Ongoing activities and projects
CRA-LAVIARTE Project
Irrigation planning and agronomical management of a vineyard assisted by biochemical, geophisical and geostatistical techniques
The aim of this project is to test some precision agriculture procedures for an efficient management of the water/nutrients balance in vineyard soils of La Viarte farm in Prepotto (Udine). The first step of the project will be a geophysical survey (electromagnetic induction, georadar) combined with a detailed pedological survey. These surveys will help identify and draw cartography of the main soil typologies of the farm. The second step will be the identification of hydrological features and of some indicators of biomass activity and soil enzymes in order to obtain some accurate predictions of the hydro and nutritional state of the vineyards. The third step will be the monitoring of vineyard response and technological maturation following proper fertilization and irrigation interventions carried out with the site-specific approach of precision agriculture, focusing in particular on Friulano and Sauvignon white grapes and Schioppettino and Merlot red grapes.
| Funding: | Bando OIGA del Ministero per le Politiche Agricole, Alimentari e Forestali (Italian Ministry of Agriculture) |
| Period: | 2009-2011 |
| Partners: | - CRA-RPS, Gorizia Research Unit (Coordinator) - La Viarte farm, Prepotto (UD) |
| LINK TO THE WEBSITE OF THE PROJECT |
VITE-SUOLO Project
Irrigation planning and agronomical management of a vineyard assisted by biochemical, geophysical and geostatistical techniques
This project is part of a territorial planning policy for the protection of agricultural areas. The aim of this project if to systematically investigate on the effects of the mechanization and/or the cultivation on slopes on the compaction of vineyard soils, on their physical and hydraulic features and on the quality of wine production. The expected results are within the areas of soil quality conservation, irrigation planning and other aspects related to the recovery of fertility in vineyard soils, from methodologies for the identification of spatial variability of fertility at farm scale to the exploitation of biomasses (vine stocks, compost etc) to increase the agricultural and environmental sustainability of wine growing.
| Funding: | Ministero per le Politiche Agricole, Alimentari e Forestali (Italian Ministry of Agriculture) |
| Period: | 2009-2011 |
| Partners: | - CRA-VIT Conegliano Veneto (Treviso) (Coordinator) - CRA-RPS, Gorizia Research Unit |
Recently concluded activities and projects
VOCAVIT Project
Vine growing suitability and sustainable development - an investigation in an area in Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Integrated and multidisciplinary evaluation of the interaction between the features of the soil environment and the production of quality wine for the improvement of vineyards in terms of land protection and development of local resources. The research focused on an hilly area of about 5,000 hectares located in the DOC wine district "Colli Orientali del Friuli" (western Friuli hills). The research group of CRA in Gorizia studied the soil environment of the area with a view of testing sampling strategies and new classification and interpolation techniques for land suitability assessment. The second aim was that of defining the hydrologic features of cultivated soils to determine the most suitable management practices for vineyards.
| Funding: | Ministero per le Politiche Agricole, Alimentari e Forestali (Italian Ministry of Agriculture) |
| Period: | 2006-2008 |
| Partners: | - Department of Economics and Business Techniques - University of Trieste
(Coordinator) - CRA-RPS, Gorizia Research Unit - CRA-VIT, Conegliano Veneto (Treviso) - CRA-ABP, Florence |
K-NET Project
Irrigation based on crop water needs
Investigation on irrigation in four experimental farms of Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. The aim of the project was on the one hand to better understand water and nutrition needs of two crops typical of the region (corn and grapevine) during the growing period in different climate conditions, and on the other hand to optimize water resources for irrigation, taking into account their quantity and quality.
| Funding: | Kompentenznetwerk Wasserressourcen GmbH (A) |
| Period: | 2006-2008 |
| Partners: | - Joanneum Research (WRM), Graz (A) (Coordinator) - CRA-RPS, Gorizia Research Unit - Ente Regionale per lo Sviluppo Agricolo (ERSA) of Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, Gorizia |