Grapes (Vitis vinifera) are extensively grown in tropical and sub-tropical climate for its wine as well as direct consumption as table grapes or raisin. Grape production substantially contributes to the economy of smallholder farmers of developing countries. Despite the relevance of grape production in the international market and the potential for boosting rural economy, the automation in grape production is very low. Mechanization in grapevine cultivation is an indispensable factor for timely operations and cost-savings. Therefore, the technological interventions for grapes production as well as its management in vineyards have been reviewed in the paper. Vineyards are undergoing a gradual transformation into a mechanized way with the advent of newer and ready to adopt technologies like planting, pruning, weeding, spraying, fertilizer application, irrigation and harvesting. However, selective in nature, some operations are still carried out manually like pruning, weeding, and harvesting in developing countries. Although complete mechanization is possible for each production and cultivation process tedious and labor-consuming practices must be prioritized for mechanization and automation. This review systematically summarizes the existing technologies and explores the future prospects for researchers to automate grapevine production and crop management technology for grapevine cultivation.

Conventional methods of nano-urea application in maize cultivation, such as tractor-operated gun sprayers, involve high water usage, labor intensity, and operator health risks due to chemical exposure. The drone spraying system ensures precise and automated application of nano-urea with minimal resource use, labor requirement, and operator intervention. However, the efficacy of the drone spraying system for nano-urea application was not evaluated and compared with traditional spraying systems in field conditions. There is a need to evaluate whether drone-based spraying systems can provide an equally effective and more resource-efficient alternative to conventional spraying techniques. Therefore, this study evaluated the agronomic efficacy of a drone-based spraying platform in comparison to conventional tractor-operated gun sprayers for the foliar spray application of nano-urea in the maize crop. Field experiments were conducted during the 2024 Kharif season to evaluate changes in SPAD, NDVI values, and grain yield due to two spray application methods. Both spraying methods showed statistically similar NDVI and SPAD values eight days after nano-urea application, indicating comparable effectiveness in nutrient delivery. Maize yield was also observed to be statistically indistinguishable between the two methods (t (8) = 0.025503, p = 0.9803), with 2912 ± 375 kg/ha (mean ± SE) for the gun sprayer and 2928 ± 503 kg/ha for the drone sprayer treatments. However, the drone system demonstrated significant operational advantages, including 95% water savings and decreased operational time. These findings support the use of drone spraying as a sustainable, safe, and scalable alternative to traditional fertilization application practices in precision agriculture.

Grapes (Vitis vinifera) are a globally important high-value crop produced for fresh consumption, wine, and processed derivatives. Growing pressure from labor shortages, climate variability, and sustainability demands has intensified the need for mechanization and precision agriculture in viticulture. This review synthesizes current practices, technological advancements, and research gaps across major operational domains, including nutrient management, plant protection, canopy operations, harvesting, and post-pruning residue handling. Advances such as sensor-integrated fertigation systems, machine-vision and AI-assisted sprayers, autonomous and semi-autonomous harvesters, and mechanized residue management tools are critically examined in terms of performance, applicability, and suitability for diverse vineyard scales. A comparative assessment of conventional versus emerging technologies highlights potential benefits, including 20–45% reductions in input use, improved operational efficiency, and significant labor savings, particularly in large commercial vineyards. However, widespread adoption remains limited by high capital costs, fragmented landholdings, inadequate technical support, low digital literacy, and weak policy incentives. The review integrates interdisciplinary research, technological trends, and field-level experiences to identify key barriers and priority areas for innovation. Overall, this work provides strategic insights and a forward-looking framework to guide the development, scaling, and adoption of sustainable, efficient, and resilient viticultural systems, especially for growers in resource-constrained regions. Graphical Abstract The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.