The Greenseeker technique

The Greenseeker technique

Today, thanks to a cutting-edge system developed by a Swiss company, the vineyard manager at Château Phélan Ségur can finely measure and interpret the vigour in the vineyard throughout the year. This technology, called Greenseeker, is fitted to the straddle tractors. Linked to a GPS, it calculates the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). It gives a measurement of the physiological activity of the plants. The mapping thus obtained illustrates the evolution of the vineyard in real time and is a precious tool for decision-making: it allows a reliable estimate of the nutritional needs of the plants and control of their vigour throughout the year and measurement, for example, of their nitrogen status. Key information for achieving more precise fertilisation and treatments, but also for carrying out corrective actions throughout the year, at the time of pruning or leaf removal.

At the crucial time of the harvest, and for the first time in October 2012, the determination of micro parcels that were homogeneous in terms of vigour led to new choices for vatting the grapes (corresponding, of course, to ripeness requirements).

It is also a long-term project, destined to be repeated year after year, to cross-reference with data from soil analysis, so as to constantly improve understanding of the vineyard.

This also accompanies environmental considerations associated with the principles of integrated viticulture, which seeks to minimise the use of inputs. Château Phélan Ségur is already ahead in the Ecophyto 2018 objective to reduce them by 50%, notably thanks to the use of the biotechnical method of sexual confusion which, applied to all the parcels, has already rendered the use of pesticides obsolete.

WORK IN THE VINES