Research Progress and Prospects of Mechanized Planting Technology and Equipment for Wine Grapes

Abstract

This article systematically reviews the research progress and challenges in mechanized planting technology and equipment for wine grapes, with a particular focus on the current status and development of the wine grape industry in China. Studies show that the global wine grape cultivation area is extensive, and China, as one of the major producers, has made significant progress in planting scale and technology application in recent years. However, compared to developed countries such as France and the United States, China still lags behind in the full mechanization of wine grape cultivation, especially in winter cold protection and spring soil clearing. This paper provides a detailed analysis of mechanized operations in wine grape cultivation and compares the differences in related technologies and equipment between China and other countries. The study points out that the main problems faced by China in the mechanized production of wine grapes include a wide variety of equipment, complex winter cold protection procedures, diversified planting patterns, and inadequate technical standards. Future development directions should focus on the integration of advanced technologies with traditional equipment, the construction of a full mechanization technology system, the integration of intelligent and information technologies, and the development of multifunctional composite equipment. By addressing these issues, this article provides a theoretical basis and practical recommendations for the full mechanization development of China’s wine grape industry, aiming to enhance its international competitiveness.

1. Introduction

Grapes are one of the oldest and most widely distributed fruits in the world today. Based on their use, grapes can be categorized into three types: table grapes, wine grapes, and drying grapes. There are currently over 8000 grape varieties globally, with more than 500 varieties in China. However, only about 50 of these varieties can be classified as wine grapes, and the main varieties include Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Carignan, among others [1]. As of the end of 2023, the global grape cultivation area reached 7.3 million ha, of which approximately 4.1 million ha were dedicated to wine grapes, with a market sales scale of CNY 0.9 trillion. According to 2022 data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics, there were 119 large-scale wine production enterprises generating a direct economic output of CNY 9.192 billion and creating employment for 1.5 million people, indicating significant market potential [2].

Wine grapes are perennial vine plants, with a growth cycle in China spanning from April to October each year, lasting about seven months. Mechanized operations for wine grapes are significantly influenced by their unique trellis patterns, planting methods, and regional differences in scale, resulting in distinct characteristics in mechanized equipment and technology [3]. Currently, developed countries such as France, the United States, and Italy have achieved full mechanization in wine grape cultivation [4]. In China, however, due to issues such as the mismatch between traditional cultivation methods and modern technological development, full mechanization in the harvesting process has not yet been realized.

This article analyzes the current status of the wine grape industry and systematically reviews its mechanized technology models. By comparing the mechanized production technologies and equipment used for wine grapes in developed countries such as Europe and the United States, this study summarizes China’s research progress. It also proposes development directions for mechanized planting technologies and equipment used for wine grapes in China, aiming to provide references for achieving full and comprehensive mechanization in the country’s wine grape industry.

2. Current Status of the Wine Grape Industry

According to data from the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), in 2023, there were 93 major wine-producing countries worldwide, with a total wine grape cultivation area of 7.3 million ha. The top six countries, namely Spain, France, China, Italy, Turkey, and the United States (Figure 1), accounted for 56% of the global cultivation area.

Since 2017, global vineyard area has stabilized due to the slowdown in the growth of vineyard planting area in China and the implementation of grape planting policies in the European Union (EU). The EU’s vineyard area has remained stable at 3.3 million ha, with Spain’s planting area reaching 955,000 ha in 2023. In comparison, France, the world’s second-largest grape-growing country, has a grape planting area of 812,000 ha. China, driven by industrial policies and opening-up measures, has experienced steady growth since 2000. However, recent impacts from the pandemic and inflation have stabilized its planting area at around 785,000 ha [5]. Currently, China’s wine grape industry spans 26 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities, with key production areas including the Shandong Jiaodong Peninsula, Ningxia Helan Mountain East Foothills, Xinjiang, Hebei, Yunnan, Northeast China, Shanxi Qingxu, and Gansu Wuwei [6,7]. Since 2019, various national ministries and major production regions have introduced multiple policies to stabilize the grape industry and planting scale [8]. At present, China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Yantai City in Shandong Province have become observers of the OIV, laying a solid foundation for promoting the exchange and development of China’s wine industry.

3. Mechanized Planting Technology Models for Wine Grapes

In the past ten years, with the aging of agricultural labor and the difficulty in securing workers, mechanized planting of wine grapes has become a major direction for the future development of grape cultivation. Apart from the initial tasks of digging holes for posts and trenching for cultivation during the establishment of vineyards, China’s wine grape cultivation primarily involves seven mechanized operation stages: soil clearing and vine lifting, inter-row and intra-row weeding, fertilization, plant protection spraying, pruning, fruit harvesting, and soil covering and vine releasing. Countries such as France and Italy have already taken the lead in achieving full mechanization in wine grape cultivation. In China, due to differences in cultivation techniques and development philosophies, comprehensive integration of agronomic models, planting trellis systems, and supporting machinery is required. Currently, wine grape estates in the Shandong and Ningxia production regions have gradually begun adopting mechanized planting for wine grapes. The specific models are as follows (Figure 2).

(1)

Soil Clearing and Covering Techniques for Wine Grapes

Mechanized soil clearing and vine lifting, as well as soil covering techniques, are primarily used in regions north of 35–45° latitude in China. Mechanized soil covering is carried out in winter, from late September to early November, while mechanized soil clearing and vine lifting occur in spring, from late March to mid-April. In the Bohai Rim region of Shandong, the soil covering depth in winter is 15–20 cm, whereas in western regions, it ranges from 30 to 50 cm. Soil covering operations mainly use rotary or scraper-type machinery, while soil-clearing operations rely on scraper or scraper–brush combination machinery.

(2)

Inter-row and Intra-row Weeding Techniques for Wine Grapes

Weeding in wine grape cultivation is divided into inter-row and intra-row operations. Inter-row weeding is typically performed using machinery equipped with rotary tillers or cultivators, while intra-row weeding requires machinery with automatic obstacle avoidance devices. Weeding tools include horizontal or vertical disc blades, or comb-type weeding blades. The weeding depth for inter-row operations is 10–15 cm, and for intra-row operations, it is 3–5 cm.

(3)

Fertilization Techniques for Wine Grapes

Fertilization is generally divided into two stages: basal fertilization and topdressing. Basal fertilization is performed using a trenching fertilizer applicator, combined with VRT (Variable Rate Technology) to precisely regulate the fertilizer application rate based on soil nutrient maps. This operation is typically conducted between September and October after grape harvesting, adopting side-trench fertilization at a distance of 30–40 cm from the grapevines, with a trench depth of 30–50 cm. Topdressing is mainly carried out during the grape growth period using a disc spreader or trenching fertilizer applicator, which can be equipped with a VRT system to achieve zonal variable-rate topdressing, aiming to promote plant growth and fruit development.

(4)

Plant Protection and Spraying Techniques for Wine Grapes

Plant protection and spraying in wine grape cultivation are performed using boom sprayers or air-assisted sprayers, which are selected based on the vineyard’s row spacing and operational area. These techniques are primarily used for pest and disease control, ensuring that both sides of the leaves and the stems are adequately coated with the spray solution. Uniform spray droplets and good dispersion are required. Drone operations are prohibited when wind speeds exceed level 3 or during rainy conditions.

(5)

Pruning Techniques for Wine Grapes

Pruning is mainly aimed at improving ventilation, light penetration, and controlling growth. Commonly used machinery includes reciprocating pruning machines, rotary blade pruning machines, disc blade pruning machines, and disc saw pruning machines. Based on operational efficiency, pruning machines are categorized into single-side, double-side, L-side, and gantry types, which are selected according to the vineyard’s size and technical requirements.

(6)

Harvesting Techniques for Wine Grapes

Mechanized harvesting is suitable for trellis systems such as the Geneva Double Curtain and Single Trunk Double Arm. Metal trellis frames are preferred, and harvesters generally adopt a gantry structure that spans above the trellis. High-frequency vibration is used to separate grape berries from their stems for harvesting. The operating speed should not be too high, and once the harvester is full, the grapes should be immediately transported to the wine pressing production line for initial processing.

4. Current Status of Mechanized Technology in Wine Grape Cultivation

4.1. Cold Protection Machinery for Wine Grapes

4.1.1. Characteristics of Cold Protection Techniques for Wine Grapes

China’s wine grape cultivation regions are mainly located north of the frost line, where low winter temperatures often lead to frost damage, necessitating cold protection measures. Common methods include soil covering, laying colored plastic sheets, covering with quilts, and irrigation to form ice (Figure 3). In contrast, due to geographical reasons, wine grape cultivation in foreign countries is primarily concentrated in temperate and subtropical regions, where the soil remains unfrozen year-round, eliminating the need for winter and spring soil covering and clearing operations. A review of the literature also revealed no related research reports on this topic. According to relevant studies, the most widely used method is soil covering for cold protection, which includes three approaches: complete above-ground burial, vine trench burial, and partial soil covering.

4.1.2. Machinery and Technology for Cleaning the Soil of Grapevines

Due to geographical and climatic differences, soil-clearing machinery is primarily used in northern China. After years of continuous research, the mechanized technology and equipment for soil clearing have become relatively mature. Universities and research institutions, such as the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Mechanization Sciences, Ningxia University, China Agricultural University, and Jiangsu University, have initiated a series of research projects. A variety of products have been developed, including scraper-type, brush-combination-type, rotary-brush-type, and auger-type grape soil-clearing machinery [9,10,11]. In Xinjiang, specialized machinery has been developed for clearing soil and recovering colored plastic sheets. This method involves covering the sheets with soil for winter cold protection and directly pulling up the sheets to remove the soil in spring [12]. Additionally, traditional soil-clearing machinery, to avoid damaging grapevines during operation, can only clear about 80% of the soil, leaving the remaining 20% to be removed manually. Therefore, it is generally recommended to maintain a distance of 20–30 cm from the grapevines during operation. The working principle of mechanized soil clearing is illustrated in Figure 4.

Based on different mechanical structures, soil-clearing methods can be categorized into single-row, single-side clearing; single-row, double-side clearing; and double-row, single-side clearing [13]. Ningxia Zhiyuan Agricultural Machinery Equipment Co., Ltd., Yinchuan, China, led by Chen Zhi, is one of the earliest domestic enterprises dedicated to the development of a series of soil-clearing equipment. They were the first to industrialize scraper-type soil-clearing machines (Figure 5a). These machines are tractor-hitched and operate on a single-row, single-side basis, with a supporting power of around 80 horsepower and a soil-clearing efficiency of 60%. They primarily clear soil from the sides of grapevines but face issues such as increasing soil accumulation during operation, leading to excessive power loss. China Agricultural University has also conducted in-depth research on grapevine soil-clearing machines, developing automatic obstacle-avoiding soil-clearing machines (Figure 5b) and scraper–brush combination soil-clearing machines (Figure 5c). These machines are powered by tractor rear hitches and operate on a single-row, single-side basis. The team arranged and combined different soil-clearing modules and conducted parametric testing and verification of core components such as scraper parts, brush parts, and obstacle-avoiding swing mechanisms using EDEM2020 software and orthogonal experiments. The drawback lies in the soil-clearing operation’s dependence on specific planting patterns and standardized procedures, which has hindered effective machinery promotion. The Ningxia Agricultural Mechanization Technology Promotion Station is another early research group in China focusing on soil-clearing machinery. In 2023, in collaboration with Qingdao University of Technology, they studied double-side soil-clearing equipment for wine grapes (Figure 5d). This equipment adopts a crawler self-propelled operation with a gantry structure that spans above the grape trellis. It can clear soil from both sides of the grapevines in a single operation, with an efficiency twice that of traditional tractor-towed machinery [14,15]. It is the first in China to use a vibration-based soil-clearing structure, achieving a vine injury rate of less than 5% and a soil-clearing rate of over 80%, thereby expanding the research achievements in the field of grape soil-clearing machinery; however, the bilateral soil-clearing operation has not yet incorporated vine position detection to achieve closed-loop control, indicating room for improvement in its level of intelligence.

4.1.3. Research Status of Soil Covering Machinery for Wine Grapes

Soil covering machines for wine grapes, also known as vine burial machines, primarily use mechanical devices to collect soil from between rows or plants and cover the grapevines. The depth of the soil covering depends on the local minimum temperature. Common structural forms include direct-throwing, plowing, and rotary tillage types [16]. In 1980, the Agricultural Machinery Institute of the Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences developed China’s earliest vine burial machine, model 1PM-88 (Figure 6a). This machine uses a blade to collect soil and a conveyor belt to throw it onto the grapevines, achieving a maximum soil covering depth of 30 cm. The drawback is relatively high power consumption, while the advantage lies in its simple structure that facilitates maintenance. In 2009, Beijing Modern Farm Technology Co., Ltd. (Beijing, China) developed the 10PF-90A soil-collecting shovel-type vine burial machine (Figure 6b). The soil-collecting shovel inserts into the soil at a specific angle to gather soil, which is then transported by a conveyor belt to a transverse throwing drum and thrown onto the grapevines, achieving a soil covering depth of up to 35 cm [17]. However, the transmission components of the machinery have a relatively short service life, resulting in poor economic benefits. In 2015, the Liaoning Provincial Agricultural Mechanization Research Institute developed the 3MT-5 plow-type vine burial machine (Figure 6c). It uses a plow and soil-cutting blades to break up the soil, which is then thrown onto the grapevines by a rotating impeller-type soil-discharge mechanism. The maximum soil covering thickness is about 20 cm, with a throwing width of 1 m [18]. In 2020, a team led by Yang Shuming at Ningxia University developed a conical vine burial machine [19]. This machine adopts a conical structure (Figure 6d) with conical rotary blades arranged in opposite directions for rotary tillage and soil throwing. It has a throwing distance of 90 cm and a maximum soil covering depth of 20 cm. Neither of the above two machines is suitable for soils containing excessive stones. Currently, the soil covering process has largely been mechanized. The main characteristics of these operations are high power consumption and the tendency to generate dust. Rotary-throwing devices are suitable for areas with less stone content, plowing-type devices are ideal for sandy loam soils, and rotary tillage devices have a broader range of applications, making them highly suitable for vineyards requiring large amounts of soil covering.

To reduce competition between weeds and grapevines for resources such as water, nutrients, and light, weed control is a crucial step in improving grape quality and conserving water and fertilizer. Currently, the primary method of weed control in vineyards is mechanical weeding, which is further divided into inter-row weeding and intra-row weeding. Inter-row weeding machinery is relatively mature, and inter-row weeding can be accomplished using rotary tillers or plows. However, intra-row weeding, due to the presence of trellises and vines, involves non-continuous area operations, prompting a series of studies both domestically and internationally [20,21,22,23].

4.2. Research Status of Weed Control Machinery for Wine Grapes

4.2.1. Research Status of Weed Control Machinery for Wine Grapes Abroad

Research on mechanized weed control technology for wine grapes began earlier abroad, with a series of studies on intelligent weed recognition technologies. By integrating mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and automated control systems, these technologies enable active obstacle-avoidance weeding, significantly improving operational efficiency [24,25]. Denmark’s Norremark Company (Lemvig, Denmark) developed a GPS-navigated visual obstacle-avoidance weeding machine (Figure 7a). This machine is equipped with visual motion-control sensors that direct the hoeing mechanism to perform cycloidal movements, relying on four metal rod spring teeth for rotary weeding operations [26,27,28]. This equipment is only suitable for shallow surface weeding operations in soil. Italy’s Dragone Company (Piedmont, Italy) designed a weeding machine with finger-type weeding discs (Figure 7b). The machine uses the angle formed between the discs and the ground, along with the gaps between the fingers, to complete weeding through rotation. It is also equipped with small plow blades at the front to loosen the soil around weeds, facilitating the weeding process; however, the weeding efficiency is affected by the finger gap angle and cannot achieve complete weed removal. Germany’s AGRO Company (Lower Saxony, Germany) developed a disc-type obstacle-avoidance weeding machine (Figure 7c). This machine is equipped with obstacle-avoidance weeding discs for intra-row weeding operations. Spain’s ID-David Company (Murcia, Spain) created a blade-type obstacle-avoidance weeding machine (Figure 7d). It uses a parallelogram obstacle-avoidance control mechanism to manage the rear weeding blades, which cut through the soil to complete the weeding process. The weeding performance near root systems for both machines is constrained by the detection accuracy of their obstacle-avoidance sensors.

4.2.2. Domestic Weeding Machinery for Wine Grapes

Research on weeding machines for wine grapes in China started relatively late. In recent years, some scholars have conducted a series of studies on obstacle-avoidance weeding for intra-row applications, but there have been few reports on equipment applications. Shihezi University developed an automatic obstacle-avoidance inter-row and intra-row orchard weeding machine (Figure 8a), which is capable of simultaneously weeding both inter-row and intra-row areas. The study investigated the effects of the opening angle of the obstacle-avoidance control electromagnetic hydraulic valve, forward speed, and reversing position on the weeding operation’s missed tillage rate. The intra-row missed weeding rate was 4.12%, and the obstacle-avoidance pass rate was 100% [29]. The drawback is that the division of weeding areas is limited by the working width of the equipment, requiring adjustment of operational zones according to planting patterns, resulting in relatively long pre-operation preparation time. Wang Yongshuo from the Shandong Academy of Agricultural Machinery developed a disc-type intra-row obstacle-avoidance weeding machine (Figure 8b).

The study found that when the diameter of the weeding disc was 420 mm, the average weeding coverage rate could reach 92.65% [30]. Quan Longzhe from Northeast Agricultural University researched a vertical, rotary, intelligent weeding device, which features a vertical disc-shaped weeding structure (Figure 8c). Using visual recognition technology, the device constructs protected and weeding zones to complete rotary weeding operations [31]. However, the weeding effectiveness is constrained by the rotational speed of the disc weeder blades, with lower speeds resulting in reduced weeding efficiency. Yang Pengcheng from Jiangsu University conducted research on an intra-row weeding mechanical arm (Figure 8d), designing a mechanical fuzzy PID controller to achieve the required precision for controlling the mechanical arm’s trajectory [32]. Practical operation demands high-standard cultivation norms with limited applicability.

4.3. Current Research on Mechanization of Pruning Wine Grapes

Pruning wine grapes is essential for improving ventilation and light penetration, preventing pests and diseases, and promoting balanced nutrient distribution and growth [33]. Pruning methods are categorized based on the coverage area of the pruned plants: single-side pruning, single-side plus top-side pruning, double-side pruning, and trellis pruning. Based on the structure of the pruning machinery, there are three main types: reciprocating cutter pruners, rotary cutter pruners, and circular saw pruners [34].

4.3.1. Foreign Wine Grape Pruning Machinery

Currently, intelligent pruning technology is rapidly being adopted and applied internationally, primarily integrating sensor detection technologies like visual recognition and photoelectric sensing with automation technology for grapevine pruning. Karkee at Washington State University in the U.S. developed an intelligent visual recognition platform for pruning apple tree branches (Figure 9a).

This platform uses a 3D camera (Teledyne FLIR Company in Wilsonville, OR, USA) to capture branch information and generates 3D coordinates for pruning branches based on the camera’s imaging plane. The pruning points are determined based on these coordinates and transmitted to the pruning terminal for mechanized operations. However, the system lacks in-depth research on pruning and identifying irregular branches [35]. Botterill at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand researched a grapevine pruning robot (Figure 9b). The pruning robot is integrated into a cross-moving pruning platform, and it uses artificial intelligence algorithms to control the manipulator’s path planning and decide which vines to prune. However, the pruning efficiency needs further validation [36]. In France, Millot developed a grapevine pruning robot called Wall-Ye (Figure 9c), which operates on wheels and uses environmental sensing and visual recognition to prune grape branches, achieving a maximum efficiency of pruning 600 grapevines per day [37]. These technical devices commonly employ vision recognition and positioning algorithms for pruning operations using robotic arms, with the drawback that pruning efficiency cannot be effectively enhanced during large-scale operations.

4.3.2. Domestic Research on Mechanized Pruning of Wine Grapes

China has seen rapid development in mechanized grapevine pruning technology and equipment. Various universities and research institutes have conducted extensive research on pruning equipment, ranging from single-side to double-side pruning, developing primarily reciprocating and rotary cutter pruning equipment [38,39,40]. In related studies, Huang Biao and others at South China University of Technology conducted research on visual recognition and frame extraction technology for pruning robots, achieving a branch recognition accuracy rate of 91.2% through brightness conversion of the acquired images [41]. Guilin at China Agricultural University conducted structural design and analysis research on a five-degree-of-freedom pruning robot. This pruner uses a circular saw blade and has a pruning range of 0–2 m, laying the foundation for multi-degree-of-freedom pruning robot research [42]. Jia Tingmeng at Zhejiang University of Technology researched the pruning point positioning method for a grapevine winter pruning robot. For the single-pole double-arm planting mode, a CCD monocular camera (SONY Corporation in Tokyo, Japan) was used to capture color images of grapevines, and a pruning point positioning algorithm was developed based on the bud point information in the images [43]. In summary, cutting-edge technologies focusing on visual recognition and intelligent algorithms are gradually being explored and applied in the development of pruning machines, with double-side pruning and trellis pruning becoming the main methods to enhance pruning efficiency.

4.4. Current Research on Mechanization of Fertilizing Wine Grapes

Fertilizing grapevines is a crucial step in enhancing grape yield. To ensure quality and pollution-free production, trench fertilization methods, including strip and point fertilization, are widely used both domestically and internationally. These methods are primarily categorized based on the type of trenching equipment used: moldboard plow trenching, disc blade trenching, spiral trenching, and chain trenching [44]. Modern technologies such as visual recognition and variable rate fertilization have been integrated into the control systems [45].

4.4.1. International Research on Mechanized Fertilizing of Wine Grapes

Internationally, fertilization machinery is progressing towards intelligence, integration, and automation. Technologies like GPS navigation, laser scanning, and variable rate fertilization are widely applied in the field of grapevine fertilization machinery [46]. Astrand and colleagues in Sweden developed a robotic visual navigation system that can achieve precise equipment navigation under closed-loop control, identifying and fertilizing crops at high speeds. However, this system is only suitable for crops planted in orderly rows, with significantly reduced navigation accuracy in disorganized planting environments [47,48]. In the realm of visual navigation and integrated control in agricultural machinery, Sakai from Kyoto University and Kazunobu from Hokkaido University have applied advanced technologies such as machine vision, neural networks, genetic algorithms, and fuzzy control to ensure efficient fertilization operations [49,50]. The ZA-M series variable fertilization system developed by Germany’s AMAZONE uses photoelectric scanning to gather crop growth characteristic information. The hydraulic drive module adjusts the working speed and width of the fertilizing disc based on the fertilizer requirements of different plant areas, achieving precise variable rate fertilization in the field [51,52].

4.4.2. Domestic Research on Mechanized Fertilizing of Wine Grapes

Since the 1990s, China has gradually emphasized the development of trench fertilization machinery for grapevines, with moldboard plow trenching and disc blade trenching being more common [53]. In recent years, the application of machine vision fertilization, variable rate fertilization, and unmanned fertilization technology has become a new direction in the development of grapevine fertilization technology and equipment. Xinhua Zhu and colleagues at Northwest A&F University researched a ring-trench fertilization method and equipment using the principle of spiral trenching (Figure 10a), achieving precise and efficient fertilization [54]. Yichuan He and colleagues at Shihezi University used EDEM for discrete element analysis and field experiments to study factors affecting the accuracy of variable rate fertilization, and they identified the fertilizer drop rate as the main influencing factor [55]. Ruohong Song at Shandong Agricultural University improved the tracking-control algorithm based on PID fuzzy control and developed an unmanned control system for trench fertilization, resulting in an unmanned fertilization system (Figure 10b) that achieves path planning, path tracking, and automatic fertilization operations [56].

In summary, the integration of sensor detection technologies (such as visual recognition and photoelectric scanning to identify and analyze the nutritional status of grape leaves) with mechanical trenching methods (such as moldboard plow and disc blade trenching) and intelligent control methods (such as fuzzy algorithms, controllable variable rate fertilization, path planning, and cloud computing) constitutes the forefront of research in the mechanization of fertilizing wine grapes.

4.5. Mechanization of Plant Protection for Wine Grapes

Plant protection machinery for wine grapes is primarily divided into ground-based and aerial plant protection equipment, with aerial plant protection mainly utilizing rotary-wing drones for spraying operations. To ensure uniform adhesion of the pesticide on the leaves and to improve control efficiency, ground-based plant protection methods are predominantly used. These methods include air-assisted spraying, variable-rate spraying, electrostatic spraying, targeted spraying, and recirculating spraying technologies.

4.5.1. International Research on Mechanized Plant Protection for Wine Grapes

The development of plant protection machinery for wine grapes abroad is relatively mature, with suspended and towed types being the most common. These are primarily medium to large-sized plant protection machines that span across grape trellises. They mainly consist of fans, folding arms, hydraulic pumps, fans, and spray nozzles. Air-assisted spraying technology and circulating spray technology are widely applied in plant protection equipment. Common machinery is shown in

Table 1. Foreign main wine grape plant protection machinery.

Machine Type	Manufacturing Brand	Outline Structure	Technical Characteristics
Og-nvm type traction sprayer	LIPCO Company in Sasbach, Germany		The system operates in a single-row mode, equipped with a unilateral cross-flow fan, featuring a 1000 L tank capacity, a working width of 2.4 m, and a maximum adaptable height of 3.5 m.
VVE-BAS1000 traction sprayer	AGRICOLMECCANICA Srl Company, Torvisosa, Italy		The dual-row operation system features a 1160 L chemical tank and is equipped with four 1.75 m-high stainless steel recirculation screens for drift prevention and liquid recovery and reuse.
Oxbo 640 multi-line sprayer	OXBO Company in Byron Town, NY, USA		The system is equipped with 4 sets of spraying units, each comprising 16 high-pressure atomizing nozzles and an independent air-assisted delivery system, enabling simultaneous operation across four grape rows with a 3406 L chemical tank capacity.
BOBARD Ecoair540 hanging folding arm sprayer	BLISS Ecospray Company in Boulogne-Biancourt, France		The system employs counter-flow air compression spraying technology, enabling simultaneous plant protection operations across six grape rows while effectively addressing uneven spray distribution caused by laminar airflow.

.

Several institutions abroad have conducted related research, primarily focusing on variable-rate spraying technology and electrostatic spraying technology, aiming to improve the adhesion strength and amount of liquid pesticides [57,58,59]. The University of Morocco’s Pascuzzi developed an air-assisted electrostatic sprayer, which generates a series of electrostatically charged fine droplets whose trajectories are guided and controlled by an electrostatic field, enabling rapid deposition and adhesion of the liquid to the leaves while effectively reducing spray drift [60]. The Mediterranean University of Technology’s E. Gil developed a variable-rate algorithm controller based on LiDAR sensing detection technology, with results showing a linear relationship between the canopy cross-sectional area and the spraying flow rate, demonstrating the feasibility of adjusting the amount of liquid applied based on the target geometry [61].

4.5.2. Domestic Research on Mechanized Plant Protection for Wine Grapes

In China, air-assisted foldable sprayers are the most widely used for wine grape plant protection. In 2016, Ningxia initiated a provincial-level research project on mechanized technology for wine grapes, conducting a series of studies through university–industry collaboration. Institutions like China Agricultural University, Ningxia University, and Jiangsu University developed a series of plant protection machinery for wine grapes (

Table 2. Ningxia wine grape project to develop grape spray machine.

Machine Type	Outline Structure	Technical Characteristics
3WJF-500 knapsack targeting precision omnidirectional air feed spraying machine		The dual-row operation system has an extended working width of 6 m, a lifting height of 2.6 m, 4 spray rows, and a chemical tank capacity of 2 m3.
3WSX-800 hanging air feed spraying machine		The system utilizes an annular spray air duct with a spraying width of 10 m and a chemical tank capacity of 0.8 m3.
3WSQ-1500 traction air feed spraying machine		The system features a tower-type spray air duct with a spraying width of 10 m and a chemical tank capacity of 0.6 m3.
3WFX-400 knapsack folding all-directional windproof spray machine		The system utilizes windproof spray nets for pesticide application, with a lifting height of 2 m, working width of 6 m, 4 spraying rows, and a chemical tank capacity of 1 m3.

), which primarily focuses on air-assisted sprayers and conducting research on air-assisted electrostatic spray heads and spraying systems [62,63,64,65].

In terms of research progress, Weidong Jia and others from Jiangsu University conducted design and experimental research on a backpack electrostatic sprayer. This system uses the principle of a contact electrostatic sprayer powered by a battery. The positive electrode of the electrostatic generator is grounded, and the liquid is charged negatively through a wire connected to the spray pipeline, forming negatively charged droplets through the atomization of the nozzle. The electrostatic field formed by the positive and negative charges causes the liquid to move directionally [66]; however, the working width is constrained by charge drift effects. Longlong Li and others from Beijing Agricultural University developed an automatic profiling variable-rate sprayer. Based on the tree canopy contour, a laser scanning sensor scans and segments the fruit tree canopy. The PWM intermittent variable-rate spraying technology adjusts the nozzle spray volume, and a brushless DC fan adjusts the air volume, providing a theoretical calculation method for local adjustment of air and spray volumes [67]. Linyun Xu and others from Nanjing Forestry University researched an automatic target spraying control system, comparing and analyzing ultrasonic, infrared, and LiDAR sensor detection systems. The experiment showed that infrared detection sensors are greatly affected by external visible light, ultrasonic sensors are unstable due to detection distance, and LiDAR sensors have the advantages of fast response, good directionality, and stable operation [68]. Weimin Ding from Nanjing Agricultural University researched methods for measuring fruit tree canopy volume using machine vision. A CCD vision sensor in a digital camera collects images of the fruit tree canopy. Through image processing algorithms, the canopy image area features are obtained, and the least squares method and five-point parameter calibration method are used to obtain the correlation model between canopy area and volume. Field tests showed an average error of about 11.9% [69].

In summary, wine grape plant protection technology focuses on the detection and reconstruction of fruit tree canopy structures. Research has been conducted on detection technologies and combined detection technologies such as machine vision, LiDAR, ultrasound, and infrared light. Based on fruit tree canopy model segmentation and automation technology, research directions have been formed for variable air volume, variable liquid volume, target spraying, and electrostatic spraying technologies and equipment [70,71,72], laying the foundation for the development of grape plant protection technology.

4.6. Current Research on Mechanization of Harvesting Wine Grapes

Harvesting machines for wine grapes are highly automated and technically complex. They require research tailored to specific planting patterns. While international research began earlier, domestic research on wine grape harvesting equipment is relatively limited.

4.6.1. International Research on Mechanized Harvesting of Wine Grapes

In 1963, New Holland Corporation of the United States developed the world’s first grape harvester [73]. Countries like Italy, Germany, and France have also developed corresponding harvesting machinery. These machines are typically self-propelled harvesters that span across grape trellises, using mechanical vibration to separate the grapes from the stems, completing the harvesting process (

Table 3. Foreign main wine grape harvesting machinery.

Machine Type	Manufacturing Brand	Outline Structure	Technical Characteristics
BRAUD9090X self-propelled grape harvester	The NEW HOLLAND Company in New Holland Town, PE, USA		The machine adopts a straddle-type mechanical structure with a flexible rocker vibration separation device, featuring a collection hopper capacity of 3200 L, maximum working width of 3.13 m, and maximum ground clearance of 2.8 m.
OXBO 6030 self-propelled grape harvester	OXBO Company in Byron Town, NY, USA		The machine employs a straddle-type mechanical structure with an air separation and impurity removal system, featuring a collection hopper capacity of 3000 L and a ground clearance of 3 m.
7200XV self-propelled grape harvester	ERO Company in Simmern, Germany		The machine features autonomous programmable harvesting capability with a collection hopper capacity of 2200 L, minimum harvesting height of 15 cm, and ground clearance of 2.8 m.
TRS30 traction grape harvester	ALMA Company in Parma, Italy		The machine operates via tractor traction, requiring a matching power of over 150 horsepower. It is equipped with two stainless steel collection hoppers (one on each side) with individual capacities of 1500 L, and maintains a ground clearance of 3 m.

). Additionally, for smaller vineyards, trailed and suspended grape harvesters have been developed. These machines have certain power requirements and are generally pulled by high-clearance tractors or side-mounted tractors.

4.6.2. Domestic Research on Mechanized Harvesting of Wine Grapes

In recent years, domestic research on wine grape harvesting machinery has been conducted. However, due to factors such as vineyard planting patterns and grape varieties, mechanized harvesting equipment and technology for wine grapes have only been studied and applied in a few regions. Research in this field is limited, with only Shihezi University and China Agricultural University conducting related studies. In China, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps has taken the lead in applying wine grape harvesters. These harvesters use SDC vibration system technology to directly separate impurities mixed with the grapes while protecting the fruit trees and vines [74]; however, no research has been conducted on the grape damage rate. Li Chao from China Agricultural University conducted research on the mechanism and device of flexible combing for wine grape threshing. Experiments were carried out on three types of threshing devices: bow-tooth, plate-tooth, and saw-tooth. The results showed that the damage rate increased linearly with the operating speed for bow-tooth and plate-tooth devices, while the saw-tooth device exhibited low breakage rates and strong threshing capabilities [75]. Only prototype studies were conducted, without practical application. Li Chengsong from Shihezi University conducted research on the vibration-harvesting components of wine grape harvesters. He proposed that the design of vibration-harvesting components should modify the shape of the rib structure and reposition the driving part to adapt to domestic planting patterns. Yang Lantao and Wang Lihong from Shihezi University developed the 4PZ-1 self-propelled wine grape harvester. This machine adopts a fully hydraulic-driven gantry structure (Figure 11) spanning above the grapevines to complete the harvesting of wine grapes [76]. The research team developed China’s first grape harvester using SDC vibration harvesting technology, but did not conduct further studies on harvest efficiency rate.

5. Analysis on the Development of Wine Grape Production Mechanization Technology in China

5.1. Practical Basis of Wine Grape Production Mechanization

(1)

Diverse Types of Mechanized Planting Equipment

Currently, wine grape cultivation in China has shown a trend toward large-scale operations. Mature vineyards require intensive operations and improved efficiency during critical agricultural seasons to enhance grape quality. Therefore, there is a demand for highly automated machinery, especially essential equipment such as pruning machines, weeding machines, plant protection machines, and cold protection machinery. According to statistics, from spring soil clearing and vine lifting to winter soil covering for cold protection, seven stages require at least ten different types of equipment. For initial vineyard establishment, the number of equipment types exceeds fifteen, with fixed equipment investments exceeding CNY 600,000. The variety of equipment and complex operational procedures make wine grape cultivation a high-entry-barrier industry. Additionally, winter cold protection operations indirectly increase planting costs, affecting the competitiveness of Chinese wine grapes in the global market. Therefore, reducing the types of mechanized equipment and improving technological levels have become key development directions.

(2)

Cumbersome Winter Cold Protection Operations

Although China’s wine grape industry is located along the golden production line at 38° north latitude, wine grape cultivation is mainly concentrated in northern regions such as Xinjiang, Ningxia, and Shandong, where winter soil covering and spring soil clearing are required. Compared to countries in Europe and America, this adds two additional operational steps. Despite efforts by domestic universities and research institutions to develop machinery for cold protection, current soil-clearing equipment can only complete about 80% of the work, with the remaining 20% relying on manual labor. In spring, grapevine buds are highly susceptible to damage, and current soil-clearing equipment, which uses scraping, rotary, and sweeping methods, still involves physical contact, risking vine damage. While wind-blown methods avoid contact with vines, strong winds in northern regions during spring can cause environmental issues. Although technologies such as LiDAR and ultrasonic detection have been explored to detect and model vines in the soil, enabling closed-loop control of soil-clearing machinery to avoid vine damage, the complex shapes of vines in the soil require specialized data models and significant effort. Additionally, the development of specialized, flexible soil-clearing devices is needed, but the market conversion rate remains low, and operational effectiveness requires further verification.

(3)

Increasing Demands for Planting Models and Technical Levels

As wine grapes are perennial crops, large-scale cultivation must consider not only the convenience of mechanized operations but also the extensibility of future planting. Based on regional and yield statistics, wine grape cultivation mainly adopts trellis systems, with over ten types of trellis structures (e.g., single-arm, double-arm) and more than five vine shapes (e.g., single-trunk, “厂”-shaped). Different trellis structures and vine shapes have varying requirements for cold protection, pruning, and harvesting, making regional standardization difficult. Additionally, high technical requirements are needed. For example, soil covering machinery often uses rotary throwing methods, which require strict control of stone content in fields. Pruning operations require level trellis structures and walkways for stable and efficient pruning. Intra-row weeding has minimum soil clearance requirements near vines and trellis roots. Harvesting machinery has specific height and width requirements for trellises, currently only suitable for trellis and Geneva Double Curtain systems. Although intelligent technologies such as automatic obstacle avoidance, visual recognition, and photoelectric detection have been applied, significant benefits and user feedback are yet to be seen.

(4)

Incomplete Industry Management and Technical Standards

China’s research in wine grape machinery started relatively late. The industry involves high automation, complex structures, and multiple fields, with full mechanization covering 9 stages and 27 types of machinery. In recent years, the integration of intelligent, information, and cloud technologies has formed new research directions such as visual recognition, precise obstacle avoidance, path planning, electrostatic spraying, variable-rate fertilization, multi-degree-of-freedom control, and convolutional neural networks. The increasing variety of machinery necessitates the establishment of comprehensive industry standards and operational quality evaluation norms to enhance industry competitiveness. However, the absence of industry management and technical standards reaches 70%, highlighting issues of incompleteness and inconsistency. Currently, only Ningxia and Yantai in China have joined the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV). International quality constraint systems do not fully cover all domestic grape-growing regions, limiting their role in improving wine grape product quality and reducing production costs. In the increasingly competitive international environment, the establishment and improvement of standards and management have become critical.

(5)

Full mechanization remains difficult to achieve in wine grape cultivation

While mechanization has significantly improved production efficiency, technical bottlenecks still exist in key agronomic operations. Although 80% of the soil covering can be mechanically removed, manual clearing is still needed near the vines to avoid damage. Shoot positioning and tying cannot be fully mechanized due to different trellis systems and shoot growth characteristics, as machines cannot match manual flexibility. For weed control, mechanical operations near vines may damage roots, limiting full mechanization. While mechanical harvesting is widely used, manual picking is still required in special terrains and high-quality vineyards. These bottlenecks mainly come from grapevine biological characteristics, complex agronomic requirements, and environmental variability. Future improvements require innovations in smart sensing and precision control technologies, combined with optimized agronomic practices, to enhance mechanization adaptability and achieve full mechanization breakthroughs.

5.2. Prospects for the Development of Mechanized Technology in Wine Grape Production

(1)

Accelerate the Integration of Advanced Technologies with Traditional Equipment

Currently, wine grape machinery primarily relies on mechanical and hydraulic transmission technologies, achieving a breakthrough from scratch. However, the large-scale application of advanced intelligent and automated technologies is still in its early stages. To improve the mechanization of wine grape production, soil-clearing operations should accelerate the application of LiDAR detection technology for identifying buried vines. Pruning operations should enhance the use of visual recognition technology for canopy segmentation. Weeding operations should integrate path planning and precise obstacle avoidance technologies. Plant protection operations should advance the application of electrostatic, targeted, variable-rate, and circulating spray technologies to reduce pesticide use and residues. Additionally, the development of key mechanical structures must be strengthened, applying modern design methods and advanced control theories to maximize the value of integrating intelligent and automated technologies with traditional machinery.

(2)

Build a Comprehensive Mechanized Technology System for Wine Grape Cultivation

Promote the development of fully mechanized equipment for wine grape cultivation, tailoring machinery to different regional conditions and establishing comprehensive mechanized technology models. Create demonstration zones to address the lack of suitable machinery and operational challenges, particularly in wine grape harvesting. Focus on domesticating core technologies such as vibration separation devices and collection conveyor systems to catch up with international advancements. Additionally, prioritize the adaptation and integration of agronomic practices with mechanical equipment to enhance modern wine grape management. Achieve a balance between yield, cost, and management by aligning machinery operations (e.g., cold protection, weeding, plant protection, pruning, harvesting) with agronomic parameters such as soil stone content, planting spacing, field levelness, and vine training systems.

(3)

Enhance the Integration of Intelligent and Information Technologies

With the increasing application of positioning and navigation, smart sensing, cloud control, and autonomous driving technologies in grape machinery, the comprehensive scheduling of agricultural machinery and the management of seasonal operations will be significantly improved. The complementary advantages of block-based operations during critical seasons will become more pronounced, enabling large-scale wine grape cultivation to address the equipment shortages of small and medium-sized growers through resource sharing. Furthermore, accelerate the application of intelligent control technologies in fully mechanized equipment. Develop and train AI database models for wine grape cultivation and establish algorithms for detecting vine positions, canopy density, weed types, pest identification, and fruit maturity. This will enable the integration of intelligent perception and information decision-making.

(4)

Conduct Research on Multifunctional Composite Equipment for Wine Grapes

As various intelligent and information technologies continue to evolve, efforts should be made to upgrade and simplify traditional machinery, reducing the reliance on multiple power and operational machines in large-scale cultivation. Based on multifunctional agricultural technology, streamline and reduce the weight of traditional machinery, gradually replacing tractor-based PTO power systems. To improve operational efficiency, develop multifunctional high-clearance platforms with variable power output, utilizing hydraulic transmission, electrical automation, and computer control technologies to reduce dependence on traditional machinery. Design quick-attach functional modules for soil clearing, pruning, weeding, and plant protection to replace tractor-powered equipment. Apply intelligent recognition and feedback-based closed-loop control technologies on multifunctional platforms to reduce the number of machines required in large vineyards, improve operational quality, and achieve cost savings and efficiency gains.

(5)

Mechanization Drives Sustainable Development in Vineyards

The technological advancement of mechanization in grape cultivation is evolving towards intelligent, precise, and sustainable development. With the acceleration of agricultural modernization, mechanization technology is expanding from single operational processes to the entire industry chain, demonstrating significant potential in key areas such as land preparation, cultivation management, and harvesting and transportation. Future technological progress will focus on three key dimensions: first, the deep application of intelligent equipment, including machine vision-based automatic pruning systems, unmanned operation platforms, and IoT-based environmental monitoring systems; second, the coordinated innovation of agronomy and agricultural machinery, improving mechanical adaptability through standardized planting models and machine-friendly cultivar breeding; and third, the integration of green production technologies, such as environmentally friendly practices like biomass incorporation and precision pesticide application. Current major constraints include insufficient adaptability to complex terrains, high technical barriers in ensuring fresh produce quality, and imperfect coordination mechanisms across the entire industry chain. In the long term, with the deep integration of new-generation information technologies like 5G and artificial intelligence with agricultural equipment, grape cultivation mechanization will achieve a qualitative leap from labor substitution to intelligent decision-making, providing core support for improving industry efficiency and sustainable development, ultimately driving the comprehensive transformation of traditional grape cultivation models into modern precision agriculture.

6. Conclusions

The full mechanization of wine grape cultivation has become an essential pathway for the rapid development of this industry. Given that the wine grape industry in China is located north of 38° N latitude, winter frost protection for the grapes is necessary. Therefore, the full mechanization process encompasses seven stages: soil clearing, soil covering, weeding, pruning, plant protection, fertilization, and harvesting. Through leveraging various sensors and detection technologies, the application of grape cultivation machinery has evolved to incorporate laser radar detection, visual recognition, path planning, variable spraying, and electrostatic spraying—an integration of mechanical and electronic technologies that enhances operational efficiency and reduces production costs. In conclusion, alongside strengthening traditional equipment and technologies that rely on hydraulic and mechanical control, it is crucial to accelerate the adoption of intelligent and information-driven technologies. This involves establishing comprehensive databases for various forms of grapevines, fruit, and branches, and refining models to lay the groundwork for intelligent technology advancement. Additionally, there should be a focus on developing multi-functional machinery, composite operation equipment, and autonomous intelligent equipment to reduce the total number of mechanized tools in the planting process, enhance the integration of agricultural machinery and agronomic techniques, and standardize cultivation and operational modes. This will provide a solid foundation and technical support for the large-scale mechanized production of the wine grape industry.