Evaluation of the Effect of Deep Compost Application in the Areas around Vineyard Tree Trunks on Selected Soil Chemical Properties and the Vegetative Growth of the Vine

Abstract

In the context of sustainability, viticulture will address issues related to soil fertility in the coming period. Greater attention will therefore be paid to replacing traditional manure-based fertilisers, such as farmyard manure, with new types of fertiliser in the form of composts, digestate, etc. Experience to date suggests that good-quality composts are not only a source of nutrients that the vines take from the soil each year, but also a source of organic matter. The application of compost and its subsequent decomposition in the soil profile can have a positive effect on the growth of the roots and above-ground parts of the vine. However, optimising the effects and action of compost is linked to determining the necessary doses and methods of application. The aim of this three-year study was to provide an overview of the results aimed at evaluating the effects of the application of compost (CO) and compost enriched with the addition of lignohumate (CO+L20), at a rate of 30 t·ha−1, in the areas around vineyard tree trunks on selected soil chemical properties and the vegetative growth of the vine (Vitis vinifera L.). The unfertilised variant (CWC) was used as a control. Each variant was established in three replicates that were 20 m long. Experimental measurements and evaluation were carried out in the period of 2018–2020 on two sites with different soil conditions (Lednice and Velké Bílovice) and two different grape varieties (Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris). Meteorological data were continuously monitored during the period under review. Chemical properties of the soil samples of the three experimental variants were determined (e.g., content of organic carbon, humic acids, humic substances, humification rate, etc.). The evaluations that were carried out confirmed that the addition of organic matter in the form of composts to the soil in the CO and CO+L20 variants positively influenced the quality of organic matter. The organic carbon content increased by 56–139% in variants with deep compost application (CO, CO+L20) during the monitored period compared to the CWC, depending on the location. Similarly, the degree of humification increased by 70–84%, and the soil microbial biomass increased by 38–136% in the treated variants compared to the CWC. In addition to the dynamics of the changes in the chemical properties, the aim of the performed measurements was to evaluate the rate of the growth shoots, which was linked to the fertilizing effects of the applied compost in the experimental vineyard. At the site in Velké Bílovice, the total difference in the length of the shoots was higher in the CO by 2.6–4.6% and in the CO+L20 by 7.5–12.5% compared to the CWC. At the site in Lednice, the situation was similar, and the total difference in the length of the shoots was higher in the CO by 4.6–7.2% and in the CO+L20 by 5.3–13.2%. The results that were obtained may constitute an important basis for the management of organic fertilization on plots with different soil conditions and cultivated varieties in order to optimize the vegetative growth of the vine.