RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 A Device Enabling Fully Automated Water-Deficit Experiments with Potted Grapevines JF American Journal of Enology and Viticulture JO Am J Enol Vitic. FD American Society for Enology and Viticulture SP 251 OP 255 DO 10.5344/ajev.2014.14109 VO 66 IS 2 A1 Stefano Poni A1 Marco Galbignani A1 Fabio Bernizzoni A1 Maria Inmaculada Talaverano A1 Eugenio Magnanini YR 2015 UL http://www.ajevonline.org/content/66/2/251.abstract AB Here, we describe a novel device for programming and replenishing water transpired by potted plants. To test the robustness of the system, vines were subjected to progressive water stress (WS), the severity of which was maintained in relation to transpiration (Tc) of well-watered (WW) plants. Throughout the 40-day experiment, water supply in the WS treatment was progressively lowered to 70, 50, and 30% of WW Tc prior to rewatering. During the same stages, mean Tc of WS plants was 74, 48, 28, and 93% that of WW plants. Linear relationships between vine transpiration and water supply during the 40-day experiment (R2 = 0.95 for WW and 0.94 for WS) confirmed the reliability of the system in providing a water supply that closely tracked measured transpiration. The emptying volume of the cylinder tank was set at 265 mL and proved to be adequate for daily water losses, which ranged from ~300 to 2300 mL. In addition to relieving operators of laborious and time-consuming manual irrigation, the system provides the ability to adjust water supply to actual water use as measured concurrently in a grapevine-enclosure system and enables customization of the water supply according to the size and transpiration potential of each vine.