GiESCO 2019 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 GiESCO 9 Service crop effects on grapevine water and nitrogen status and yield under Mediterranean climate

Service crop effects on grapevine water and nitrogen status and yield under Mediterranean climate

Abstract

Context and purpose of the study – Service crops in vineyard can provide multiple ecosystem services but they can also lead to competition with the grapevine for soil resources in the Mediterranean region due to potential severe droughts (Garcia et al., 2018). One of the levers of action to manage this competition is the choice of species adapted in terms of growth dynamics and water and nutrients’ needs. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of temporary service crops on grapevine water and nitrogen status and grapevine yield and yield components in a Mediterranean vineyard.

Material and methods – The experiment was carried out for two consecutive years in a vineyard located in the south of France on a calcaric cambisol under a Mediterranean climate (468 and 487 mm of rainfall for 2016-17 and 2017-18 winters respectively). Grapevines (Mourvèdre) were planted in 2008 at a density of 4000 vines per hectare. For the two consecutive years, 9 species (Achillea millefolium, Avena sativa, Dactylis glomerata, Medicago lupulina, Medicago sativa, Plantago coronopus, Poterium sanguisorba, Trifolium fragiferum and Vicia villosa) were sown after harvest and destroyed after budburst. Predawn leaf water potential and leaf chlorophyll content were measured using a pressure chamber and a SPAD© chloprophyll-meter device for all treatments (9 service crops, spontaneous vegetation and bare soil) on 10 plants at grapevine’s fruit set to assess early water and nitrogen status of the vine. At harvest, the yield and yield components’ grapevine were measured for all treatments on the same plants. All treatments were compared with tilled and spontaneous cover systems using ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey tests form multiple comparison of means (p<0,05).

Results– At fruit set, the leaf water potentials indicated an absent to low stress depending on the treatment: Plantago coronopus (-1,6.105 Pa) and Poterium sanguisorba (2,8.105 Pa) were the least and the most constrained treatments respectively. The range of SPAD values between 34 and 39 indicated that nitrogen needs are met (higher values for Vicia sativa and lower values for Dactylis glomerata and Poterium sanguisorba). At harvest, the mean yields and the mean number of bunches per plant ranged from 2,8 to 4,4 kg of grapes and from 12,8 to 17,3 respectively, without any significant difference between the treatments. The only significant difference was observed for bunch fresh weight (Avena sativa (288 g) significantly higher than Poterium Sanguisorba (156 g)). In conclusion, after two years of temporary service crop, no significant reduction in yield was noticed, but the treatments were differentiated for their water and nitrogen status, and for the fresh mass of a bunch depending on the chosen species. Our results reinforce the need for long-term monitoring of service crop trials in vineyards.

DOI:

Publication date: March 12, 2024

Issue: GiESCO 2019

Type: Poster

Authors

Aurélie METAY, Léo GARCIA, Yvan BOUISSON, Clément ENARD, Bénédicte OHL, Raphaël METRAL, Christian GARY

1 UMR SYSTEM, Montpellier SupAgro, INRA, CIRAD, CIHEAM-IAMM, Univ Montpellier, 2 Place Viala, F-34060 Montpellier, France

Contact the author

Keywords

Grapevine, Service Crop, Yield, Predawn Leaf Water Potential, Nitrogen, Competition

Tags

GiESCO | GiESCO 2019 | IVES Conference Series

Citation

Related articles…

Is wine terroir a valid concept under a changing climate?

The OIV[i] defines terroir as a concept referring to an area in which collective knowledge of the interactions between the physical and biological environment (soil, topography, climate, landscape characteristics and biodiversity features) and vitivinicultural practices develops, providing distinctive wine characteristics. Those are perceptible in the taste of wine, which drives consumer preference and, therefore, wine’s value in the marketplace. Geographical indications (GI) are recognized regulatory constructs formalizing and protecting the nexus between wine taste and the terroir generating it. Despite considering updates, GIs do not consider the nexus as a dynamic one and do not anticipate change, namely of climate. Being climate a fundamental feature of terroir, it strongly impacts wine characteristics, such as taste. According to IPCC[ii], many widespread, rapid and unprecedented changes of climate occurred, some being irreversible over hundreds to thousands of years. Climatic shifts and atmospheric-driven extreme events have been widely reported worldwide. Recent climatic trends are projected to strengthen in upcoming decades, whereas extremes are expected to increase in frequency and intensity, forcing wines away from GI definitions. Geographical shifts of viticultural suitability are projected, often moving into regions and countries different from current ones. Some authors propose adaptation in viticulture, winemaking and product innovation. We show evidence of climate changing wine characteristics in the Douro valley, home of 270-year-old Port GI. We discuss herein resist or adapt stances for when climate changes the nexus between terroir and wine characteristics. Using the MED-GOLD[iii] dashboard, a tool allowing for easy visual navigation of past and future climates, we demonstrate how policymakers can identify future moments, throughout the 21st century under different emission scenarios, when GI specifications will likely need updates (e.g., boundaries, varieties) to reduce climate-change impacts.

The landscape in the development of vineyard regions: an application to the ACO Dão and ACO Bairrada (Central Portugal)

The aim of this paper is to analyse the impact of landscapes in the notoriety and marketing of wines and in tourism promotion, specifically in the case of two centenary Portuguese demarcated regions

Acceptance of fungus-resistant grape varieties from the perspective of producers and consumers in Germany

Fungus-resistant grape varieties (frgv) are an important field of research in viticulture, as they represent a way of reducing the use of copper-containing pesticides and thus minimising the environmental impact. The literature suggests that resistant grape varieties are a promising solution to the problem of using copper-containing pesticides in viticulture and that their quality has improved in recent years. However, there are still challenges in the acceptance and dissemination of FRGV by wine producers and consumers.

Agronomical assessment of a vine « terroir » map: first results in the « AOC » Minervois region

Minervois is a vine region where the first detailed soil map was begun 30 years ago. In 2003, a new map was drawn plotting the soil-landscape associations. This map distinguishes 8 large soil units based on geology. The widest (called « marnes ») is the most complex : it is made of 57 sub-units, which leads to a high variability of the vine behaviour on this unit.

Plant regeneration via somatic embryogenesis and preliminary trials for the application of the DNA-free genome editing in grapevine cv. Corvina veronese

Grapevine (Vitis spp.) is a globally significant fruit crop, and enhancing its agronomic and oenological traits is crucial to meet changing agricultural conditions and consumer demands. Conventional breeding has played a key role in domesticating grapevine varieties, but it is a time-consuming process to develop new cultivars with desirable traits for cultivation.
New plant breeding techniques (NpBTs) offer a potential revolution in grapevine cultivation, and genome editing has shown promise for targeted mutagenesis. The success of these biotechnological approaches relies on efficient in vitro regeneration protocols, particularly through somatic embryogenesis (SE).