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Plant Growth and Soil Water Content Changes under Different Inter-Row Soil Management Methods in a Sloping Vineyard.
Ágota Horel1,2, Tibor Zsigmond1,2,3
1Institute for Soil Sciences, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Herman O. St. 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary.
Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
|April 13, 2023
Summary
Vineyard soil management and slope position impact soil water content and plant health. Cover crops reduced soil water, while tilled rows showed higher chlorophyll, affecting plant stress.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Soil Science
- Viticulture
Background:
- Understanding soil-plant-water interactions is crucial for sustainable vineyard management.
- Inter-row soil management practices significantly influence vineyard microclimates and vine physiology.
- Sloping vineyards present unique challenges due to variations in water availability and soil properties along the slope.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of different inter-row soil management techniques (tilled, cover crops, permanent grass) on soil water content (SWC) and plant physiological parameters in sloping vineyards.
- To assess how slope position influences these soil and plant responses.
- To establish correlations between soil properties, plant reflectance, and growth indicators.
Main Methods:
- Field measurements of topsoil SWC, temperature, leaf NDVI, chlorophyll concentration, and leaf area index (LAI) were conducted bi-weekly.
- Three inter-row management systems (Tilled, Cover Crops, Permanent Grass) were compared across different slope positions.
- Handheld instruments were used for measurements throughout the vegetation period (May-November).
Main Results:
- Inter-row management significantly affected soil properties (clay, organic carbon) and SWC; cover crops reduced average SWC.
- In-row SWC and temperature were lower than between rows; upper slope positions generally had higher SWC for T and CC treatments.
- Tilled vineyards showed higher leaf chlorophyll content, while grassed inter-rows had lower chlorophyll; slope position significantly impacted chlorophyll in cover-cropped areas.
Conclusions:
- Both inter-row management and slope position are critical factors influencing soil parameters and plant growth in vineyards.
- These factors can exacerbate plant stress, particularly under drought conditions.
- Tailoring inter-row management strategies to specific slope positions can optimize water use efficiency and plant health.
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