BioViSo

Fruit production is one of the most demanding areas of agriculture due to the constantly increasing demand for quality and yield. Permanent crops account for about 1% of global agricultural production and are important for many economies. Production can focus either on fresh fruit or on by-products like juices and wine. The wine sector is particularly profitable, with an annual production of 259 million hectoliters and a revenue of 30 billion euros. Italy, especially South Tyrol, plays a leading role in wine exports.

The quality and yield of grape production depend on various factors, such as soil properties, climate, water supply, and agricultural practices. Particularly important is the biological diversity in the soil, which is shaped by bacteria, fungi, and other organisms. However, it remains unclear how this diversity is influenced by different factors and how it relates to soil quality and grape production.

The BioViSo project aims to identify the key factors and species that influence soil quality. To achieve this, an innovative network analysis is applied in vineyards, incorporating chemical and biological analyses as well as environmental data. The results are intended to develop a new method for monitoring the quality of agro-ecosystems, ranging from individual plots to landscapes.