terclim by ICS banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 International Congress on Grapevine and Wine Sciences 9 2ICGWS-2023 9 Selecting green cover species in the under-trellis zone of Lower Austrian vineyards

Selecting green cover species in the under-trellis zone of Lower Austrian vineyards

Abstract

The under-trellis zone of vineyards is a sensitive area through which vines cover a significant portion of their nutrient and water needs. Mechanical and chemical methods are applied to suppress competing and tall-growing weeds to ensure optimal vine growth conditions. In addition to higher operating costs and depending on the soil conditions, these practices might lead to a long-term reduction in soil fertility and biodiversity. The presented study aims to analyse the suitability and interspecies competition of a selected green cover mixture of five local herbaceous species as potential green cover mixture in the under-trellis area of Lower Austrian vineyards. A combined mixture of five herbs (Arenaria serpyllifolia, Thymus serpyllum, Potentilla argentea, Sedum acre, Sedum album) were planted (0,0625 m2 per plant) in the under-trellis area of two Lower Austrian vineyards in Rohrendorf (loess) and Zöbing (loess-sand). The research design involved a split-plot design with four plots, each plot with five vines. After 110 days plant performance and ground coverage were assessed on cover plant basis. The overall results showed promising growth rates of four out of five green cover species within the first year. The growth rates of T. serpyllum, P. argentea, S. acre, S. album ranged between 10,42-23,44% on both sites. A. serpyllifolia showed with 0,00-1,56% a reduced growth rate. Comparing the two sites, plant performance was higher in Rohrendorf with dominating loess, compared to Zöbing with increased sand content, potentially due to increased water and nutrient availability. Similarly, the results of the ground coverage showed differences with coverage rates of 12,15% in Rohrendorf and 3,68% in the Zöbing vineyards. In summary the study suggests a suitable site adaption of four analyzed green cover species in the first season. Further long-term experiments involving seeding techniques, grapevine interaction, soil analyses and additional green cover species are recommended.

DOI:

Publication date: October 9, 2023

Issue: ICGWS 2023

Type: Poster

Authors

Markus Eitle1*, Marlene Milan2, Sabine Plenk3

1 IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems, Department of Business, Institute of Tourism, Wine Business and Marketing, Krems, Austria
2 Research Institute of Organic Agriculture Germany FiBL, Department Sustainable Farming Systems, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
3 University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Landscape, Spatial and Infrastructure Sciences, Institute of Landscape Architecture, Vienna, Austria

Contact the author*

Keywords

green cover, under-trellis, sustainable vineyard management, Austrian viticulture, biodiversity, Vitis vinifera

Tags

2ICGWS | ICGWS | ICGWS 2023 | IVES Conference Series

Citation

Related articles…

Acceptability of canned wines: effect of the level of involvement of consumers and type of wine

In recent years there has been a growing demand for alternative packaging designs in the food industry focused on diminishing the carbon footprint. Despite the environmental advantages of cans versus bottles, the traditional environment of wine has hindered the establishment of less contaminant containers. In this context, the objective of this study was to understand and generate knowledge about consumers´ perception of canned wines in comparison to bottled wines.

Effect of irrigation in cover cropping vineyards

Cover cropping in vineyard is a sustainable and alternative soil management system to conventional tillage that is gaining more and more importance among winegrowers and is being promoted, among other organizations, by the European Union through the eco-schemes of the Common Agricultural Policy.
However, the use of cover crops in Mediterranean viticultural environments is conditioned, to a large extent, by the availability of irrigation water which, in a context of global warming like the one we are experiencing, must be adjusted to savings strategies, supplying to the vine only what it needs in each moment.

The surprising role of VvLYK6 in grapevine immune responses triggered by chitin oligomers

For sustainable viticulture, the substitution of chemical inputs with biocontrol products has become one of the most considered strategies. This strategy is based on elicitor-triggered immunity that requires a deep understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in plant defense activation. Plant immune responses are triggered through the perception of conserved microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) which are recognized by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) at the plasma membrane.

Advancing grapevine science through genomic research

The seminar will examine the complexities and prospects of genomic research on Vitis species, characterize by exceptionally high heterozygosity and common interspecific gene flow. The seminar will showcase case studies highlighting the critical role of diploid genome references in grape research, specifically in areas such as aroma development, disease resistance, and domestication traits. It will also address the emerging focus on pangenomes within the Vitis genus, particularly in the context of genetic studies on naturally interbreeding populations.

Biotype diversity within the autochthonous ‘Bobal’ grapevine variety

Bobal is the second most widely grown Spanish red grape variety (54,165 has), mainly cultivated in the Valencian Community and especially, in Utiel-Requena region (about 67% of 34,000 has). In this study, agronomic and enological parameters were determined in 98 biotypes selected during 2018 and 2019 in more than 50 vineyards over 50 years-old in the Utiel-Requena region. Moreover, a multi-criteria approach considering temperature and rainfall (Fig. 1A), among other parameters, was made to establish three different zones within the region (Fig. 1B), where in the future the selected biotypes will evaluated. In fact, in 2020, 4 replicates and 12 vines per biotype were planted in an experimental vineyard to preserve this important intra-cultivar diversity.