8.1. Services financed by quotas (shares)
8.1.1. Technical Support for Integrated Vineyard Production
Within the Integrated Protection and Production Program, the shareholders were monitored by collecting and transmitting information relevant to the application of these principles. This action was complemented with the editing of technical bulletins, leaflets on monitoring the grapevine's vegetative cycle and evolution of diseases and pests and lists of herbicides, fungicides and insecticides, with their technical standards for use of different active substances.
For the year of 2012, we summarised information on the main activities made by the technical support groups:
Graph 2 – Technical and Administrative Monitoring of members in 2012.
119 128
292
574
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Technical consulting - Office Actions Support the Elaboration of Reporting MAA Forms Technical Field Visits Administrative Technical Support
Acções
Graph 3 – Number of documents/actions of technical support for decision making. The document details can be found on their respective descriptive tables at 7.1)
8.1.2. Support the preparation of application processes for agro-environmental measures
Applications to Agro-environmental measures were made by the technical services of ADVID, with 137 single applications (PU) for 180 production units. A total of 5,562 ha vineyards have applied the integrated production mode, totalling 319 ha of organic production. In addition, applications were also made to SPS (Single Payment Scheme), MLFA (Maintenance of Agricultural Activity in Least Favourable Areas), ITI-DW (Integrated Territorial Intervention in the Douro Wine Region), Support to Quality Schemes and other less relevant issues in our area of intervention.
The preparation and dissemination of legislative information for support (10 newsletters), support for administrative issues raised by IFAP and monitoring the certification measures was also conducted by encouraging the development of field reports, technical support and preparation of technical documentation.
The following graphs present a statistical summary of the processes and their potential to channel aid to members in 2012, with approximately 1,493 million euro (values estimated based on applications, disregarding subsequent area corrections).
15 6
10
22 16
24
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Technical and Scientific Works Lists of Active Substances in IP Leaflet on Evolution of Harvest
Years
Leaflet on Climate Evolution Thematic Workshops Technical Bulletins and
Newsletters
Documents/ Actions
Fig. 3 – Total applications and their processes (left); and details of application areas by agro-environmental mean (right).
Fig. 4 – Total aid received (left) and total integrated by agro-environment (right).
8.1.3. Control of the grape moth by mating disruption
Combating grape moths by mating disruption has been studied by ADVID since 2000. The knowledge acquired over this decade allows us to identify the strengths and to maximise efficiency while identifying some weaknesses that restrict its use.
Members interested in more sustainable ways to combat grape moth asked ADVID for support from specialists, especially for diffuser application in the field, as well as training for technical staff and company farm workers and any other employees involved. Additionally, they requested support for evaluating the effectiveness of this “fighting” mode during the campaign by monitoring the moth damage in locations subject to mating disruption and to make comparisons with those reference parcels (without
The results were widely disseminated by workshops, specific publications, and during the balance of the harvest year.
Fig. 5 – Evolution of the areas and properties using the mating disruption method (pheromone) to control grape moths.
8.1.4. Forecasting the vintage potential by using the pollen method
Estimations of production potential by using the pollen method has been employed in the Douro region since 1992 as a tool to support technical and economic activity, which is integrated into the action plan of the Cluster of wines from the Douro Region.
The process, which is managed by ADVID with financial support from IVDP and scientific support from the College of Sciences at the University of Porto, takes advantage of the methodology by capturing and analysing the amount of pollen emitted by grapevines, and integrates climate and phenological data. We prepare an early annual estimate of production potential, based on three predefined locations in the region that should represent the viticultural areas.
The pollen collection was made in Régua and Valencia Douro between 14 May and 25 June and in Vila Nova de Foz Coa between 21 May and 26 June, with biweekly filter replacements.
The forecast range for 2012 was between 269 000 and 325 000 barrels of wine, with an increased prediction of approximately 23% in comparison to the average forecast range expected in 2011. The evolution of this forecast range was negatively influenced by drought and blossom drop as well as by a local frost in late June plus a hailstorm in mid-July. Despite this finding, the provisional value of the declared production points to a slight increase in relation to 2011.
8.1.5. Evaluation of grape variety and rootstock behaviour
In carrying out this activity, the monitoring and collection of data related to the maturation and variety x rootstock affinity was conducted at Quinta da Cavadinha. The collection and processing of information available for the RDD about grape varieties, with special reference to the collection of phenological data to support the study of phenological relationships and their thermal needs, was also carried out to support the elaboration of phenological maps for vineyard management.
8.2. Invoiced services 8.2.1. Viticulture
8.2.1.1 Support for Organic Production
To start up a support system for sustainable organic production in viticulture, ADVID compiled and processed information in 2012 to support the activity and organisation of contacts with companies that provide solutions for organic agriculture, organised workshops to raise awareness about this way of production and trained two technicians in this production method.
8.2.1.2 Evaluation of water potential for irrigation needs
To make a service available to members for managing grapevine water relations, by assessing the predawn water potential, we monitored the grapevine water status of the Upper Douro region. Two members (totalling 3 properties) subscribed to this service. Assessments on predawn plant water potential and grapevine hydraulic potential were made for 6 weeks.
8.2.2. Oenology
8.2.2.1 Maturation control
The general goal was to create a database on the behaviour of the main varieties of different sub-regions in Douro.
In 2012, the members who adopted this initiative were sent customised reports about their parcels containing the following routine analyses: weight (g); fluid volume (mL); potential alcohol (%); total acidity (mg/L Tartaric acid) and pH, and phenolic maturation: total anthocyanins, extractable anthocyanins, total polyphenols (IPT); extractability of anthocyanins - EA (%) and maturation of tannins - MP (%).
subscribed to the monitoring and analysis of maturation between 20 July and 2 October 2012, totalling 807 analyses. In addition, 212 maturation analyses were made by ADVID, totalling 1019 analyses processed in the lab.
8.2.2.2 Portal of tannins (ADVID/AWRI)
In continuing the 2011 work and considering the importance of tannins in oenology (which influence the colour stability, wine aging, oxidation and astringency), 514 samples were submitted to the tannin portal from 3 of 4 companies that subscribed in the year 2012.
Furthermore, generous wines were ordered in 2012 for the validation of this method with these wines.
Samples and respective results were sent to the AWRI.