Summer is a pivotal time in vineyard management. From June to August, every decision directly impacts the health of the vines and the quality of future harvests. To support you, Sencrop offers several digital solutions designed for winegrowers. Here's an overview of the main tasks to be carried out this summer, and for each of them, how our tools can support you, in conjunction with the most recognised digital solutions on the market.

June: foliage monitoring and early disease detection

As days grow longer and temperatures rise, vine development accelerates. These climatic conditions often favor the onset of cryptogamic diseases such as downy mildew (which thrives around 24°C with more than an hour of humidity following recent rainfall), powdery mildew (active from 12°C, with optimal development near 25°C and relative humidity between 40% and 100%), and black rot.

Leafcrop to the rescue

Placed in the heart of the foliage, the sensor simulates a natural leaf and measures humidity and dew point to the minute. It is particularly useful for fungal diseases. By identifying periods when contamination is favorable, you only treat when necessary. Fewer treatments, more efficiency.

🧠 Connection to DSTs

To further optimise interventions, Sencrop sensor data can be connected to market-recognised decision-making tools to automatically feed the advice given. Here is a list of DSTs specific to vine cultivation, interconnectable with Sencrop:

Movida: Model developed by Bayer to monitor the level of infection of the 4 major vine diseases: mildew, powdery mildew, black rot and botrytis.

VitiMeteo: versatile model, to monitor the development of the main vine diseases.

Rimpro: A model for monitoring over 20 grape/vine and fruit tree diseases. Includes a visualisation of infection windows.

Vintel: a model developed by ITK for vine management: disease monitoring (mildew and powdery mildew), water, nitrogen, and frost. Includes: renewal of protection, water stress, etc.

These models integrate your Sencrop weather data to provide targeted recommendations according to the real risk thresholds from your fields. Coupling Sencrop with a DST makes it possible in particular to improve the protection of the vines while reducing its treatment frequency to act in a more precise manner while preserving the sanitary quality of the vines.

Windcrop and treatment windows, to treat at the right time in the right quantity

Wind plays a crucial role in spray quality, which is why we developed the Windcrop connected anemometer—providing ultra-local data on wind speed, direction, and gusts. By mapping your fields in the agronomy tab, you can combine this wind data with recommended treatment windows to schedule spraying at the optimal time, based on product type and local weather conditions. This helps you reduce drift, stay compliant with regulations, and protect your harvest when wind conditions pose a risk.

July: Managing water stress and monitoring persistent diseases

This is the month when the risk of water stress increases, especially during heatwaves. Leaves may close, and berry development may slow. The goal: anticipate without over-irrigating, to control the desired ripeness in the vines.

The Soilcrop probe for measuring water requirements

Our Soilcrop capacitive probe measures soil water status and temperature at different depths (10, 20, 40, 60 cm).

The app plots these measurements in a graph to help you assess water needs. Various thresholds are available to help you determine when your crops are experiencing water stress and when to take appropriate action.

The Irricrop pack for calculating the water balance

The Irricrop pack is Sencrop's other irrigation management solution. It consists of three stations:

• The Raincrop rain gauge, which measures the precise amount of rain that has fallen on your field, as well as temperatures
• The Windcrop anemometer, which measures wind speed and direction, as well as gusts on your fields.
• The Solarcrop pyranometer which measures solar irradiance throughout the day.

All this information is compiled in the application to calculate the ETP, and thus provide you with an accurate water balance, at a lower cost than a solution with several probes.

August: Final stages of ripening and harvest preparation

The berries are changing color and sugar levels are rising—veraison is in full swing. The goal? Determining the ideal harvest time while avoiding the challenges of late-summer weather. At this crucial stage, several tools in the app become essential to support informed decision-making:

Are the grapes reaching their optimal ripeness?

Cumulative: Closely monitor the cumulative rainfall or cumulative growing degree days since a custom date

When to get the tractor out?

It's time to harvest! Wondering if the ground is soggy or if it's going to rain in the next few days/hours?

• Rain radar: Check if it has rained in the last 2 hours, or if it will rain in the next 2, and avoid harvesting in the rain.
• Weather forecasts: anticipate local forecasts up to seven days ahead with forecast models. More than 20 of the most widely used models from the largest agricultural weather sites! Sencrop Forecasts automatically selects the most reliable model at any given time for your station.
• Solar Radiation: With the Solarcrop, monitor the amount of sunlight your vines receive to refine ripening forecasts based on sunny or overcast conditions.
• Average temperature: track the average daily temperature on your fields with your Raincrop to estimate the evolution of berry ripeness and anticipate the harvest window.

Conclusion

In summer, every hour counts when it comes to preserving grape quality and maximising yields. With Leafcrop positioned within the canopy to anticipate leaf diseases and frost, specialised vine DSTs and optimised treatment windows to apply the right quantity at the right time, water balance monitoring to track water stress, and real-time data to guide harvest timing, Sencrop provides daily support throughout every season. This tool empowers winegrowers with greater precision, improved monitoring, and enhanced traceability.