Terroir 2010 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 International Terroir Conferences 9 Terroir 2010 9 Geology and Soil: effects on wine quality (T2010) 9 Influence of soil characteristics on vine growth, plant nutrient levels and juice properties: a multi-year analysis

Influence of soil characteristics on vine growth, plant nutrient levels and juice properties: a multi-year analysis

Abstract

Soil physical and chemical properties affect vine nutrition, as indicated by leaf and petiole nutrient content, in a way that may directly impact wine properties. The goal of this multi-year project is to study the relationship between vineyard soils and the wines produced on them using a variety of biogeochemical and mineral analyses, coupled with an analysis of vine properties and juice characteristics. This study examines leaf and petiole nutrient levels, as well as fruit and juice characteristics, of own-rooted Cabernet Sauvignon vines grown on four distinct soil types in the same Paso Robles vineyard. The soils were classified as Palexeralfs, Haploxeralfs, Haploxerolls and Haploxererts. The four soils exhibited important morphological differences in color, coarse fragment content, texture, water holding capacity, and hydraulic conductivity. The soils also showed important differences in chemical characteristics and nutrient availability. The soils covered contiguous vineyard patches planted with the same cultivar, on its own roots. The vineyard was irrigated and fertilized. Mesoclimatic conditions and slope aspect were similar. Soils were analyzed for physical and chemical differences to determine the influence of the four contrasting soil types on differences in vine growth, water stress and plant nutrient levels. Differences in cation exchange capacity and cationic balance in the soil solution appeared to affect nutrient availability to the vines, and likely contributed to the observed differences in the plant and fruit characteristics. Berries harvested on the four blocks exhibited different sensory attributes, as determined by a tasting panel. In an analysis of data from three consecutive growing seasons, many of the observed differences in plant vigor between vineyard blocks were consistent from year to year, as were differences in fruit yield and juice properties. Taken together, these findings support a role for soil texture, water and nutrient availability on vine and fruit parameters, and emphasize that differences in soil properties within a single vineyard may require site-specific management practices.

DOI:

Publication date: December 3, 2021

Issue: Terroir 2010

Type: Article

Authors

J.-J. Lambert (1), J. Fujita (1), C. Gruenwald (1), R.A. Dahlgren (2), H. Heymann (1), J.A. Wolpert (1,3)

(1) Department of Viticulture and Enology
(2) Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, UC Davis
(3) UC Cooperative Extension, University of California at Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis CA 95616 USA

Contact the author

Keywords

Soil, Biogeochemistry, Nutrients, Leaf, Petiole, Management

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2010

Citation

Related articles…

How are canned wine drinkers perceived? An investigation involving Swiss nationals and different scenarios of outdoor leisure activities

This study examines how people who consume wine in cans are perceived in terms of their basic personality characteristics, helps understand the role of cultural background on people’s perception, and verify the role played by the consumption context on the perception. Our hypothesis is that prejudice and negative attitudes towards wine in cans might exert a negative effect on the evaluation of people who consume canned wine. To evaluate this hypothesis, the consumption of wine in cans was evoked in four different contexts of use during outdoor leisure activity (beach resort, ski resort, desert safari, and party). In order to examine the effect of culture on subject’s response we use participants from Switzerland, a country where three different cultures, associated with three different languages, cohabit.

A NEW SPECIFIC LINEAGE OF OENOCOCCUS OENI IN COGNAC APPELLATION WINES

Oenococcus oeni is the main lactic acid bacteria (LAB) species which conducts the malolactic fermentation (MLF) in wine. During MLF, O. oeni converts malic acid into lactic acid, which modulates wine aroma composition leading to better balanced organoleptic properties. O. oeni is a highly specialized species only detected in environments containing alcohol such as wine, cider or kombucha. Genome analysis of more than 240 strains showed that they form at least 4 main phylogenetic lineages and several sublineages, which are associated with different beverages or types of wines.

Effect of biological control agents on grapevine rhizosphere microbiome and grapevine defenses

Plant diseases are a major obstacle to crop production. The main approaches to battle plant diseases, consist of synthetic chemicals to attack infecting pathogens. However, concerns are increasing about the effects of chemicals in the environment, leading to an increase in the use of biocontrol agents (BCAs), due to their assets, such as, antagonism, and competition. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the introduction of Bacillus subtilis PTA-271 (Bs PTA-271) and Trichoderma atroviride SC1 (Ta SC1) produce distinctive modifications in the composition and network structure of the grapevine rhizosphere microbial community, as well as grapevine induced defenses.

Optimized protocol for high-quality RNA extraction from grape tissues using sorbitol pre-wash

Obtaining high-quality RNA from grape tissues, including berry pulp, berry skins, stems, rachis, or roots, is challenging due to their composition, which includes polysaccharides, phenolic compounds, sugars, and organic acids that can negatively affect RNA extraction. For instance, polyphenols and other secondary metabolites can bind to RNA, making it difficult to extract a pure sample. Additionally, RNA can co-precipitate with polysaccharides, leading to lower extraction yield. Also, sugars and organic acids can interfere with the pH and ionic properties of the extraction buffer. To address these challenges, we optimized a protocol for RNA isolation from grape tissues.

French AOC positioning and their concepts and extension to other products

Constitue une appellation d’origine “la dénomination géographique d’un pays, d’une région ou d’une localité servant à désigner un produit qui en est originaire, et dont la qualité ou les caractères sont dus exclusivement ou essentiellement au milieu géographique, comprenant les facteurs naturels et les facteurs humains …”