5 Ways Data Analytics is Transforming the Winegrowing Industry

by | Jul 20, 2021 | Wine & Spirits

Reading Time: 6 minutes

This increasing complexity of life’s challenges has spurred a growing interest in the field of data analytics and how it may be applied to various industries. Although the use of analytics has already been well established in many industries like finance and healthcare, it’s only recently that big data has started to gain traction in the fields of agriculture and viticulture.

While many wineries have used analytics in their sales and marketing departments for quite some time, they are now realizing the benefits of utilizing advanced analytics and AI in making critical business decisions in their growing operations. Here are 5 of the top ways that data analytics is transforming the current winegrowing industry.

Optimizing irrigation and sustainable water management

In an industry where the quality of the product is so dependent on the properties of its constituent fruits, even slight variations in moisture levels can have a significant effect on the resulting wine. Additionally, many of the ideal regions used for growing grapes are prone to droughts and periods of intense heat, furthering the degree of attention necessary to maintain proper moisture levels. This is why many farmers are now turning to data analytics to help address some of these issues.

Using IoT sensors, farmers can track the moisture levels in the soil in order to make better-informed decisions regarding when and where to water their vines. By applying water levels appropriate for the conditions of the soil and climate, farmers are able to reduce waste and improve operational efficiency. Vineyards are also using data analytics to optimize their irrigation systems by reducing the time necessary for sampling, addressing possible malfunctions, and notifying them of possible issues weeks before they’re visible in the crop.

Renovating crop monitoring systems

Farms and vineyards are the largest they’ve been in history, presenting new obstacles in terms of crop monitoring and scouting. Physically inspecting the many acres of vines is among the most time-consuming activities for modern winegrowers, taking away valuable time that could otherwise be spent on much more efficient endeavors.

To combat this, winegrowers have started to adopt the precision farming practices already well established in the larger agricultural industries like corn and grain. Through aerial imagery collected by satellites, drones, and airplanes, farmers are able to produce interactive maps that allows them to monitor the health of their field and track data like vegetative development, humidity, soil temperature, and photosynthetic activity. In turn, farmers can identify and address issues in a much timelier fashion. Additionally, advances in artificial intelligence are able to compare collected data with the vineyard’s health history in order to preemptively address possible complications of known problem areas.

Managing pests and disease

No matter what plant you grow or where you grow it, every farmer struggles with pests and disease. There is an endless list of bugs and other critters that would love to sample your product for you, and it only takes a single disease outbreak to destroy an entire harvest. However, misusing pesticides and other chemicals can also have equally negative consequences for your vineyard. Luckily, advances in data analytics are enabling winegrowers to apply appropriate measures in protecting and healing their crops.

Perhaps the best way to address pests and disease is to prevent them from taking hold in the first place. Some farms have employed the use of IoT sensors and artificial intelligence to detect the type and quantity of insects present around their crops, allowing them to better assess potential threats. Other farms are using data analytics to measure various parameters like temperature and humidity to evaluate the risk of infection on an hourly basis.

However, the occasional outbreak is inevitable, even with precautionary measures put in place. In the case of a pest infestation, data tools are helping winegrowers determine what type of pesticide to use, how much, and when to use it. This reduces both waste and the potential risk to the surrounding environment. Data tools are also being used to monitor vineyards for symptoms of infection and making predictions about disease progression so that proper countermeasures can be employed.

Precision weather forecasting

There is perhaps no industry quite as dependent on the climate of a region as agriculture and winegrowing. The success of any vineyard depends on its ability to

plan operations in accordance with accurate weather predictions. As mentioned earlier, the effect that even small variations in fruit quality can have on the resulting wine does not leave a lot of room for anything less than optimal growing conditions. This relationship between weather and winegrowing has resulted in an increased use of data analytics in making accurate weather predictions.

Using satellites, researchers are tracking important data like atmospheric patterns, precipitation, and ocean currents in order to provide winegrowers with better risk-management options. Additionally, temperature measurements are currently used in determining Growing Degree Days (GDD), allowing winegrowers to predict growth stages based on recent weather conditions. Advances in data analytics have even allowed researchers at the University of Illinois to make end-of-season yield predictions that may be more accurate than those of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Evaluating soil quality

A good vine always starts with good soil. Understanding and monitoring soil data like available nutrients, pH, and moisture levels allows winegrowers to consider productivity differences within the vineyard and formulate a plan accordingly. Having access to reliable data can help in making well-informed decisions about land management and knowing when, where, and how to plant.

IoT sensors installed in the soil or outfitted to winegrowing machinery like tractors can record vital data about the vineyard. Analytics software can then aid in evaluating this data and producing recommended plans of action based on the results. Furthermore, this data can be cross analyzed with data from other vineyards and farms to develop a framework of best practices. This could have huge implications for the winegrowing industry, as a recent study has already found that ending nutrient overuse, combined with sustainable intensification, could increase production of corn, wheat, and rice by 30 percent.

The future of winegrowing is data analytics

As with every other industry, vineyards are turning to data analytics to solve the challenges of the modern age. To read more about what’s new in the wine and spirits industry, check out our white paper on the 5 Trends in the Beverage Alcohol Industry for 2021.

Trevor Branch

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