Vineyard Farms Research Articles

Towards a unified approach to prioritization of regenerative agricultural practices across cropping systems

Prioritizing field practices according to their contribution to regenerative efforts, in a structured and standardized manner, can enable efficient resource allocation and higher adoption rates. However, it is remarkably hampered by the diversity of production environments and their respective best management practices. This paper proposes prioritizing regenerative practices using a multicriteria assessment method informed by expert knowledge. To develop it, we mined and synthesized knowledge from eleven experts for three diverse cropping systems, showing that the prioritization of practices varies greatly across production environments. By integrating the multicriteria approach with a multi-indicator sustainability framework, we demonstrate how practice weights can be used to monitor sustainability efforts and outcomes of thirty vineyard farms in Maharashtra, India. The suggested prioritization approach can be used to standardize the assessment of the importance of regenerative practices in different cropping systems and be adopted in sustainable sourcing schemes of the agro-food industry.

Determinants for the viticultural systems sustainability

The adoption of a sustainable approach has been recognized as a competitive and resilience factor for the vine and wine sector. This research aimed to address the variables that explain the sustainability of the viticultural systems practiced in the Douro Demarcated Region, in a dimensional and global perspective of sustainability. In total 110 vineyard farms were randomly selected and a matrix of sustainability indicators grouped by economic, environmental and social dimension was used. In order to analyse the main determinants of the different dimensions of sustainability, an econometric analysis was carried out considering different typologies or groups of determinants: efficiency; training system; vineyard landscaping; geographical determinants; destination of the grapes; type of work used; other determinants. Based on the estimations of eight models, an important divergence in the results was found, especially between the estimates of the models developed through the global sustainability index than the estimates of the indices disaggregated by dimension. This disparity in results indicates that the analysis of the determinants of sustainability should be carried out in a disaggregated manner (at the level of sustainability dimensions). Divergent results were also deduced depending on the dimension of sustainability. For instance, the model with the highest explanatory power concerned the economic dimension, while the efficiency determinant was not significant in the social and environmental dimensions. In light of these findings, policy measures are proposed.

The effect of bio-humus on Cardinal grape yield (Vitis vinifera L.) and nutrient contents of dark brown soil using drip irrigation systems under the open field conditions

The aim of this study was to investigate impact of bio-humus on Cardinal grape yield (Vitis vinifera L.) and nutrient contents of dark brown soil using drip irrigation systems under the open field conditions in the vineyard region of Azerbaijan. A field experiment was conducted in a Cardinal Vineyard farm located in Shamakhi district, Azerbaijan between May and October 2021. An experiment with one dose of bio-humus treatment (5 t.ha-1) and three replications, with a plot size of 1 ha treatment was used. There were performed drip irrigation, starting from May 15 up to September 15, every 15 days. The soil sampling and measurements carried out after harvest the application of bio-humus in soil and the soil samples were collected from depth of 20 cm. The results showed that addition of bio-humus increased fresh berryweight yield, contents of organic matter, total N, available P, and available micronurtient (Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn) in soil compared with control plots. The soils treated with bio-humus had significantly more EC in comparison to unamended plots. The addition of bio-humus in soil resulted in increase of soil pH.

Vineyard or olive garden: an investment decision

Learning outcomes The learning outcomes are as follows:• demonstrate an understanding of the fruit farming process;• compare the pros and cons of farming different fruits;• understand the general characteristics of entrepreneurs and identify the issues they face;• compare the risk and returns from two types of investments;• apply capital budgeting techniques to ascertain the best available investment option; and• perform sensitivity analysis based on different anticipated situations for a new business. Case overview/synopsis Since his birth, Mr Bashir Khan, a 45-year-old father of four, lived as a farmer in Kallar Kahar, Pakistan. He owned 15 acres of land which he used to cultivate wheat and millet. He decided to start fruit farming after harvesting wheat in April 2021 to satisfy his long-standing desire to own a garden. He recently met a friend who was earning well from grape farming, who suggested that Khan set up a vineyard farm which could become a profitable venture for him. At the same time, Khan learned that the government had declared the Potohar region of Pakistan an olive valley, and was giving massive subsidies on olive cultivation. Khan now had a choice of fruits to plant on his land. One of his relatives, Omar Khayam, was an accountant at a firm. Khayam offered to conduct a feasibility analysis for Khan, to provide the relevant data, and help Khan select a high profit-yielding fruit farm. Complexity academic level Introductory finance courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels as well as executive training courses focused on the agri-finance discipline. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 1: Accounting and Finance.

Use of Sentinel-2 Satellite for Spatially Variable Rate Fertiliser Management in a Sicilian Vineyard

Satellites can be used for producing maps of within-field crop and soil parameters and, consequentially, spatially variable rate crop input application maps. The plant vegetative vigour index (i.e., Normalised Difference Vegetation Index—NDVI) and the leaf water content index (i.e., Normalised Difference Water Index—NDWI) maps were used to study—through both time and space—the phenological phases of two plots, with Syrah and Nero d’Avola grapevine varieties, in a Sicilian vineyard farm, located in Naro (Agrigento, Sicily, Italy). The aim of this work is to produce spatially variable rate nitrogen fertiliser maps to be applied in the two vineyard plots under study as well as to understand when they should be fertilised or not according to their target crop yields. The average plant vegetative vigour and leaf water content of both the plots showed a high temporal and spatial variability during all phenological phases and, according to these results, the optimal fertilisation time should have been 12 April 2021. In fact, this crop operation is aimed at supporting the vegetative activity but must be performed when the soil water and, therefore, the plant leaf water content are high. Therefore, spatially variable rate fertilisation should have been performed around 12 April 2021 in both plots, using previous NDVI maps and taking into consideration two management zones. This work demonstrates the usefulness of remote sensing data as Decision Support Systems (DSS) for nitrogen fertilisation in order to reduce the production cost, environmental impact and climate footprints per kg of produced grapes, according to the European Green Deal challenges.

Assessment of soil micronutrient level for vineyard production in southern Syria

Availability of micronutrients is one of the important factors for the successful and economic cultivation of vineyards. The objectives of this study are to evaluate the spatial distribution of soil micronutrients (Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, B) and their suitability for vineyard cultivation in Jabal Al Arab of Syria. To achieve the research objectives, soil samples were collected randomly from vineyard farms which cover the study area. Following this, soil analyses were conducted to determine the concentration of soil micronutrients. Results showed that soil micronutrient concentrations did not reach the minimum threshold for vineyard cultivation with 1.1, 12.06, 11.2, 2.6 and 0.3 ppm for Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn and B, respectively. Furthermore, spatial distribution showed that 63%, 39%, 34%, 76% and 74% of the study area was affected by severe deficiency of Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, B respectively.

Does the Institutional Quality Affect Labor Productivity in Italian Vineyard Farms?

The paper aims at analyzing the effect of institutional quality on labor productivity in the agricultural sector. To meet this aim, a Gaussian log-linear model was applied to 773 vineyard farms, located in 71 Italian provinces. The applied methodology enabled to quantify the overall impact of the institutional quality on labor productivity by discriminating with respect to the Italian regions and macro-areas (i.e. North, South or Central Italy). The findings of the investigation show a positive effect of the institutional quality on labor productivity, with an overall impact of 39%. Moreover, huge differences among Italian regions and macro-areas were detected. The study findings provide recommendations for academics and policy-makers to improve both theoretical and practical aspects.

Diversidad de mamíferos y su relación con la dispersión endozoócora de semillas en viñedos

Fernandez, C., Puerta-Pinero, C. 2019. Mammal diversity and its relationship with endozoochorous seed dispersal in vineyards. Ecosistemas 28(3):126-141. Doi.: 10.7818/ECOS.1830 The vineyards are a very important study crop in the Mediterranean landscape used as a model in scenarios of global change due to a strong dependence of their production on the landscape, climate and types of management. In this research we have evaluated the influence of landscape, altitude and type of management on mammals diversity and seed dispersal. Twenty five vineyard farms were sampled (tempranillo variety, 9 in organic and 16 in non-organic management) during 4 months, between April and July in Andalusia, Spain. In each farm, the presence of mammals was estimated by searching for traces (tracks and excrements) in 12 transects of 20m x 12m per farm. The excrements founded were later desegregate to quantify and identify the dispersed seeds present in them. We found 230 excrements that belonged on 10 different mammal species (fox, badger, rabbit, hare, deer, goat, sheep, wild boar, beech marten and micromamiferous) and 4 taxonomic groups (artiodactyls, carnivores, lagomorphs and micromammals). Feces had a total of 258 seeds, including 67 different morphotypes. The results shown that the diversity of mammals (species and groups) are mainly related to the matrix and other characteristics of the landscape surrounding the farm. Likewise, seed dispersal is also influenced by the management (with more morphotypes of seeds found in organic crops), the taxonomic group of the seed disperser mammal, the landscape matrix and other variables related to the landscape as distance to the nearest point of water, or secondary or primary roads, urban settlements or natural areas.

Experimental design for Diesel supply control in order to improve fuel efficiency

The experimental testing and development of a system integrated in a vineyard farm in order to improve fuel efficiency of transport vehicles is a valuable asset and a way to go in the current research effort. The present paper is aiming to study and to present the practical application of equipment and ideas for automatic monitoring of fuel level inside the vehicle’s tank. The system is created by digital hardware connected to the vehicles in question and controlled with proper software application in order record and offer an applied image of fuel level status or evolution. Actual data are recorded with the software module. This research points to the automation technology in automotive engineering and transportation field for a better fuel consumption management. Vehicle’s engines are supplied with Diesel fuel via a volumetric sensor. From the fuel tank to the common-rail system, particles of the Diesel fuel are monitored and data is sent to digital control station via internet cloud. The experimental research is developed to create an environment for precise Diesel supply control to power trains in order to generate the basis of improving the fuel efficiency.

Studies on Biodiversity Diagnosis of Vineyard Farms at the Agro-Ecological Infrastructure Level

In Romania, the vine farms are currently spread on approximately 180.000 ha, therefore an important part of biodiversity, functional or planned is present. To avoid a biodiversity decline it is necessary for the vineyards to have a clear evidence of the state of their biodiversity.Based on the results obtained from the studied vineyards, during 2015, the agro-ecological infrastructure or AEI percent based on the actual area occupied varies between 7% and 35%. Evaluation of the implementation AEI during 2015 in wine-growing farms in Romania showed that the amount of semi-natural elements is not sufficient to stop the loss of biodiversity and their quality needs to be favored also.

Efficient use of Water Resources in Vineyards: A Recursive joint Estimation for the Adoption of Irrigation Technology and Scheduling

Water constraints are becoming a major restriction for different economic sectors. The agricultural sector is one of the most affected, but according to experts, the use of irrigation technologies and scheduling can keep productivity high while diminishing the use of water resources. Although irrigation technology is available, for various reasons the rate of adoption is rather low. This article uses a recursive bivariate probit model to examine the impact of social, human, and physical capital on the adoption of irrigation technology and scheduling. The study was conducted in vineyard farms in the Maule and O’Higgins regions of Chile, from which a sample of 452 large, medium, and smallholders was drawn. The average planted area is 37 hectares, ranging from 0.5 to 810 hectares. The adoption rate of irrigation technology is 43 % and for scheduling instruments, 23 %. Results show that adopting irrigation technology increases the chance of adopting scheduling by 31 % and that these adoption decisions are jointly made. While size of the vineyard is relevant in irrigation technology adoption, it is not for scheduling and, in contrast, the use of the Internet is relevant for adopting scheduling but not for irrigation technology. A relevant result is that networks and trust are important factors in explaining the adoption of both technologies.

Wineries and wine routes as a tool for the development of agritourism in Serbia

Over the last five years, the wine production in the Republic of Serbia has had a positive trend. The structure of wine import and export indicates the need for better branding of Serbian wines to increase their visibility in the market. Today, small and family vineyards as well as wineries in the rural areas of Serbia prevail. All sorts of vines are grown there, and the products are often very high-quality wines. Representation of wineries in tourism industry is insufficiently developed and sporadic, with no clear strategy at a national and local level. Their involvement in development of tourism should be encouraged primarily through the development of wine routes. By improving hospitality facilities in wineries, all the preconditions would be met for the successful development, not only of wine industry, but also of agritourism since during their stay, tourists could try out and experience vineyard farm life at firsthand.

Environmental efficiency and the impact of regulation in dryland organic vine production

Organic agriculture figures prominently in the policies adopted by the EU to improve the environmental impact of agriculture. It may also potentially provide other benefits such as high-quality, health-enhancing food products and advancements in rural development. Recent years have brought new research to assess the environmental and economic implications of organic conversion. Economic efficiency comparisons between organic and conventional farms have been extended to include environmental performance. The inclusion of this variable in efficiency analysis may be useful when assessing the potential impact of suggestions to improve environmental regulations and policies. This paper applies the environmental efficiency model to the analysis of different technologies and calculates productivity and efficiency with and without environmental impacts. In the empirical part of the paper Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and bootstrap techniques are applied to detect and measure differences between organic and conventional agriculture aggregate efficiency and productivity in a sample of vineyard farms operating in semiarid, non-irrigated conditions in Navarre (Spain), taking farms’ nitrogen surplus and pesticide toxicity indicators to consideration. The results for these particular agronomic conditions suggest that organic agriculture is more environmentally efficient than conventional agriculture in dryland farming, in that it achieves a more favorable production to environmental impact ratio. Nevertheless, conversion to organic production methods for extensive vine cultivation under arid conditions does not guarantee substantial environmental gains, since the organic farms in our sample do not display inferior levels of pollution emissions per unit input as extensive conventional production. The overall environmental efficiency of organic farming is largely attributable to the fact that organic farms come closer to the frontier of their own technology. We find no significant technological differences in environmental productivity, however. In terms of policy implications, these findings suggest that the tightening of specific environmental restrictions in organic standards should involve consideration of technological differences in environmental productivity between organic and other alternative technologies. If organic technology is less productive, more restrictive regulation could undermine the economic viability of farms, and thus undermine the other benefits of organic farming. The results also indicate that, at the local level, it could be convenient to address part of organic subsidies to further improvements in the control of pollution from fertilizers and pesticides.

"Reporting The Companies‘ Sustainable Performance In Agriculture "

The current financial statements don't put in evidence the companies' sustainable performance due to the fact that the Financial Accounting does not recognize the social and environmental aspects with which a company is confronted. These impacts are more significant in agriculture, sector in which the natural environment and human resources are important production factors. This paper presents the external environmental impacts of agricultural production expressed in monetary terms that can be reflected in financial reporting. The case study is operationalized in a vineyard farm, and the analysis marks out the lowering of the profit with the environmental costs. The sustainability financial reporting is an option for developing finance mechanisms to help companies in becoming more sustainable.

Organic Farming Benefits Local Plant Diversity in Vineyard Farms Located in Intensive Agricultural Landscapes

The majority of research on organic farming has considered arable and grassland farming systems in Central and Northern Europe, whilst only a few studies have been carried out in Mediterranean agro-systems, such as vineyards, despite their economic importance. The main aim of the study was to test whether organic farming enhances local plant species richness in both crop and non-crop areas of vineyard farms located in intensive conventional landscapes. Nine conventional and nine organic farms were selected in an intensively cultivated region (i.e. no gradient in landscape composition) in northern Italy. In each farm, vascular plants were sampled in one vineyard and in two non-crop linear habitats, grass strips and hedgerows, adjacent to vineyards and therefore potentially influenced by farming. We used linear mixed models to test the effect of farming, and species longevity (annual vs. perennial) separately for the three habitat types. In our intensive agricultural landscapes organic farming promoted local plant species richness in vineyard fields, and grassland strips while we found no effect for linear hedgerows. Differences in species richness were not associated to differences in species composition, indicating that similar plant communities were hosted in vineyard farms independently of the management type. This negative effect of conventional farming was probably due to the use of herbicides, while mechanical operations and mowing regime did not differ between organic and conventional farms. In grassland strips, and only marginally in vineyards, we found that the positive effect of organic farming was more pronounced for perennial than annual species.

Unexplained Die-Off of Larval Barred Tiger Salamanders (Ambystoma mavortium) In An Agricultural Pond In the South Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

The Southern Mountain population of the Barred Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma mavortium) is federally listed in Canada as endangered (Southern Interior Reptile and Amphibian Recovery Team 2008; Species at Risk Public Registry http:/ / www.sararegistry.gc.ca/ species/ speciesDetails_e.cfm?sid=697; listed as Ambystoma tigrinum prior to name change in 2010). This population is restricted to the South Okanagan, Lower Similkameen, and Kettle River watersheds in British Columbia (Sarell 1996, 2004; Southern Interior Reptile and Amphibian Recovery Team 2008). A decline in the geographic range of the Barred Tiger Salamander in the interior of British Columbia during the past 30 y is inferred from apparent extirpations at historic breeding sites, combined with extensive habitat loss (Lea 2008). As of August 2005, only 57 occupied breeding sites were known in British Columbia (BCMOE 2005; Southern Interior Reptile and Amphibian Recovery Team 2008). We report here on the incidence of a die-off of Barred Tiger Salamanders and the consequences that multiple stressors and isolation have on the potential for population recovery at this site. We conducted a survey of amphibians from 2003 to 2006 to determine amphibian use of ponds within the lowland valley and intensive agricultural zone of the south Okanagan Valley. Wetlands from Okanagan Falls to Osoyoos were surveyed for occupancy by amphibians. Barred Tiger Salamanders were found at only 8 of the 96 ponds surveyed. A pond (Pond #1) near Osoyoos, within an orchard and vineyard farm, was first surveyed in 2003. The pond holds water permanently and is approximately 5 m deep, 95 m long, and 73 m wide. Between 9 and 25 June, we surveyed the pond on 3 occasions using floating minnow traps set overnight, and on 5 occasions using daytime time-constrained dip-net searches (Table 1). Barred Tiger Salamanders observed 9 to 12 June were alive ( n = 28 larvae), and none showed signs of ill health. On 19 June, however, 4 living and 4 dead larvae were observed in traps. On 23 and 24 June, only dead and floating Barred Tiger Salamander larvae were observed in the pond (ntotai = 13 larvae). Due to extreme decomposition at the time of collection, samples of the larvae were not collected or examined to

The Use of Participatory Object-Oriented Bayesian Networks and Agro-Economic Models for Groundwater Management in Spain

This paper describes the development of a participatory decision support system for water management in the Upper Guadiana basin in central Spain where there has long been competition for groundwater resources between the agricultural sector and the environment. In the last few decades the rapid development of irrigation has led to the over-exploitation of the Mancha Occidental aquifer, the main water source in the area; this in turn has led to the loss of ecologically important wetlands. Against this background the River Basin Authority (RBA) has designed a new water management plan aimed at reducing water consumption. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the impact of these measures on both the environment and the agricultural sector. To this end stakeholders have been invited to actively participate in the development of a decision support system (DSS) based on the combination of an agro-economic model and an object-oriented Bayesian network. This DSS has been used to evaluate the trade-off between agriculture and the environment for different management options at different scales. Results indicate that achieving even a partial recovery of the aquifer water levels will require strict enforcement by the RBA of water restrictions on farmers combined with a high offer price for the purchase of water rights. However, compliance with water restrictions inevitably leads to losses in farm income, especially in small vineyard farms, unless additional measures are taken to compensate for those potential losses. The purchase of water rights alone is insufficient to ensure the recovery of water levels; accompanying measures included in the new regional management plan will also need to be undertaken.

Farmers’ objectives as determinants of organic farming adoption: the case of Catalonian vineyard production

AbstractThis article assesses the decision to adopt organic farming practices. We use Duration Analysis (DA) to determine why farmers adopt organic farming practices and what influences the timing of adoption. We extend previous studies by including farmers’ objectives, risk preferences, and agricultural policies as covariates in the DA model. The Analytical Hierarchy Process is used as a multicriteria decision‐making methodology to measure farmers’ objectives. The empirical analysis uses farm‐level data from a sample of vineyard farms in the Spanish region of Catalonia. Farmers’ objectives are found to influence the conversion decision. Moreover, farmers who are not risk averse are more likely to adopt organic farming. Results point to the policy changes that have been most relevant in motivating adoption of organic practices.

Reduction of Point Contamination Sources of Pesticide from a Vineyard Farm

Although plant protection products are already regulated in Europe under Directive 91/414/EEC, there is increasing concern about the pollution of ground and surface water caused by point sources of pesticides, such as tank filling, spillages, faulty equipment, washing, waste disposal, and direct contamination. One tool for the reduction of pesticide point source contamination is a biological system where chemicals are bound and biologically degraded. This paper presents an offset lined system where wastewaters containing pesticide residues leach through a biomix. A pump system is provided to pump the water onto the surface of the biomix and allow it to drain under gravity, keeping the biomix wet. The analysis of residues of nine pesticides in the water, biomix, and sediment inside the tank showed the biobed to function well, with a water decontamination greater than 90%. The use of this system mitigated the potential for pollution (pesticide concentrations higher than 0.1 microg/L) of 1 km of the river system surrounding the farm.