Project Mildiu
File
2016
Agriculture
Encore-lab, Unirioja, Grupo Rioja,Pernod Ricard, Bodegas Vivanco, Ramón Bilbao.
Geographic information systems, agro-climatic stations, field sensors.
Project description
Downy mildew is a disease that can affect both indoor and outdoor plants and also some vegetables such as onions, potatoes, tomatoes and soya beans. They are caused by certain types of fungi belonging to the group of oomycetes, parasites that reach the plants through rainwater or irrigation water.
In La Rioja, where vine cultivation covers more than 60,000 hectares, mildew is an endemic disease, i.e. it persists year after year.
This project aims to develop a software tool capable of predicting the appearance of mildew at plot level, based on a prediction model specifically developed for the DOCa Rioja. This action will make it possible to replace the use of a fixed calendar for the application of phytosanitary products for the prevention of mildew with the application of controlled and planned doses based on real risks and thus increase the quality of the grapes and, as a result, of the wines made from them.
Reply from Encore-Lab
ENCORE LAB will be in charge of optimising the software application in which the predictive model will be integrated to determine the level of risk, and the field technicians will carry out the necessary tests for the final validation of the solution.
Results
Once the development of the planned action has been completed, both wineries and independent winegrowers will have a highly reliable software tool that will offer two fundamental functions
– Alert if there is a risk of mildew appearing in a specific plot of vineyard, so that winegrowers can apply the necessary products at the right time to minimize damage.
– Indications on the most appropriate type of treatment to be applied to deal with the pest at the time of the appearance of the alert (permitted treatments change from year to year, and are different depending on the time of the plant’s growth cycle).
In this way, thanks to the use of the new system, it will be possible to reduce the costs of treating mildew with phytosanitary products and obtain a higher yield from the applications made.
