial structure of the soil water content at a depth of 20–40 cm was similar throughout the irrigation cycle, but at a depth of 0–20 cm a relatively greater portion of the variation in the soil water content was spatially structured before irrigation than after irrigation. The autocorrelation of soil water contents was influenced by irrigation only in the surface soil layer. To accurately predict mean soil moisture content, 40 and 20 random sampling sites should be chosen with errors of 5% and 10%, respectively.

Download Full-text

Riparian zone processes and soil water total organic carbon (TOC): implications for spatial variability, upscaling and carbon exports

Biogeosciences Discussions ◽

10.5194/bgd-9-3031-2012 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 3031-3069

Author(s):

T. Grabs ◽

K. H. Bishop ◽

H. Laudon ◽

S. W. Lyon ◽

J. Seibert

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Spatial Variability ◽

Total Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Water ◽

Riparian Zone ◽

Stream Water ◽

Chemical Transformations ◽

Topographic Wetness Index ◽

Integration Model ◽

Groundwater Levels

Abstract. Groundwater flowing from hillslopes through riparian (near stream) soils often undergoes chemical transformations that can substantially influence stream water chemistry. We used landscape analysis to predict total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations profiles and groundwater levels measured in the riparian zone (RZ) of a 67 km2 catchment in Sweden. TOC exported from 13 riparian soil profiles was then estimated based on the riparian flow-concentration integration model (RIM). Much of the observed spatial variability of riparian TOC concentrations in this system could be predicted from groundwater levels and the topographic wetness index (TWI). Organic riparian peat soils in forested areas emerged as hotspots exporting large amounts of TOC. Exports were subject to considerable temporal variations caused by a combination of variable flow conditions and changing soil water TOC concentrations. From more mineral riparian gley soils, on the other hand, only small amounts with relatively time-invariant concentrations were exported. Organic and mineral soils in RZs constitute a heterogeneous landscape mosaic that controls much of the spatial variability of stream water TOC. We developed an empirical regression-model based on the TWI to move beyond the plot scale to predict spatially variable riparian TOC concentration profiles for RZs underlain by glacial till.

Download Full-text

Spatial variability of grape yield and its association with soil water depletion within a vineyard of arid northwest China

Agricultural Water Management ◽

10.1016/j.agwat.2016.05.006 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 179 ◽

pp. 158-166 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Tao Li ◽

Xinmei Hao ◽

Shaozhong Kang

Keyword(s):

Spatial Variability ◽

Soil Water ◽

Northwest China ◽

Soil Water Depletion ◽

Water Depletion ◽

Grape Yield ◽

Arid Northwest China

Download Full-text

The 13C Discrimination of Crops Identifies Soil Spatial Variability Related to Water Shortage Vulnerability

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy10111691 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 1691

Author(s):

Jan Haberle ◽

Renata Duffková ◽

Ivana Raimanová ◽

Petr Fučík ◽

Pavel Svoboda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spatial Variability ◽

Soil Water ◽

Precision Agriculture ◽

Spring Barley ◽

Water Shortage ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

N Content ◽

Water Capacity ◽

13C Discrimination ◽

Soil Spatial Variability

Spatial variability of crop growth and yields is the result of many interacting factors. The contribution of the factors to variable yields is often difficult to separate. This work studied the relationships between the 13C discrimination (Δ13C) of plants and the spatial variability of field soil conditions related to impacts of water shortage on crop yield. The 13C discrimination, the indicator of water shortage in plants, 15N (δ15N) discrimination, and nitrogen (N) content were determined in grains of winter wheat, spring barley, and pea. The traits were observed at several dozens of grid spots in seven fields situated in two regions with different soil and climate conditions between the years 2017 and 2019. The principles of precision agriculture were implemented in some of the studied fields and years by variable rate nitrogen fertilization. The Δ13C significantly correlated with grain yields (correlation coefficient from 0.66 to 0.94), with the exception of data from the wetter year 2019 at the site with higher soil water capacity. The effect of drought was demonstrated by statistically significant relationships between Δ13C in dry years and soil water capacity (r from 0.46 to 0.97). The significant correlations between Δ13C and N content of seeds and soil water capacity agreed with the expected impact of water shortage on plants. The 13C discrimination of crop seeds was confirmed as a reliable indicator of soil spatial variability related to water shortage. Stronger relationships were found in variably fertilized areas.

Download Full-text

Riparian zone hydrology and soil water total organic carbon (TOC): implications for spatial variability and upscaling of lateral riparian TOC exports

Biogeosciences ◽

10.5194/bg-9-3901-2012 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 9 (10) ◽

pp. 3901-3916 ◽

Cited By ~ 95

Author(s):

T. Grabs ◽

K. Bishop ◽

H. Laudon ◽

S. W. Lyon ◽

J. Seibert

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Spatial Variability ◽

Total Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Water ◽

Riparian Zone ◽

Stream Water ◽

Concentration Profiles ◽

Chemical Transformations ◽

Topographic Wetness Index ◽

Groundwater Levels

Abstract. Groundwater flowing from hillslopes through riparian (near-stream) soils often undergoes chemical transformations that can substantially influence stream water chemistry. We used landscape analysis to predict total organic carbon (TOC) concentration profiles and groundwater levels measured in the riparian zone (RZ) of a 67 km2 catchment in Sweden. TOC exported laterally from 13 riparian soil profiles was then estimated based on the riparian flow–concentration integration model (RIM). Much of the observed spatial variability of riparian TOC concentrations in this system could be predicted from groundwater levels and the topographic wetness index (TWI). Organic riparian peat soils in forested areas emerged as hotspots exporting large amounts of TOC. These TOC fluxes were subject to considerable temporal variations caused by a combination of variable flow conditions and changing soil water TOC concentrations. Mineral riparian gley soils, on the other hand, were related to rather small TOC export rates and were characterized by relatively time-invariant TOC concentration profiles. Organic and mineral soils in RZs constitute a heterogeneous landscape mosaic that potentially controls much of the spatial variability of stream water TOC. We developed an empirical regression model based on the TWI to move beyond the plot scale and to predict spatially variable riparian TOC concentration profiles for RZs underlain by glacial till.

Download Full-text