Terroir 2016 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Regenerative agricultural winegrowing systems play a role in refining the expression of terroir in the pacific coast region of United States and Canada

Regenerative agricultural winegrowing systems play a role in refining the expression of terroir in the pacific coast region of United States and Canada

Abstract

By definition, Regenerative Agricultural Systems seek to promote soil and plant health by using photosynthesis for the removal and retention of atmospheric carbon dioxide into stable soil carbon. Documented additional benefits include improved water infiltration and storage in the soil;reduced soil erosion; improved water quality in agricultural watersheds; an increase in the number and biodiversity of soil organisms; the reduction of petrochemical inputs and elimination of substances that disrupt soil biota. Many winegrowers embracing these practices are doing so as a way to personally address climate change and to improve the resilience of their vineyards to water stress.

Many winegrowers committed to the concept of Sustainable Viticulture utilize management practices that are consistent with Regenerative Agriculture. To become certified, Organic and Biodynamic vineyard farming systems are required to use Regenerative Agricultural practices. These include the use cover crops, composts and naturally occurring minerals and processed animal and plant byproducts for fertilizers to create healthy rooting environments and plant nutrition for vines. Irrigation strategies (if irrigation is needed) promote vine balance and appropriate yields for optimum wine quality. Integrated pest management is used, with the goal of enhancing a diverse self-regulating population of insect and mitepredators and parasitoids to control vineyard arthropod pests. Disease management relies both on naturally occurring fungicides and cultural practicesto minimize disease incidence and severity. Weed control is done both with grazing animals and under the vine cultivation equipment. The immediate goal of these farming systems is to create wines that are of the highest quality and expressive of the terroir of the vineyard site. Creating habitat that supports biodiversity of pollinators, vertebrates and other beneficial organisms is also important for many vineyards, especially thosethat are farmed biodynamically. There may be additional benefits of creating unique wines that fit specific market niches, and a vineyard environment that is always safe from pesticide exposure to work and live in for the owner and the employees.

In this presentation, metrics for soil health; farming practices including disease and pest management; and vineyard design and organization are discussed for both organic and biodynamic winegrowing in the west coast of the United States and Canada (San Diego, California to the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia and points in between).

DOI:

Publication date: June 23, 2020

Issue: Terroir 2016

Type: Article

Authors

Glenn McGourty

UCCE-Mendocino County, 890 N. Bush Street, Ukiah, California, USA

Contact the author

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2016

Citation

Related articles…

Evolution of the appellation of origin concept in the vineyards of Australia

Australia is the seventh largest producer of wine and crushed 1.42 million tonnes of wine grapes in the 2001 vintage.

A blueprint for managing vine physiological balance at different spatial and temporal scales in Champagne

In Champagne, the vine adaptation to different climatic and technical changes during these last 20 years can be seen through physiological balance disruptions. These disruptions emphasize the general grapevine decline. Since the 2000s, among other nitrogen stress indicators, the must nitrogen has been decreasing. The combination of restricted mineral fertilizers and herbicide use, the growing variability of spring rainfall, the increasing thermal stress as well as the soil type heterogeneity are only a few underlying factors that trigger loss of physiological balance in the vineyards. It is important to weigh and quantify the impact of these factors on the vine. In order to do so, the Comité Champagne uses two key-tools: networking and modelization. The use of quantitative and harmonized ecophysiological indicators is necessary, especially in large spatial scales such as the Champagne appellation. A working group with different professional structures of Champagne has been launched by the Comité Champagne in order to create a common ecophysiology protocol and thus monitor the vine physiology, yearly, around 100 plots, with various cultural practices and types of soil. The use of crop modelling to follow the vine physiological balance within different pedoclimatic conditions enables to understand the present balance but also predict the possible disruptions to come in future climatic scenarios. The physiological references created each year through the working group, benefit the calibration of the STICS model used in Champagne. In return, the model delivers ecophysiology indicators, on a daily scale and can be used on very different types of soils. This study will present the bottom-up method used to give accurate information on the impacts of soil, climate and cultural practices on vine physiology.

Setting up new tools to reduce the duration of the grapevine breeding process : Mercier experience

Since some years, the French wine sector faces strategical challenges, all linked to climate change. Multiple issues have been observed like diseases development, early frost, drought, change in the precocity and maturity of grapes, each one resulting in loss of productivity and yield. In France, the varieties proposed today by nurseries are historical varieties that are not well adapted to those changes. Therefore, Mercier Frères, one of the leading grapevine nursery, has decided to start its own research programs, with the help of its laboratory Novatech, to answer the growing demand for new grapevine varieties.

Influence of temperature and light on vegetative growth and bud fruitfulness of grapevine cv. Semillon

Aim: To investigate the effects of different levels of temperature and light intensity on grapevine vegetative growth and bud fruitfulness, which includes the number and size of inflorescence primordia in primary buds.

Mining microbiome data to identify antagonists of grapevine downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola)

Vineyards are home to a myriad of microorganisms that interact with each other and with the vines. Some microorganisms are plant pathogens, such as the oomycete Plasmopara viticola, causing grapevine downy mildew. Others have a positive effect on vine health, such as disease biocontrol agents. These beneficial plant-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions have gained more attention in recent years because they could represent an alternative to the use of fungicides in viticulture.