For years, agronomic advisors have walked a fine line between science, experience, and intuition. When you're standing in the field with a grower, the best insights often come down to what you can observe, and how well you can interpret it. But what if you could bring real-time plant health data directly into those conversations?
That’s exactly what Christophe Chouvet, a technical advisor working with vineyards in southern France, has started doing. As an early adopter of Nutriscope™, he’s been using the handheld scanner to measure Redox potential, nutrient status, and early stress signals, without sending anything to a lab. In his words, Nutriscope hasn’t replaced his expertise, it’s made it more actionable.
Below, Christophe shares how Nutriscope has changed the way he supports winegrowers, strengthened trust with clients, and helped shift decision-making from assumptions to facts.
“Nutriscope is becoming a true ‘field companion.’ It supports my role, instead of replacing it.”
— Christophe Chouvet, Vineyard Technical Advisor, France
Nutriscope has transformed the way I support grape growers
Testimony by Christophe Chouvet – Vineyard Technical Advisor, C3VITI (France)
Who are you, and what kind of growers do you work with?
My name is Christophe Chouvet. I’m an independent technical advisor in viticulture at C3VITI, based in Courthézon, in the southern Rhône Valley. I work exclusively with grape growers across the Rhône and Provence regions, providing agronomic support focused 100% on vines. Since April 2025, I’ve been using the Nutriscope as a diagnostic and crop monitoring tool.
How did you first discover Nutriscope, and what made you trust it?
I first discovered Nutriscope through a LinkedIn post by Olivier Husson about Redox potential, and then through videos by Vers de Terre Production. What drew me in was the Redox-based approach, a new way to understand how plants function.
I often wondered: Why do abandoned vines sometimes look healthier than ones that are meticulously managed, yet ravaged by downy mildew? Clearly, human intervention plays a role, but what kind? I wanted to understand the biological why.
What ultimately convinced me was the ability to measure Redox and minerals directly in the plant. Without this type of tool, we miss out on essential insights into how the plant is really functioning.
That’s when I decided to test Nutriscope. My goal was clear: to learn, to observe better, and to build a new kind of advisory service for my clients.
What made you realize this tool could work in the field?
The first big shift Nutriscope brings is speed. In the past, with petiole testing, I had to wait a week, sometimes longer, for lab results. But in that time, the plant could change significantly. The data would already be outdated by the time I got it.
With Nutriscope, I had one example where I scanned a vine on a Saturday morning, and by midday, the corrective treatment had already been applied. That kind of reactivity is impossible with traditional tools.
On the Redox side, the device has helped me compare treatments, monitor the effects of foliar nutrition, irrigation, permanent cover crops, and adapt practices accordingly.
In one case, a vineyard plot showed signs of excess oxidation. Based on that Redox reading, we decided not to trim the vines. The result? The vine self-regulated and naturally shed leaves a few days later, a decision we never would’ve made without that indicator.
In what kinds of situations are you using Nutriscope?
I use Nutriscope in a wide range of situations, from tracking the effects of irrigation, rainfall, or cover crops, to comparing cultural practices, confirming suspected deficiencies, and even anticipating mildew onset in young plants.
It helps me anticipate, not just react, especially when it comes to mineral nutrition. Being able to correct fertilization reliably and on the spot, without waiting on lab tests, completely changes the way I advise.
What insights does it give you on Redox and mineral nutrition?
For minerals, the device gives me an instant view of nutritional balance, allowing me to adjust foliar or soil fertilization right away.
For Redox, it helps me compare treatments, monitor stress signals, and understand how different inputs are affecting the plant over time.
One striking example, in a nursery, I was able to predict a mildew flare-up by observing the shift in pE+pH [Editor’s Note: Nutriscope's stress index]. Applying a low Redox input helped strengthen the plant’s natural resistance and maintain active photosynthesis.
How has Nutriscope changed your relationship with growers?
Thanks to Nutriscope, my recommendations are more accurate, faster, and better aligned with plant physiology. Growers appreciate how compact and mobile the device is. It’s easy to use, but powerful.
Before Nutriscope, 95% of my analysis work was petiole-based. At €40 ($46) per test , with 50 leaves to collect and a 12-day wait for results... it was time-consuming and expensive.
Now, Nutriscope offers a huge improvement in cost, time, and decision-making quality.
What do you see as its strengths, and what still needs work?
The strengths are clear and immediate. First, speed: I can take a reading and act the same day, sometimes within the same hour. That kind of reactivity isn’t possible with traditional lab tools.
Then there’s portability. It’s a handheld device I can bring anywhere in the vineyard. I don’t need a lab or a technician. I just scan, interpret, and advise.
The versatility is another strong point. Nutriscope gives me both mineral balance and Redox potential, so I can assess nutrition and stress in one go.
And finally: it’s a serious cost and time saver. Compared to petiole testing, it’s faster, cheaper, and honestly, more actionable.
As for the limits, right now, the Redox data still requires some interpretation. It’s not something I’d hand off to a new intern on their first day. You need a bit of experience to read the results in context. The data isn’t “plug and play”, but it’s a solid base, and I expect the interpretation tools and training will improve quickly.
How has your approach to agronomic advice evolved?
Before Nutriscope, a lot of my work was based on observation after the fact. We’d wait for symptoms to appear or for lab results to come in, then make decisions. That delay often meant missed windows or interventions that were already too late. Now, I can act in real time.
I’ve moved from reacting to anticipating. For example, if I see oxidative stress building in the plant, I can apply a reductive input immediately, instead of waiting for symptoms to show. Or if the Redox readings suggest the vine is fragile, we might hold off on trimming or mechanical stress, allowing the plant to self-regulate.
Even on nutrition, I can make targeted, timely adjustments instead of waiting a week or two for lab confirmation. That level of responsiveness gives me more confidence in my advice, and it gives growers more confidence in our decisions.
Nutriscope hasn’t replaced agronomic expertise, it’s made it more precise, more timely, and more trusted.
Would you recommend Nutriscope to other advisors?
Since adopting Nutriscope, I’ve stopped using petiole analysis and most other traditional testing tools. I recommend Nutriscope to my peers because I genuinely believe it’s a future-proof tool for viticulture.
If I had to sum it up in one sentence: Nutriscope allows me to instantly assess a plant’s mineral function and understand how our farming practices affect its ability to adapt to its environment.
Thank you, Christophe, for sharing your field experience so openly. Your perspective brings valuable insight into how tools like Nutriscope are shaping the future of agronomic advice.