Vineyard, new technologies in action
Enovitis in Campo, a traveling exhibition organized by the Italian Wine Union, was held this year on June 17 and 18 at Tenuta di Nozzole, in Greve in Chianti (Florence). Visitors - more than 6,500 attended the two-day event dedicated to viticulture - were able to see 250 models of machinery and equipment representing 160 brands in action. “This year's event confirmed the vitality of a sector that continues to invest in technology and development" stated Paolo Castelletti, Secretary General of the Italian Wine Union. "From plant protection to the acceleration of automation and safety, the supply chain is proving reactive to new challenges". As confirmed by a recent survey by the Uiv-Vinitaly Observatory, the Italian wine technology supply chain generates approximately EUR 2 billion in annual turnover, employs over 10,250 people, and is comprised of approximately 400 companies.
The star of the event again this year was the "Lucio Mastroberardino Innovation Challenge" competition, sponsored by Enovitis in Campo, which gave awards for the best technical solutions in terms of innovation, efficiency, sustainability, and functionality. Competition categories included the "Technology Innovation Award," "Green Innovation Award," and "New Technology", portraying a dynamic sector in both plant protection and automation, with a particular focus on operator health and streamlining field practices, as demonstrated by the award-winning solutions.
In the “Technology Innovation Award” category, the winners were Net Farming’s VitiSafe365 technology, an automated protective netting system that adapts to weather conditions and protects vineyards from hail, excessive heat, heavy rain, and other extreme weather events, and the WM VITRAC G2 articulated tool carrier, made by WM Technics. This ultra-compact tractor with four-wheel hydraulic drive using individual electronically controlled radial piston motors has been designed to reduce passages between rows and to work on steep slopes.
In the “New Technology” category, the award went to Merlo’s autonomous Cingo multi-tool tracked transporter, capable of handling various attachments. The battery-powered rover is equipped with rubber tracks and a lift with a category 1 three-point hitch, allowing the vehicle to operate with equipment normally attached to vineyard tractors. Also awarded in this category were the high-precision XAG R200 Rover Agricolo radio-guided robot from Furaito, for spraying and transport, and the articulated NewPotr TRIO sprayer from Martignani, which can treat three rows simultaneously on hillside vineyards.
The vehicle's straddle structure, which can be folded vertically and adjusted laterally, significantly reduces its overall dimensions during transport and allows it to adapt to rows with widths from 1.60 to 3.10 meters. The Green Innovation Award was awarded to CBC Europe, which distributes Anagyrus vladimiri, a parasitic wasp used for the biological control of mealybug pests, in Europe.
