Abstract
Reliable, uninterrupted, and affordable measurements of vine water status continue to be a challenge within a global warming scenario. While recent work has concentrated on micro-tensiometers able to provide a continuous recording of trunk water potential, the current study provides the first calibration of a newly designed, low-cost load cell weight (LCW) transducer applied to the vine trunk, yielding an electric output in mV. The calibration run was conducted for 47 days (24 August–9 October 2022) on six mature field-grown and well-watered Cabernet Sauvignon vines enclosed in plastic chambers for uninterrupted monitoring of whole-vine transpiration (T total ). To broaden the range of T total values, half of the vines were trimmed at flowering at eight main leaves. Correlations between the average daily T total and maximum daily LCW difference for data pooled over the whole measuring period were considerably loose, with or without the inclusion of rainy or overcast days. Conversely, correlations between mean T total and LCW the latter given as the diurnal maximum minus the instantaneous reading run from dawn to about 5 pm over 27 mostly clear days gave a very close fit (R 2 = 0.95–0.97) in both canopy treatments. Likewise, the same regressions run on data averaged over four mostly cloudy days maintained a similar accuracy (R 2 = 0.93–0.94) of the interpolated linear models. Once referred to data taken diurnally on either mostly clear or mostly cloudy days between sunrise and maximum T total reached around 5 pm, the LCW sensor showed high accuracy. Moreover, the sensors were sensitive enough to detect differences induced by a variation in canopy size due to early shoot trimming. Its very low cost (around 12 euros), easy and fully non-invasive installment and negligible maintenance requirements encourage deeper evaluation in terms of sensitivity to phenology, cultivar and water supply levels. • Accurate and continuous assessment of plant water status is needed in viticulture. • A low cost non-invasive load cell sensor was calibrated vs vine transpiration. • Correlation was tight within the sunrise -maximum diurnal water use time window. • The cost of a sensor unit is currently estimated around 12 euros.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
The load cell reading closely fit mean whole-vine transpiration over 27 mostly clear days.
VitisOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“six mature field-grown and well-watered Cabernet Sauvignon vines”
e1“over 27 mostly clear days gave a very close fit (R 2 = 0.95–0.97) in both canopy treatments”
t0“canopy transpiration in the grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
The same regressions on mostly cloudy days kept a similar accuracy.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e2“maintained a similar accuracy (R 2 = 0.93–0.94)”
t0“canopy transpiration in the grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
Once referred to diurnal data on clear or cloudy days, the load cell sensor showed high accuracy.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e3“Once referred to data taken diurnally on either mostly clear or mostly cloudy days between sunrise and maximum T total reached around 5 pm, the LCW sensor showed high accuracy”
t0“canopy transpiration in the grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
The sensors detected differences in transpiration induced by early shoot trimming.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e4“the sensors were sensitive enough to detect differences induced by a variation in canopy size due to early shoot trimming”
t0“canopy transpiration in the grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
The sensor costs about 12 euros per unit.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e5“Its very low cost (around 12 euros)”
t0“canopy transpiration in the grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
Deeper evaluation of the sensor is encouraged for phenology, cultivar and water supply levels.
- Outcome
- deeper evaluatione6
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e6“encourage deeper evaluation in terms of sensitivity to phenology, cultivar and water supply levels”
t0“canopy transpiration in the grapevine”