Tractors in the production of grapes for fine wines

The production of high-standard fine wines requires rigorous care, from the choice of land to the final storage of the product. In this context, we evaluate how mechanization and tractors are inserted in this scenario within the Miolo Winery, one of the most renowned and awarded in Brazil

As has been common in recent editions, the Cultivar Máquinas and Cultivar Vegetables and Fruits Magazines present another field test with an agricultural machine, inserted into a production system. And it's not just any system, it's about high-standard viticulture, for the production of grapes for fine wines from one of the most renowned and awarded wineries in Brazil, Vinícola Miolo.

To learn about the application of LS tractors in the wine grape production system, the team traveled to the region of Campanha gaúcha or Pampa gaúcho, in the southeast of Rio Grande do Sul, specifically to the city of Candiota, close to Bagé. 

The city is traditionally known for being the birthplace of the Battle of Seival, in which the Farroupilha army and the imperial army were involved in 1836, resulting in the proclamation of the Farroupilha Republic.

The region is a regional reference in coal-based energy production and cement production. However, agricultural activities, including viticulture, became important due to the presence of several companies in the region and the production of fine grapes and wine.

Specifically, the company visited and in which we appreciated the work of the LS R60 cab tractor was Miolo Seival, a traditional producer of fine wines, which are among the best in the country.

Production system

The grape production system in the company and in the region is espalier planting. In this system, different from the trellis system, traditionally used in the Serra Gaúcha region, the plant canopy is established and develops vertically, supported and guided by means of a fence formed by posts and wires. The great advantages of the system are the quality of aeration, insolation and the possibility of mechanization of almost all stages of development. At Miolo Seival Winery, the traditional spacing used is 3m between rows and 1,2m between plants, with support platforms every six meters. 

However, in recent years the new areas began to use a spacing of 2,2m x 1,20m, enabling better use of the area, which went from 3.300 linear meters of plants to 4.700 linear meters in the new implementations. The platforms are 1,80m above the ground and have four wires with different heights for guiding the vines according to the needs of each variety. With the reduction of space between rows of plants and increasing mechanization, the use of special tractors with reduced wheel gauges is required.

At the time we were carrying out the test, the company was in the most intense work period, which lasts until harvest. Work peaks are established at extremes, because during dormancy, when there is less work intensity, only the work of four or five tractors is consumed and there is no need to hire additional labor. However, in the vegetative phase, the cycle consumes the work of 13 tractors, and in addition to permanent labor, it is necessary to hire people from the region to help with the intense work.

The main and most frequent mechanized operations for production are mowing, the application of herbicides and plant protection products. The mowing is done between the rows and then complemented with the application of herbicide in the row region, as a result of which the soil is covered with organic material, but very clean. As is widely known, fungicides are vital in grapevines to prevent the proliferation of fungi that reduce production and depreciate the fruits. Fungi are specific to each season and, at the time of our visit, the concern was anthracnose and in spring/summer the problem is mildew.

Another important activity is pruning, which is carried out in the autumn, starting in May and the rest of the winter, with the aim of leaving two to three branches per plant, consuming up to 15 people for this stage alone.

The harvest begins in the second week of January with the earliest varieties, mainly destined for sparkling wines. The later varieties are harvested from March 15th, destined for cellaring wines. The harvesting operation has been carried out mechanized since 2014, when a machine imported from Europe was purchased. Currently, it represents between 60% and 85% of all production, while manual harvesting represents between 15% and 40%. These percentage variations result from the analysis carried out before the harvest and the winemaking requirements, as the result of the type of harvest on the material is totally different. In manual harvesting, the product goes from the box to the transport trailer, in grains with bunches, while in mechanized harvesting, the machine harvests the grains directly. The trailer, also called a gondola, is a stainless steel warehouse on wheels that was designed by the company itself and takes the product from the production area to the industrial phase pavilion.

The production of grapes in this system requires specific equipment, traditionally sold by specialized companies, generally from abroad. But it is also common to have the need to make adaptations to national commercial equipment. An example of equipment purchased from abroad is the turbo-atomizing agricultural sprayer, Rocha brand, model Mittos RB Interfilar, manufactured in Portugal. It is a sprayer that makes targeted application, reaching four sides of the spreader at the same time, with a two thousand liter product tank and a turbine to transport the drops. A tractor with at least 75 hp of engine power is required for transport and movement.

One of the operations that require the most power in the adopted system is topping, which consists of cutting the apex of the branches that protrude from the espalier, at 2,10m. This operation is the one that requires the greatest tractor power and is also considered the most dangerous, requiring special protection and care.

Activities the R60 is involved in

The LS R60 tractor was acquired by Miolo in 2016, after a three-month demonstration period. Both technicians from Miolo and the LS concessionaire in the region consider the Winery's acquisition system to be very complex and careful. It is not very easy to acquire, as several factors are taken into account. 

In general, the system adopted by the winery is quite demanding in power, with most operations carried out with large equipment, which requires a lot of engine power. As there is an alternation between operators, on different machines and activities, it is important that the tractor has simple controls that are easy to operate.

Therefore, the LS R60 found its space between low and medium power operations, to work with smaller implements, such as application with the atomizing sprayer, which is an Arbus, from Jacto, adapted, broadcast fertilization, transport of inputs, mowing and traction of the gondola. Several implements used require engine power above 75hp to 80hp, such as the turbo-atomizing agricultural sprayer, while others demand more than 100hp, such as large tanks and tiller.

In the test we carried out, the LS was placed on the 400 liter atomizing sprayer and on the MEC-RUL RDMR 18E60 brush cutter. The Jacto atomizing sprayer, Arbus model, is very efficient and works easily, maneuvering the equipment between the rows and applying the products effectively. In the MEC-RUL brush cutter, which has a total width of 1,98m and a usable width of 1,80m, with approximately 490kg of mass, power consumption was at the limit, as the manufacturer estimates a requirement of between 60hp and 80hp for the tractor's engine. . Even so, both the technicians and the operator are very satisfied with the R60's work in these extreme conditions.

As the company carries out operational control, fuel consumption is constantly measured, resulting in values ​​ranging from 3,5 liters per hour for those light operations, such as applying chemical products with the sprayer, up to seven liters per hour for those heavy operations, such as mowing.

The high point in the company's assessment is with respect to the tractor's ergonomics, with praise for the cabin and the comfort of the driver's seat and also for the structure of the tractor and its dimensions, which are adequate to facilitate maneuvers and operation. Regarding the level of maintenance and conservation, the company evaluates it as positive and emphasizes that operators are advised to take special care, mainly to avoid situations of use at the limit of capacity.

Machine operator Marcos Azambuja, who has worked at the company for 17 years, has worked with several tractors from different brands. In his opinion, the tractor is very good, highlighting that, on those occasions when it is used in more demanding conditions, the engine does not catch. Furthermore, he praised the comfort of the tractor and that he has the habit of working with the radio and air conditioning on and that the cabin environment is very pleasant. The tractor's entry and exit access points, in his opinion, are also very well designed. He praised the interior space of the cabin and the wheelbase, as being short, it is very good for maneuvering. 

R60 to R65

The R60 cab tractor that is working at Vinícola Miolo was replaced in the LS product line in 2019, by the R65 cab model. The differences between the R60 model that arrived in Brazil and began sales with the one currently being offered by the brand are substantially related to the engine. The previous model used an LS engine, model S4QT with four cylinders and 2.505 cm3, which provided 57 hp at 2.600 rpm and 170 Nm of torque at 1.500 rpm. The new LS engine, model L4AL-T1 turbo, also with four cylinders, 2.621cm3 and 16 valves, provides power of 65hp (ISO standard) at 2.600rpm and 203Nm of torque at 1.600rpm, with emissions control technology that meets Tier 3 standard. 

The power transmission remains the same, with up to 32 forward gears using creeper and the Sinchro Shuttle reverser, which makes it possible to reverse the forward and backward movement just by moving this lever and with the help of the clutch. 

To control the tractor's steering, the manufacturer equipped the tractor with a hydrostatic system, which provides very smooth control. The driving front axle has a mechanical drive and an automatic self-locking front differential lock. 

The power take-off (TDP) is independent, offering three angular speeds, 540, 750 and 1.000 rpm, which can be changed electro-hydraulically. The innovative feature is that the speed of 750rpm, which is not common to models from other brands, can serve as an economical PTO, in those cases where it is possible to work with 540rpm and a reduced rotation speed on the tractor engine, saving fuel when it is working with low power requirements, as is the case with agricultural sprayers, for example.

The hydraulic system was improved and went from category I to II, with an increase in flow from 31 to 62 liters per minute and the maximum pressure remains at 167kPa. The lifting capacity in the three-point system can optionally reach up to 2.100kgf at the ball joint. The remote control is independent, with two remote control valves in the standard version and three as an option, with a maximum flow of 31,2 liters/minute.

Operating comfort is guaranteed by the cabin assembled by the manufacturer itself, which on visual assessment shows a large glass area and a very effective air conditioner. Also positive features are the design of the cabin entrances and exits on both sides, the well-sized access stairs and a rollover protection arch, inserted inside the cabin structure. 

Although the manufacturer offers other wheel options, the model we tested at Vinícola Miolo was equipped with a combination of tire sizes 380/85R24 on the rear axle and 250/80-18 on the front axle.

The R65, as well as other models in the R and U series, has been very well accepted by the small producer, horticulture and fruit growing market, due to its versatility characteristics. In general, these producers need tractors with good technological specifications, which are suitable for various operations, but due to the reduction of space, offer ease of maneuvering and due to intense daily use, offer comfort and safety. The wheelbase of this tractor is just 1.858mm.

Even though the tractor that we tested and verified its operation and application in viticulture was not equipped with LS Tech Technology equipment, consisting of a telemetry system and an engine protection system, it is important to mention these items due to their growing interest and they are available to the brand's customers. 

Miolo Seival Winery

Miolo Wine Group has a total of almost a thousand hectares of grapes planted for wine production, with the Vinícola Almadén unit, in Santana do Livramento, being the largest in Brazil, with approximately 450 hectares. The Miolo Winery unit, in Vale dos Vinhedos, in Serra Gaúcha, is mainly a wine tourism unit. The Terranova Winery, in Casanova, in the São Francisco Valley, in Bahia, has approximately 150 hectares and the unit we visited, Miolo Seival, has around 200 hectares. In the Campanha do RS region, at least five other large wineries are developing, reinforcing a new aptitude, which could be economically decisive for this region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

On the day of our test, we were received by agronomist Alécio Demori, a former student of the Agronomy course at the Federal University of Santa Maria, who is the general Viticulture supervisor at the Candiota unit and responsible for the entire production process of the processed grapes. at the unit and also the one that goes to winemaking at the Serra Gaúcha unit. 

Technician Vitor Trindade, who is a field leader and an important professional in the interface between the management team and the rest of the company's workers, was also with us on the itinerary we created to monitor the activity.

We check the organization of the activity and all the manual and mechanized operations that make up this very careful and complex process that is the production of grapes for fine wines. They told us that activities began at the site in 2000 and that from 2007 onwards the company began producing wine at the unit. 

The mechanization process is intense, with equipment that handles processes from the vegetative phase to the harvest and transportation phase. The company then analyzes the possibility of acquiring new machines, the most specialized ones generally from abroad. They consider the mechanization process one of the bases for controlling operations and very important to favor the production process of wines with special characteristics. They told us that mechanized harvesting allowed the operation to be carried out at night, which, due to the physiology of the variety, made it possible to produce a special wine.

Currently with 45 employees, most of whom live in the Seival region and the municipality of Candiota, Miolo produces the following red wine grape varieties: Alicante Bouschet, Aspirante Bouschet, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Pinotage, Tannat, Tempranillo Gourmet and Touriga Nacional. The varieties Alvarinho, Chardonnay, Pinot Gridio, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier are produced from grapes for white and sparkling wines.

LS Tractor and Producer's House

LS Tractor is a company of South Korean origin, originating from the LG Group, which began its activities in 1976. In 2005, the LS Group was founded and production of the R series tractors began, which we tested and reported on in this article. edition.

LS Mtron was founded in 2008, and in 2012 tractors began to arrive in Brazil, first imported from South Korea and then nationalized following the opening of the factory in Brazil in 2013, after just one year of construction. . In addition to the Brazilian factory in Garuva, Santa Catarina, LS Tractor has two more units, the traditional one in Jeonju-si, South Korea, and an installation in China.

In 2016, already as a national product, the R60 cab model was launched, acquired by Miolo Seival, and in 2019 the R65 model replaced it in cab and platform versions. Currently, the brand offers a portfolio of tractors organized into five series of tractors, Series Plus, Series U, Series R, Series G, Series H and the MT1.25 tractor.

Casa do Produtor is the LS Tractor dealer for the extensive region of RS, which ranges from Pinheiro Machado to Uruguaiana, with a main store in Dom Pedrito. In operation since 1990, the store is run by partner Cleo Falcão, who explained to us that the LS tractor is very well accepted by producers in the region, but activities related to rice farming require high-power tractors, above 180 hp. Rodrigo Falcão, an external salesperson, was with us during the test.