H118-05
Developing Soil Health Monitoring Decision Support Software for Use in Arid Climates

Friday, 11 December 2020: 05:42
Virtual
Audrey Reinert1, Lucia Zuniga2, Hugo Lastarria3, Dennis Macedo Valdiva3, David S Ebert4, Timothy R Filley5 and Christian Butzke6, (1)University of Oklahoma Norman Campus, Norman, OK, United States, (2)Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States, (3)Universidad Nacional De San Agustin, Arequipa, Peru, (4)University of Oklahoma Norman Campus, Norman, United States, (5)Purdue University, Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, West Lafayette, IN, United States, (6)Purdue University, West Lafayette, United States
Abstract:
We present the initial results of an ongoing viticulture research partnership between Purdue University and la Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa through the development of Center for Agricultural Innovation and Demonstration. These include a state-of-the-art network of agriculture research stations, the results of land and soil investigations to support the development and novel of digital soil mapping and data visualization techniques to improve and expand commercial wine grape cultivation in Arequipa and southern Peru. We detail an integrated approach to demonstrate how computer supported decision analysis systems can minimize water usage and monitor soil health in arid environments.

The results of our ongoing soil health investigations show that in a time period of over 35 years of vineyard cultivation, soil organic carbon has increased, as has salt content, measured via electrical conductivity, while pH values varied according the agriculture conversion time from desert. Row position was only significant for soil carbon accumulation. Trace metals change significantly with time depending on the analyzed element. Apart from soil physico-chemical properties, future analysis must include irrigation water chemistry and the underlying soil minerology.

Soil health has a direct impact on grape composition and subsequent wine quality from a perspective of both public health and economic value. Geographical location, latitude, vintage degree days, topographical features such as vineyard slope, row orientation, corresponding sun and UV light exposure, soil pH and water holding capacity, soil compaction and water flow, drainage and plant water availability, soil depth, nutrient distribution and flow, root and air temperatures, all affect grapevine gene expression throughout the growing season, thus aroma, flavor, fermentation nutrient availability, and eventually wine composition. Growing winegrapes in arid yet tropical climates has been a historic challenge, and vineyard soil health plays a particularly important role in areas affected by both climate change and unique irrigation water quality issues. The visual analytic system, developed in partnership with VinSense, aims provide farmers and winegrowers with real-time soil health and water content information.

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