Mapping and managing vineyard homogeneous zones through proximal geoelectrical sensing. Issue 3 (23rd February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tardaguila, Javier; Diago, Maria P.; Priori, Simone; Oliveira, Manuel
• Is Part Of: Archives of agronomy and soil science. Volume 64:Issue 3(2018)
• Page Start: 409
• Page End: 418
• Publication Date: 2018-02-23
• Subjects: Digital soil mapping -- grapevine -- geostatistics -- spatial analysis -- soil properties; Horticulture -- Periodicals; Soils -- Periodicals; 630.5
• DOI: 10.1080/03650340.2017.1359411
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0365-0340

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The objective was to delimitate homogeneous soil zones that correspond to differentiated areas of growth and yield of a vineyard, using soil electrical resistivity. The soil electrical resistivity ( ρ ) at three depths was measured with an automatic on-the-go recording resistivity meter, the data was georeferenced, and zones of homogeneous soil characteristics were drawn. A grid of equally spaced sampling points was superimposed to the area where vegetative growth and yield data of the grapevines were recorded. ρ showed a marked spatial distribution and two homogeneous areas were delineated. ρ ranged from 48.6 to 54.3 ohm-metre for cluster A and from 90.2 to 208.5 ohm-metre for cluster B. Negative significant correlations were found between ρ and plant growth and yield variables. Vegetative growth and crop yield were significantly different between homogeneous soil ρ areas. Plants growing on cluster A had an average shoot length of 1.4 m and yielded 3.1 kg per plant; on cluster B, shoot length was 0.9 m and yield was 0.9 kg per plant. The procedure of measuring the soil electrical resistivity and georeferencing methodology proved fast and reliable, albeit expensive, and might be a useful tool in precision viticulture for delineating homogeneous soil zones.