TY - JOUR AU - Johnson, Lee AU - Lobitz, Brad AU - Armstrong, Roy AU - Baldy, Richard AU - Weber, Ed AU - De Benedictis, John AU - Bosch, Daniel TI - Airborne imaging aids vineyard canopy evaluation JF - California Agriculture JO - Calif Agr Y1 - 1996/07/01 VL - 50 IS - 4 SP - 14 EP - 18 PB - University of California Agriculture and Nature Resources SN - 0008-0845 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.3733/ca.v050n04p14 L3 - 10.3733/ca.v050n04p14 AB - During the 1993 and 1994 growing seasons, airborne digital sensors were used to collect visible and near-infrared images of phylloxera-infested vineyards near Oakville in Napa County. Computerized processing enhanced the information content of the images with respect to leaf area of the canopy. Processed image values were strongly related to ground measurements of vine pruning weight and leaf area made within a 12-acre study site. The images were useful for mapping patterns of leaf area throughout the site and in surrounding vineyards, and for assessing year-to-year changes in canopy. The vineyard manager found the imagery valuable in planning for replacement of phylloxera-infested fields, managing for crop uniformity and segregating grapes of differing quality during harvest. This tool was particularly useful in evaluating and managing newly acquired property.