Artificial intelligence and viticulture

Introduction

Artificial intelligence opens up new possibilities for viticulture, from supporting vineyard production to improving wine quality. When this article was published in 2022, Spain had almost one million hectares of vineyards, the world’s largest area according to the Spanish Wine Market Observatory (OEMV).

Advantages

AI can help growers decide when to harvest, analyse plants’ nutritional needs and estimate which areas offer suitable conditions for different types of wine.

Another aim is to reduce costs and improve quality. Data can help identify areas of water stress, assess soil nutrients and detect signs of possible vine diseases.

Figure 1. Source: PixaBay

Projects such as INTELWINES investigate using AI to optimise irrigation and manage sulphite levels in wineries. The proposal combines AI algorithms and deep reinforcement learning to incorporate expert knowledge into production support systems. These are research objectives, not an automatic guarantee of quality or food safety.

Projects

At the time of publication, projects were at different stages of development. Related initiatives included:

-Project AI4EU under the umbrella Horizon 2020 of the European Commission.

–INTELWINES, individual R&D project.

Images captured by drones or satellites can be stored and analysed with algorithms to assess vineyard conditions. Combined with field measurements, they can inform decisions about production and grape quality.

Climate change adds another challenge: adapting crops to new conditions. AI can support long-term planning and more efficient use of resources, provided recommendations are checked against agronomic expertise and local conditions.

Conclusion

Many of these projects still need to demonstrate their results in real-world conditions. Their potential lies in combining better resource management with grape and wine quality, contributing to more sustainable viticulture.

Figure 2. Source: PixaBay

Bibliography

• Tecnovino [06-12-2022]: https://www.tecnovino.com/inteligencia-artificial-en-los-vinedos-de-ribera-del-duero-para-mejorar-la-produccion-y-calidad-de-la-cosecha/

• Pago de Carraovejas [accessed 12 June 2022]: https://www.pagodecarraovejas.com/desarrollo-e-implementacion-nuevas-tecnicas-inteligencia-artificial-optimizacion-riego-vinedo-disminucion-contenido-sulfitos-bodega-intelwines/

• Expansion [06-12-2022]: https://www.expansion.com/economia-digital/innovacion/2020/08/07/5f2c68bfe5fdea79628b45db.html

• Lagacetadelvino [06-12-2022]: https://lagacetadelvino.com/noticias-sobre-vino-actualidad/idi/inteligencia-artificial-robotica-y-big-data-en-el-vinedo/

Written By

Eva Arnall

Saturdays.AI

Saturdays.AI is an impact-focused organization on a mission to empower diverse individuals to learn Artificial Intelligence in a collaborative and project-based way, beyond the conventional path of traditional education