terclim by ICS banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Spatial determination of areas in the Western Balkans region favorable for organic production

Spatial determination of areas in the Western Balkans region favorable for organic production

Abstract

In problematic conditions for production of grapes and wine caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting occurrence of wine surpluses, producers are increasingly turning to the innovative viticulture and winemaking of products that are more appealing to the market and the consumers. On the other hand, consumption of the food safety or organic products, and therefore of organic grapes and wine, is increasingly common in the world, in particular in Europe. The Regional Rural Development Standing Working Group (SWG RRD), as a regional intergovernmental organization gathers actors in the viticulture and winemaking sector from states and territories of the Western Balkans (South-East Europe) in the Expert Working Group for Wine, with the aim of improving viticulture and winemaking in this region through joint activities. In accordance with the aforementioned, the SWG RRD is working on advancing organic production of grapes and wine, and on recognition of specificities of the terroir of wine-growing areas in Western Balkans. In addition, as part of the project “Facilitation of Exchange and Advice on Wine Regulations in Western Balkan Countries” helmed by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, in addition to harmonization of relevant legislation with EU regulations, efforts are being invested towards recognition of organic wines. Within activities and project implemented by this organization, expert analyses and scientific research of the terroir of Western Balkans were carried out, and some of the results are presented in this paper.

The basis for production of organic grapes and wine is the achieved ideal balance between all abiotic and anthropogenic terroir factors, and one of the concepts for creating such a complex system is the selection of areas and locations with optimal conditions for (in this case organic) production of grapes and wine. This paper presents spatial determination of areas and localities that could potentially satisfy conditions for organic production of grapes and wine. Research included the territory of Western Balkans, that is, territories of members of the SWG RRD. Being the key topographic terroir factor for spatial determination of areas with favorable conditions for organic production of grapes and wine, exposure of terrains up to 600 m elevation was examined. Application of the digital elevation model (DEM) in the ArcGIS software selected areas with south, southeast and southwest terrain exposure as the most favorable exposure with respect to Western Balkans. The analyzed climate terroir factor that is significant for spatial selection of areas with high potential for organic production of grapes and wine was wind speed. GIS technology, with use of raster data from the Global Wind Atlas application, was used to select areas with favorable winds. Spatial and attribute data on median annual wind speeds in the interval between 4 and 6 m/s and in the interval between 6 and 8 m/s was analyzed.

 The biggest wine producer that currently also has the most surfaces under organic vineyards in the Western Balkans region is North Macedonia. However, after the research and spatial analysis was carried out it was determined that most of the selected surfaces with favorable exposure and wind speeds can be found in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the highest share of determined favorable surfaces in comparison with total surfaces of relevant countries/territories can be found in Serbia and Albania.

 With respect to the share of surfaces of selected areas with favorable exposure for potential organic production of grapes in comparison with the surfaces of zoned wine-growing areas, Montenegro has the highest potential with almost 6% of such favorable surfaces. Considering that the Western Balkans region has the spatially determined potential for organic production on surfaces totaling 173,252.52 ha according to the terroir factors examined in this paper, the possibility for increasing organic production of grapes and wine in specific spatially determined locations in members of SWG RRD is significant. All of this indicates the necessity for more active use of such positive terroir potentials of wine-growing areas in this part of Europe.

DOI:

Publication date: May 5, 2022

Issue: Terclim 2022

Type: Poster

Authors

Darko Jaksic1, Vesna Maras2, Milenko Blesic3, Tatjana Jovanovic-Cvetkovic4, Klime Beleski5, Dragoslav Ivanisevic6, Ylber Kuci7, Elton Basha8 and Ivan Bradic9

1Centre for Viticulture and Oenology Niš, Belgrade, Serbia
2University of Donja Gorica, Faculty for Food Technology, Food Safety and Ecology, Podgorica, Montenegro
3University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
4University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Agriculture, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
5University Ss. Cyril and Methodius, Institute of Agriculture, Department for Viticulture and Oenology, Skopje, North Macedonia
6University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture, Department for Fruit Growing, Viticulture, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Novi Sad, Serbia
7Department for Vineyards and Wine, MAFRD, Kosovo
8Agricultural University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
9Centre for Viticulture and Oenology Niš, 37230 Aleksandrovac, Serbia

Contact the author

Keywords

terroir, terrain exposure, wind speed, organic production of grapes and wine, Western Balkans region

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terclim 2022

Citation

Related articles…

Modelling vine water stress during a critical period and potential yield reduction rate in European wine regions: a retrospective analysis

Most European vineyards are managed under rainfed conditions, where seasonal water deficit has become increasingly important. The flowering-veraison phenophase represents an important period for vine response to water stress, which is seldomly thoroughly evaluated. Therefore, we aim to quantify the flowering-veraison water stress levels using Crop Water Stress Indicator (CWSI) over 1986–2015 for important European wine regions, and to assess the respective potential Yield Lose Rate (YLR). Additionally, we also investigate whether an advanced flowering-veraison phase may help alleviating the water stress with improved yield. A process-based grapevine model STICS is employed, which has been extensively calibrated for flowering and veraison stages using observed data at 38 locations with 10 different grapevine varieties. Subsequently, the model is being implemented at the regional level, considering site-specific calibration results and gridded climate and soil datasets. The findings suggest wine regions with stronger flowering-veraison CWSI tend to have higher potential YLR. However, contrasting patterns are found between wine regions in France-Germany-Luxembourg and Italy-Portugal-Spain. The former tends to have slight-to-moderate drought conditions (CWSI<0.5) and a negligible-to-moderate YLR (<30%), whereas the latter possesses severe-to-extreme CWSI (>0.5) and substantial YLR (>40%). Wine regions prone to a high drought risk (CWSI>0.75) are also identified, which are concentrated in southern Mediterranean Europe. An advanced flowering-veraison phase may have benefited from cooler temperatures and a higher fraction of spring precipitation in wine regions of Italy-Portugal-Spain, resulting in alleviated CWSI and moderate reductions of YLR. For those of France-Germany-Luxembourg, this can have reduced flowering-veraison precipitation, but prevalent alleviations of YLR are also found, possibly because of shifted phase towards a cooler growing season with reduced evaporative demands. Overall, such a retrospective analysis might provide new insights towards better management of seasonal water deficit for conventionally vulnerable Mediterranean wine regions, but also for relatively cooler and wetter Central European regions.
Read More

Climate change impacts: a multi-stress issue

With the aim of producing premium wines, it is admitted that moderate environmental stresses may contribute to the accumulation of compounds of interest in grapes. However the ongoing climate change, with the appearance of more limiting conditions of production is a major concern for the wine industry economic. Will it be possible to maintain the vineyards in place, to preserve the current grape varieties and how should we anticipate the adaptation measures to ensure the sustainability of vineyards? In this context, the question of the responses and adaptation of grapevine to abiotic stresses becomes a major scientific issue to tackle. An abiotic stress can be defined as the effect of a specific factor of the physico-chemical environment of the plants (temperature, availability of water and minerals, light, etc.) which reduces growth, and for a crop such as the vine, the yield, the composition of the fruits and the sustainability of the plants. Water stress is in many minds, but a systemic vision is essential for at least two reasons. The first reason is that in natural environments, a single factor is rarely limiting, and plants have to deal with a combination of constraints, as for example heat and drought, both in time and at a given time. The second reason is that plants, including grapevine, have central mechanisms of stress responses, as redox regulatory pathways, that play an important role in adaptation and survival. Here we will review the most recent studies dealing with this issue to provide a better understanding of the grapevine responses to a combination of environmental constraints and of the underlying regulatory pathways, which may be very helpful to design more adapted solutions to cope with climate change.

Read More

Different soil types and relief influence the quality of Merlot grapes in a relatively small area in the Vipava Valley (Slovenia) in relation to the vine water status

Besides location and microclimatic conditions, soil plays an important role in the quality of grapes and wine. Soil properties influence…

Read More

Effects of graft quality on growth and grapevine-water relations

Climate change is challenging viticulture worldwide compromising its sustainability due to warmer temperatures and the increased frequency of extreme events. Grafting Vitis vinifera L.

Read More

How can historical cultivars mitigate the effects of climate change?

IFV, INRAe and the national network “Partenaires de la Sélection Vigne” representing 37 organizations from the different wine regions, have been working increasingly closely over the last 2 decades towards the preservation of the French varietal patrimony. There are approximately 600 patrimonial varieties according to INRAe and SupAgro Montpellier experts, including ancient cultivars (400) and intravarietal crossbreeds obtained since the 19th century. In the context of a drastic reduction in such varieties from the mid 1980’s in favor of mainstream varieties, it was essential to carry out an inventory of old vines and vineyards. INRAe Vassal collection plays a key role here as it holds the largest diversity available, along with a rich bibliography and herbariums, offering us the opportunity to document and double check the identity of a cultivar, consolidating the expertise of ampelographers. The work is carried out in several stages, from verifying the existence of a variety in a small region, through to rehabilitation. During this session, the authors present the process that leads to the official registration of a variety. After this, IFV selection center takes over to initiate the process of selection and propagation. A specific focus within regions such as the Alps, Champagne and the South-West will provide details of the full procedure. Bia, Bouysselet, Chardonnay rose, Mecle and the aptly named Tardif, are some of the cultivars that have followed this procedure. Furthermore, a recent regulation established by INAO on “varieties of interest for adaptation purposes” might boost uptake by growers. Since 2006, 36 historical cultivars have been registered. Most of these have been neglected in the past due to late maturity, lack of sugar and high titratable acidity at harvest time. Such characteristics are today considered as positive qualities, not only in mitigation of the effects of climate change, but also as an opportunity for restoring diversity…

Read More