Water consumption, crop coefficient and leaf area relations of a Vitis vinifera cv. 'Cabernet Sauvignon' vineyard

Abstract

Most cultivated vineyards worldwide are located in semi-arid and arid regions with a limited water supply. Skilled vineyard water management is considered the main tool for controlling vegetative growth and grape quality and for ensuring vineyard sustainability. Imposing an appropriate drought stress at a suitable phenological stage can improve wine quality with almost no yield reduction. A comprehensive irrigation model enabling precise vineyard irrigation should be based on changes in vine water consumption as a function of climate conditions and canopy area.In 2011, six drainage lysimeters were constructed within a commercial 'Cabernet Sauvignon' vineyard located in the central mountains of Israel. Data were collected during six successive years from 2012 – 2017. The daily vine water consumption, ETc (L day−1), was calculated by subtracting the amount of collected drainage (over a 24 h period) from the amount of applied irrigation during the same time period.Seasonal water consumption (ETc) was 715 mm season−1 on average, while seasonal calculated reference evapotranspiration (ETo) was 1237 mm season−1 on average. Maximal crop coefficient (Kc) was 0.8 – 0.9, meaning that actual water consumption was lower than the calculated reference evapotranspiration. Maximal leaf area index (LAI) was 0.9 to 1.7 m2 m-2. The multi-seasonal linear correlation between LAI and Kc was strongly positive and significant.The robust multiyear relationship between LAI & Kc proves that measuring canopy area of wine grapevines is a reliable approach for estimating their Kc. The LAI to Kc relationship that we have established can be used as a basis for developing a comprehensive irrigation model for wine grapevines that integrates both climatic conditions and canopy area.