Soil typologies in the wine-growing areas of Mallorca, with special emphasis on available water content.

Joan Rossello,José M Escalona,Hipólito Medrano,Josep Cifre,Jaume Vadell

doi:10.1051/e3sconf/20185001011

Joan Rossello, José M Escalona + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/20185001011

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Abstract

Under the conditions of the semi-arid Mediterranean climate, soil depth and water retention capacity are the most important characteristics of the soil related to the quality of the wines. The availability of water will mark the development of the vines and the development and maturity of the grape. The characterization and agronomic evaluation of the soil has been carried out from the excavation of 38 soil pits in the main wine growing areas of Mallorca. Cambisols are the most predominant soil typology followed by Cambisols, Regosols and Luvisols. The water classification of the soils has been made according to the maximum water availability (useful water) in 2 m of soil (mm water / 2 m soil). The proposed levels are: very low (<120 mm), low (120-180 mm), Medium (180-240 mm), High (240-300 mm) and Very high> 300 (mm). The most abundant soil type we find that 47% have high soil water availability, 27% very high, 14% normal and 14% low. Establishing an area based on available water content is a tool that allows us to adjust the selection of the most suitable grape varieties in each soil, thus taking advantage more efficiently of the potential of each type of grape.

Highlights

Grapevines are well adapted to semi-arid climate such as the Mediterranean, due to the large and deep root system and physiological drought avoidance mechanisms, such as an efficient stomatal control of transpiration and of xylem embolism, and/or the ability to adjust osmotically
On the other hand in deep, rich soils, vines are vigorous and highly productive, but better wines are generally produced when the vines are cultivated on poor soils [2]
The soil acts on the functioning of the vine essentially through water supply and the nitrogen nutrition [6]. These effects are often in relation to the soil depth: in a deep soil, water and nitrogen supply are most of the time not limiting or not very limiting [7]

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Grapevines are well adapted to semi-arid climate such as the Mediterranean, due to the large and deep root system and physiological drought avoidance mechanisms, such as an efficient stomatal control of transpiration and of xylem embolism, and/or the ability to adjust osmotically. On the other hand, when the objective is to limit the vigor, tillage can be reduced, favoring competition for water from spontaneous vegetation and direct evaporation from the soil [5]. In lands where water is a limiting factor, its production is reduced and quality is not improved significantly. Callet has very different behavior pattern; on land with good water availability is where it obtains the highest productions but it is well recognized that, in these conditions, the oenological quality is low. In thinner soils it reaches a reduced vigor, with more limited productions and a better oenological quality[4]. In order to gain a more synthetic approach than pedology, while continuing to use the concept of pedogenesis, Bodin and Morlat [8] put forward a terrain model based on the depth of soil and the degree of profile evolution [9]

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

CONCLUSIONS