Precision Viticulture Decision Support System

A prototype precision viticulture (cultivation of winegrapes) decision support system (PV-DSS) has been created which projects crop stress on a variety of time scales to guide optimal vineyard management. The PV-DSS has been designed to be a real-time viticulture monitoring and forecasting cloud-based software tool, which will be available as a web service and a mobile application when the final version is created. Initially, it will be comprised of one module, a monitoring and forecasting component that will anticipate irrigation scheduling, fertilizer, pruning, pest and parasite treatment, harvest, etc, on daily, weekly and seasonal time scales, and will eventually include modules for (1) a daily weather monitoring component; (2) a 7-14 day weather extremes probability component; and (3) a growing season weather extremes probability component. The PV-DSS will be developed based on historical measurements and use weather/climate forecasts to project the impact of various management decision scenarios. The PV-DSS advances far beyond the current methodologies of competitive technologies by moving from a current-condition to a seasonal outlook management paradigm that integrates earth system science with viticulture practices to address vineyard management issues widely faced by winegrape producers. This approach uses the latest technological methods, found in the earth system science, such as the soil-atmosphere-vegetation model, CLM4.0, along with inputs of remotely sensed satellite and in-situ data, in an automated, real-time mode, to improve vineyard management techniques, such as irrigation management, to increase efficiency and reduce waste. This poster summarizes the methodology used to create the PV-DSS, as well as examples of what types of graphics and information will be available to vineyard managers and growers.