Water and Heat Fluxes in Mediterranean Vineyards: Indicators and Relevance for Management

Abstract Improved monitoring of water and heat fluxes in the vineyard can help to support more efficient soil and crop management (e.g., irrigation). Row crops such as grapevines are more vulnerable to drought/heat stress due to increased exposition to radiative soil fluxes. Such soil effect can be particularly negative for canopy and cluster microclimates and conditions under Mediterranean dry and warm climate conditions. Our aim is to better understand diurnal and seasonal variation in water and heat fluxes in the vineyard and to assess how agronomic practices (e.g., irrigation, soil management) influence those fluxes in Mediterranean irrigated viticulture. We also address the use of thermography as a tool to assess vine's water status and visualize heat patterns/fluxes in a vineyard, to support canopy/soil management and feed models that can predict crop growth and irrigation needs.