Aug 20 2010
Viticision’s new high-tech miniature sensors are providing a lot of help to the vineyard owners. Its diminutive size makes it easy to be positioned inside a cluster of grapes or inside the soil, where grapes are grown, to help in deciding trellis designs and perfect row placements; to determine sun patterns; and to measure temperature. It can assist grape cultivator, to monitor the maturing of the grapes all through the season, and provide crucial data to help farmers grow superior quality winegrapes.
Winegrape cluster with a Viticision sensor that can measure sunlight and temperature
According to Michael Silacci, Opus One, an Oakville winemaker, this sensor has been used in Opus One for the past two years, and is of great help in detecting the fruit ripening process. He was appreciative of the sensor’s work in mapping out the route where the sun passes over the rows of grapes in the vineyard. The information gathered, facilitates the farmers to shield the vines from getting burnt by the sun’s hot rays, especially when the vines are being trimmed to enhance zest and color. It also shelters the vines from over exposure to sunlight. Thus the sensor, gives an exhaustive amount of information, and acts as a guiding instrument, helping farmers to determine which vines have to be allowed more time to ripen, and which vines should be culled immediately. He concluded saying that, in spite of all the high-tech solutions available, tasting the fruit cannot be done by any instrument, and has to be done manually.
Carrie-Anne Kunkel, Viticision, stated that these sensors aid grape growers to find out the ideal temperatures for each and every variety of grapes.
Renteria Vineyard Management’s owner, Oscar Renteria disclosed that, Viticision’s sensors had assisted them to fine-tune their trellis system in their Dry Creek Road vineyard, leading to reduction in sunburn and improved fruit quality.
Viticision focuses on investigating and replicating climates in vineyards, to bare vineyard procedures and to produce fine quality winegrapes.
Source: http://www.viticision.com/