Abstract
Soil management in vineyards is of fundamental importance not only for the productivity and quality of grapes, both in biological and conventional management, but also for greater sustainability of the production. Conservative soil management techniques play an important role, compared to conventional tillage, in order to preserve biodiversity, to save soil fertility, and to keep vegetative-productive balance. Thus, it is necessary to evaluate long-term adaptation strategies to create a balance between the vine and the surrounding environment. This work sought to assess the effects of following different management practices on Vitis vinifera L. cv. Cabernet Sauvignon during 2017 and 2018 seasons: soil tillage (T), temporary cover cropping over all inter-rows (C), and mulching with plant residues every other row (M). The main physiological parameters of vines (leaf gas exchange, stem water potential, chlorophyll fluorescence, and indirect chlorophyll content) as well as qualitative and quantitative grape parameters (technological and phenolic analyses) were measured. Significant differences in gas exchanges related to the different season and inter-row management were observed. C showed more negative values of water potential, due to the grass–vine competition, especially when water availability was lower. The competition exerted by C led to differences in fruit setting with impact on yield; therefrom, significant differences also in sugar and anthocyanic content were observed.
Highlights
The European Community’s focus on environmental protection issues and increased sensitivity on the part of agricultural entrepreneurs drive scientific research to sustainable production techniques for the environment [1]
In full maturation (2017 and 2018) the values of photosynthesis, water use efficiency, and water potential in C were lower than the others, this may derive from a competition of the cover crop with the vines: cover crops can affect soil properties, including spatial and temporal modification of the water in the soil profile [85]
Like many studies [12,102,103], we have found that the titratable acidity was reduced by the cover crop compared to the other treatments probably due to an increase in the ratio of tartaric acid to malic acid
Summary
The European Community’s focus on environmental protection issues and increased sensitivity on the part of agricultural entrepreneurs drive scientific research to sustainable production techniques for the environment [1]. Innovative techniques with low environmental impact must be identified and used, ensuring that productivity and quality are maintained over time [2,3]. Inter-row vegetation, in vineyards, is controlled by grassing, green manure, mulching, tillage, and/or the application of broadband herbicides [15,16,17,18,19,20]. The knowledge about the effects of tillage on soil biodiversity and soil biological properties is of great interest [21,22,23]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
