Modulation of Grapevine Physiological Performance by Compost and Vermicompost Obtained from Vine Pruning Residues

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Plant Physiology
• Soil Science

Background:

• Viticulture relies heavily on chemical fertilizers, impacting sustainability.
• Vineyard pruning residues are a potential organic resource.
• The effects of compost and vermicompost from pruning residues on grapevine performance are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of compost and vermicompost derived from grapevine pruning residues on the physiological, biochemical, and growth performance of Vitis vinifera cv. Touriga Franca.
• To compare the effects of these organic amendments with mineral fertilization and an unfertilized control.

Main Methods:

• A pot experiment was conducted with one-year-old grapevines under Mediterranean conditions.
• Treatments included compost, vermicompost, mineral fertilization, and a control.
• Measurements involved leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, pigment analysis, metabolite profiling, and shoot/root development.

Main Results:

• Both compost and vermicompost improved photosynthetic performance and root growth compared to the control.
• Vermicompost enhanced CO2 assimilation and shoot/root elongation.
• Compost increased water use efficiency and root biomass, with distinct biochemical profiles observed for each amendment.

Conclusions:

• Pruning-derived compost and vermicompost can effectively support grapevine performance, comparable to mineral fertilizers.
• Organic amendments offer additional benefits for plant stress regulation.
• These findings highlight the potential of pruning residues for sustainable vineyard management and reduced reliance on synthetic inputs.