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IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Soil management with cover crops in irrigated vineyards: effects in vine microclimate (cv. Malbec) grown in a terroir of Agrelo (Luján de Cuyo)

Soil management with cover crops in irrigated vineyards: effects in vine microclimate (cv. Malbec) grown in a terroir of Agrelo (Luján de Cuyo)

Abstract

[English version below]

L’objectif de cette recherche a été de déterminer les effets de l’enherbement dans le microclimat de la vigne. On a comparé cinq couvertures de cycle végétatif différent en ce qui concerne l’entretien du sol sans culture par application d’herbicides. L’étude a été developpée dans un vignoble cv. Malbec conduit en haute espalier, situé en a terroir á Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentine. On a déterminé des paramètres micro climatiques: température, humidité relative et éclairement au niveau des grappes; température du sol (prof.: 15 cm), quantité et qualité du rayonnement réfléchie par l’enherbement. On constate une réduction significative de la PAR réfléchie par l’enherbement et un rapport Rouge/Rouge loin significativement inférieure à celui du sol découvert (sans culture). Ce ne fait pas une effet dans la végétation, parce que l’enherbement permanent de trèfle rouge (Trifolium pratensis) et agropyro élevé (Agropyron elongatum) déterminent une restriction de la vigueur de la vigne que se traduit en une meilleure réception directe de la radiation photosynthétiquement active (RPA) au niveau des grappes. Il n’y a pas une modification significative par rapport aux températures maximale et minimale et en l’amplitude thermique au niveau des grappes. Il faut consigner que les traitements qui présentent une grande couverture du sol montrent une tendance de réduire la température minimale (–0,5 ºC pour le trèfle rouge et agropyro élevé), que peut être important dans certains périodes critiques. L’humidité relative dans la zone des grappes n’est pas significativement affectée. Trèfle rouge, agropyro élevé, seigle-brome (Secale cereale-Bromus catharticus) et millet de Sudán (Sorghum sudanensis) présentent une considérable diminution de l’amplitude thermique du sol, déterminée principalement par une diminution de la température maximale. Les espèces qu’ont certaines difficultés de développement pendant leur cycle se comportent de manière intermédiaire ou similaire à un sol sans couverture. L’introduction d’enherbement permanent avec une bonne occupation de l’inter rang modifie les caractéristiques micro climatiques, notamment par rapport à la température du sol et à la réception du rayonnement. Il conviendra de vérifier si les effets mentionnés se manifestent avec une intensité différente selon l’importance de la surface enherbée, modifiant ainsi le mesoclimat du vignoble.

The objective of this work was to study the influence of cover crops soil management in vine microclimate. For this aim, a research was conduced to compare five different species with diverse vegetative cycle against no tillage soil management through herbicides applications. The study was developed in a vineyard of cv. Malbec trellised in vertically positioned shoots (VPS) and located in a terroir of Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentine. Primarily, measures of microclimatic parameters were taken: temperature, relative humidity and radiation at bunches level; soil temperature (depth: 15 cm), quantity and quality of cover reflected radiation. We verified a significant diminution of cover crop reflected PAR and a significantly poorer Red/Far red ratio than bare soil (no cultivation). Those had no effects inside the canopy, because permanent cover crops of red clover (Trifolium pratensis) and tall wheatgrass (Agropyron elongatum) resulted in a restriction in vine vigour that translated in a greater direct PAR reception at bunches level. There were not a significant variation of: maximum and minimum temperatures and temperature amplitude, at bunches level. It was remarkable that the treatments with greater ground cover had a tendency to lightly reduce the minimum temperature (-0,5 ºC for red clover and tall wheatgrass), which could be important for critical periods. Relative humidity in the canopy was not significantly affected. Red clover, tall wheatgrass, cereal rye-chess mix (Secale cereale-Bromus catharticus) and sudangrass (Sorghum sudanensis) notably decreased soil thermic amplitude. This effect was mainly due to a decrease in the maximum temperature. Cover crops species with difficulty to develop during their cycle had an intermediate behaviour or very similar to bare soil. The introduction of a permanent cover crop with a good invasion of inter row spacing modified microclimatic characteristics principally related to soil temperature and reception of radiation. It would be convenient to verify if the mentioned effects show a different intensity in a larger cover crop surface, modifying the vineyard mesoclimate.

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DOI:

Publication date: January 12, 2022

Issue: Terroir 2004

Type: Article

Authors

E.M. Uliarte, R.F. del Monte, J.A. Prieto and S.E. Sari

EEA Mendoza INTA, San Martín 3853 Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza Argentina

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Keywords

Grapevine, Malbec, soil management, cover crops, microclimate, radiation, reflected radiation, temperature, relative humidity, vigour, yield, grape, wine

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2004

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