Etichettatura elettronica delle barbatelle per la tracciabilità nel settore vivaistico-viticolo: prove in pre- e post-innesto

The RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology has been used since several years for identification and traceability of various products. In the grapevine nursery, the storage of data in a field log is an essential step in the plant production process, therefore the application of the RFID technology in the grapevine nursery has been studied. The insertion of RFID tags (microchip) in grafted and ungrafted cuttings would allow to store and retrieve a large quantity of data concerning the single plant, including the actual application of hot water treatment against phytoplasma diseases. In March 2011, microchips (0,21 x 1,20 cm) were inserted in the pith of two types of grapevine (Vitis spp.) propagation materials: grafted cuttings (a) and grafted rootlings (b), subjected or non-subjected to the hot water treatment (50°C for 45'). In (a) the microchips were inserted in the rootstock cuttings (Kober 5BB and S.O.4) after direct drilling of pith, before grafting the cuttings with scions of 'Barbera' and 'White Muscat'. In (b) the microchips were inserted in grafted rootlings of three 'Nebbiolo' clones, a few cm below the grafting point, through a "U" cut performed laterally by a specially designed machine. Tags could be read through a palmtop computer and an appropriate software program allowed managing the stored data. After one year-cultivation in the nursery, the grafted cuttings (a) were planted in a vineyard in spring 2012. In the 2013 summer the tagging accuracy (readable microchips) was still good (90-100 %) The grafted rootlings (b) were planted in vineyard in spring 2011. In the 2013 summer more than 80% microchips were still readable. In conclusion, the electronic tagging of grapevine propagation materials proved technically feasible.