DOI of the book :
10.58233/giesco2025
The use of cover crops in viticulture has increased in recent decades as growers seek to reduce herbicide use, improve soil organic matter and biodiversity, and minimize soil-related agronomic issues such as compaction and erosion.
Swiss wine producers are faced to high production costs and low-priced wine imports.
Context and Purpose of the Study. The use of herbicides and mechanical soil tillage, particularly on steep slopes, poses significant ecological challenges, including soil compaction and erosion.
New Zealand viticulture has long been characterised by sustainable grape growing practices as promoted by Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) as well as by Organic Viticulture.
Over the past two decades, sustainable vineyard management practices have become increasingly important as the wine industry is facing critical challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and soil degradation.
Climate change, driven by greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, is one of humanity's most significant environmental challenges.
The weather anomalies comparing the 1971-2000 time frame and the last years has showned a dramatic scenario when, in some months, average temperature in above 3ºC and the reduction in precipitation in more than 30%.
In the context of the global crises of global warming, biodiversity and pollution, current agricultural practices need to be reconsidered.
Traditional methods for identifying downy mildew in commercial vineyards are often labour-intensive, subjective, and time-consuming.
Endogenic diseases often arise from pathogens that exist within the plant tissue, including fungi, bacteria, and viruses, which can remain latent and then emerge under stress conditions or favorable environmental conditions, causing symptoms that weaken vines or can lead to plant death.