Are digital twins a useful tool to teach grapevine pruning?

A digital twin is a virtual model designed to accurately reflect a physical object. In the case of vine pruning, when we talk about digital twins, we are referring to virtual models that allow us to faithfully represent the structures we have to prune (spurs or canes).

Learning to prune a grapevine is a challenging activity. On the one hand, it is the most complex cultivation practice to be used in our vineyards, which requires a very good understanding of the plant’s physiology and the goals we set ourselves at the time of pruning. Furthermore, its execution requires a three-dimensional visualisation of the objects to be pruned, as without this vision it is impossible to decide correctly where and how to carry out the cuts. As if all of the above were not enough, the difficulty of teaching pruning is even greater because there are many circumstances that can make it impossible to learn in situ, that is, using real vines.

This paper presents the first internationally known results on the potential of using three-dimensional digital twins as a tool for teaching and learning about vine pruning.

Video extract from the presentation given during Enoforum Web Scientists (13 March 2023)