A living soil — and the data to manage it by
In Noicattaro, at the heart of Puglia's table-grape country, Rocco Decaro grows Autumn Crisp with regenerative, organic methods. SoilSense sensors at 20 and 40 cm turned his agronomic vision into something he can measure — and irrigate by.
Noicattaro (BA), Puglia, Italy
- Where
- Noicattaro (BA), Puglia
- Crop
- Autumn Crisp table grapes
- Approach
- Regenerative + precision sensors
Building a living soil — then measuring what it does.
In Noicattaro, in the heart of Puglia's table-grape country, Rocco Decaro grows Autumn Crisp on a single principle: nourish the soil to nourish the vine, not the other way around. He gave up synthetic chemistry and invasive tillage for a regenerative, organic system — beneficial microorganisms (EM), zeolites and organic matter, all working to rebuild the soil as a living ecosystem.
A regenerative approach doesn't mean abandoning instruments — it means using them to listen to the land more closely. SoilSense sensors, installed at 20 and 40 cm since last year, monitor the soil exactly where most of the roots sit. The dashboard shows plant-available water rising with each irrigation and drawing down gradually, with a safe range to calibrate against.
Soil temperature at the same depths tells a story of stability — smaller, more gradual swings than the air above, the signature of a living, well-structured soil. A datalogger tracks the vineyard's air temperature too, so heat stress can be read against how the soil responds.
“The sensors let me manage irrigation scientifically — without wasting water, in complete harmony with the system I've built.”
A healthy, loose, resilient bunch — and the evidence behind it.
The alignment between agronomic vision and precision water management shows up where it matters most — in the bunch: a healthy, loose, resilient structure, the mark of well-managed water and nutrition. For Decaro the goal reaches past yield — to offer an authentic, healthy fruit, 'the child of a living soil that is respected and cared for.' Regenerative work makes the soil more receptive; continuous monitoring measures, and so validates, that work — guiding every irrigation without waste.
Farming regeneratively — and want the data to match?
Book a free 30-minute call. We'll size SoilSense to your soil and crop, show you the safe-range and depth views Rocco uses, and walk through how continuous soil data validates — and sharpens — regenerative and organic choices.