Protecting UK viticulture from frosts.
We are working to improve the ability of vineyard teams to protect their vines from frost on a project to create accurate, real-time, hyper-localised, site-specific, and variety-specific frost risk forecasts, using a range of devices such as sensors and AI technology.
The technology we test and plan to implement will help vineyard managers make more confident, informed and targeted decisions when it comes to frost mitigation, with the added benefit of sustainability in mind.
Funded by DEFRA and Innovate UK, the project is called Smarter Forecasting, Communication and Management of Frost Risk in Vineyards’ and is being developed in partnership with WeatherQuest, TerraPrima, Agri-Epi Centre, Plumpton College, Vinewatch and WineGB.
To effectively evaluate frost risk, we are seeking site specific information from you!
If you’re a vineyard owner or manager, assistant, contractor or administrator, we’re keen to understand how you record data and the impact of frost at your site.
You may have recorded some shifts in patterns. Most notable has been the changing spring conditions. For example, with an earlier start to warmer weather, budburst is starting earlier at a time they are at most risk of frost damage.
We’d like to know more about the changes you are seeing and where you’re located. Please complete the survey and help us create better solutions to mitigate frost damage in future.