Technical and Economic Efficiency of Vine Pruning: Results of Experimental Trials of Some Cultivars of Grapevine Grown in Sicily and Determination of Break-even Point

Filippo Sgroi

Department of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, 90128, Italy

Federico Modica

Department of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, 90128, Italy

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36956/rwae.v4i4.931

Received: 22 August 2023; Received in revised form: 28 October 2023; Accepted: 2 November 2023; Published: 14 November 2023

Copyright © 2023 Filippo Sgroi, Federico Modica. Published by Nan Yang Academy of Sciences Pte. Ltd.

Creative Commons LicenseThis is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.


Abstract

The research presents the results carried out on Sicilian viticulture in order to study the economic sustainability of the agricultural company. In particular, the author examined the operation of dry pruning and tying of the fruiting head in espalier vineyards with tools that facilitate the work. The economic analysis highlights that equipping yourself with mechanical tools that facilitate work is convenient for both large and small wineries. The results of the research highlight that the investment to facilitate pruning and tying in Guyot-trained vineyards can also be made by wine-growing companies and is increasingly convenient as the area under vines involved increases.

Keywords: Vineyard pruning; Production cost; Competitive advantage


References

[1] ISTAT, 2022. General Census of Agriculture. Roma. Available from: https://7censimentoagricoltura.it/

[2] Bruni, L., Santori, P., 2022. The illusion of merit and the demons of economic meritocracy: Which are the legitimate expectations of the market? Journal of Business Ethics. 176, 415-427. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-020-04727-7

[3] Bruni, L., 2021. The economics of values, ideals and organizations. The Economics of Values. Ideals and Organizations. Routledge Focus: London. pp. 1-102. Available from: https://api.pageplace.de/preview/DT0400.9781000393552_A40919007/preview-9781000393552_A40919007.pdf

[4] Tidd, J., Bessant, J.R., 2014. Strategic innovation management. Wiley: Hoboken.

[5] Sgroi, F., 2022. The role of blockchain for food safety and market efficiency. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research. 9, 100326. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafr.2022.100326

[6] Ganesh Kumar, C., Murugaiyan, P., Madanmohan, G., 2017. Agri-food supply chain management: Literature review. Intelligent Information Management. 9, 68-96. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4236/iim.2017.92004

[7] Trestini, S., Pomarici, E., Giampietri, E., 2017. Around the economic sustainability of Italian viticulture: Do farm strategies tackle income risks? Quality—Access to Success. 18, 461-467. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315768201_Around_the_economic_sustainability_of_italian_viticulture_Do_farm_strategies_tackle_income_risks

[8] Rodriguez, M.A., Ricart, J.E., Sanchez, P., 2002. Sustainable development and the sustainability of competitive advantage: A dynamic and sustainable view of the firm. Creativity and Innovation Management. 11(3), 135-146. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8691.00246

[9] Tafa, S., Ijila, O.J., Obi, A., et al., 2021. Farm level cost-benefit analysis: the evaluation of economics of conservation agriculture in Bergville Town in Kwa-zulu Natal Province of South Africa. Agricultural Science Digest. 41(4), 542-547. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18805/ag.D-282

[10] Zhou, Y.L., Lu, B.F., 2012. Study on agricultural mechanization in rural population and environment impact. Advanced Materials Research. 524, 3451-3454. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.524-527.3451

[11] Donia, E., Mineo, A.M., Sgroi, F., 2018. A methodological approach for assessing businness investments in renewable resources from a circular economy perspective. Land Use Policy. 76, 823-827. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2018.03.017

[12] Sgroi, F., 2020. Business choices, risk management and distortions in the wine market in the European Union. Journal of Wine Research. 31(2), 141-151. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09571264.2020.1723071

[13] Sgroi, F., 2022. Circular economy and environmental protection. AIMS Environmental Science. 9(2). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3934/environsci.2022009

[14] Scuderi, A., Timpanaro, G., La Via, et al., 2022. The innovation strategy for citrus crop prediction using rough set theory. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems. 236, 403-412. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-2380-6_35

[15] Sgroi, F., 2022. Evaluating of the sustainability of complex rural ecosystems during the transition from agricultural villages to tourist destinations and modern agri-food systems. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research. 9, 100330. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafr.2022.100330

[16] Sgroi, F. 2023. Precision agriculture and competitive advantage: Economic efficiency of the mechanized harvesting of Chardonnay and Nero d’Avola grapes. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research. 14, 100774. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafr.2023.100774

[17] Pezzi, F., Martelli, R., 2015. Technical and economic evaluation of mechanical grape harvesting in flat and hill vineyards. Transactions of the ASABE. 58(2), 297-303. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13031/trans.58.10997

[18] Sgroi, F., Sciancalepore, V.D., 2022. Climate change and risk management policies in viticulture. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research. 10, 100363. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafr.2022.100363

[19] Sgroi, F., 2022. Vineyard irrigation and assessment of ecosystem service: Experimental trials on “Catarratto” cultivar for the production of “Bianco di Alcamo” DOC wine. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research. 9, 100333. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafr.2022.100333

[20] Flores, S.S., Medeiros, R.M.V., 2019. A framework proposal for sustainability management in wine industry. International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development. 13(3-4), 348-375. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1504/IJISD.2019.100422

[21] Sgroi, F., Di Trapani, A.M., Testa, R., et al., 2014. Strategy to increase the farm competitiveness. American Journal of Agricultural and Biological Science. 9(3), 394-400. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3844/ajabssp.2014.394.400

Online ISSN: 2737-4785, Print ISSN: 2737-4777, Published by Nan Yang Academy of Sciences Pte. Ltd.