„Makó Szabolcs Növényvédelmi Tanácskozás” Balatonboglár 2014.02.18
Caring vineyard soils Dr. Márta Birkás DSc SZENT ISTVÁN UNIVERSITY GÖDÖLLŐ Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
[email protected]
„…certain that there is no other area of life where people are worked more than for the wine." Caius Plinius Secundus (23-79)
„…the truth is that the farmer’s face uses more than his back.” Caius Plinius Secundus (23-79)
Places of the wine region of Balatonboglár.
The vineyards were planted mostly on gently sloping hills, nearly in flat areas
Panorama from Badacsony to Fonyód and region
Soils are sandy textured acidic (?), limy and humic, forest (on loess)
Vineyard in a stony soil (Dalmatia)
Primary factors Site - Height above sea level (-100 ≤ 300 m) - Slope direction, exposure, frost danger - Vine rows orientation (N-S)
Precipitation - amount, distribution (!)
Mean annual temperature - fluctuation, heat days Prevailing wind direction
Frequent climate phenomena
Soil - type, subtype, texture - water-holding capacity - humus content - root zone depth and extension - quality of care
In the years before ‘climate change’ Number of sunshine hours 1950-2000, mean annual precipitation 600-800 mm. It does not feature too high or low temperature, not too hot in the summer, winters are snowy and mild. The variation between vintages is relatively low.
Mean annual temperature Balaton water heats up creating a climate.
is
10,2-10,4 C°. Lake locates closely, the relatively quickly, favourable micro-
The deep loess soils dominate, and having good nutrient and water management. There is no shortage of water, which would interfere with the activity of a vineyard lifetime, and sugar, acid and aroma formation in wine
Endangering both soil and vine by
- Climate phenomena - Farming defects
Critical period: blooming and berry-formation - Is there more critical period?
Harmful climate phenomena Causes Lack of precipitation
Consequences Soil drying: limited nutrient intake, yield depression, lower „vine-supply”, limited frost tolerance
Alternating drought and water stress Incalculable precipitation distribution Bad water infiltration, soil loss, dust Intensive rains in the leaching to deeper layers, settling, Ngrowing season leaching
Quick temperature change High temperature in growing season
Alternating heat and cold stress Late frosts
Strong UVB radiation
Yield loss, low wine quality
Intensive soil respiration = humus reduction, Vine deterioration, yield loss
Harmful climate phenomena Causes Fluctuation in soil water table level Erosion soil loss
Consequences Inpredictable utilisation of water supply in the season Fertile layer reduction, humus- and nutrient loss, soil quality deterioration
Hail
Vine/grape damages, protection problems, soil structure deterioration
Stormy wind
Plant protection consequences, soil loss
Climate / warm tolerant weeds; gliphosate resistance Climate / warm tolerant pests and diseases
Pest/disease habitat, moisture waste, weed control force (mechanical, hence it promoting water + humus loss) Wasps, grape moth, cicada, harlequine ladybird, gray rot, powdery mildew… Less chance for biological protection
Warm tolerance
Farming defects Deep ploughing before planting – incalculable humus loss which may alleviate by farmyard manuring
Soil tillage after plantation – deep and frequent: increasing humus loss, structure deterioration, pulverisation. Dust will remove and rolling down, and leach to the nearest compacted layer and will extend/worsen that
Camelina (Camelina sativa) demands low water and N; the mass can crush and mix into the soil; really alleviates the stress caused by plantation and over-disturbance of the soil (Gróf Degenfeld Szőlőbirtok, Tarcal)
Compaction of vineyard soils Most frequent occurrence of compaction: - Below traffic ruts - Below disturbed depth (at weed control, at cover matter mixing etc)
Kneževi Vinogradi (2, June, 2010)
It may cause erosion soil loss
To 40-60 cm!
Similar soil deterioration to the controlled traffic system
Compaction of vineyard soils Natural induced: Much rain, snow. Sensitive: sand, sandy loam soil, Clay: trampling, swelling-shrinking Farming induced: mass of machines, tillage and traffic in wet soil, traffic number Soil sensitivity (in first years of planting?): serious, damage expands deeply
Consequences: limited water infiltration and store, water loss, airless soil condition, chlorosis, declining soil biological life, anaerobiosis, ethylene forming: limiting root growth of vine, and micorrhizae fungi
Recognizing the damage in time! - assessing the loosened layer depth by stick sound, spade probe (to the depth of 60 cm (min), or by penetrometer - soil structure assessment - assessing soil biological activity
Platy structure indicates the compacted state. Breaking that we find sharpedged, angled structure
Compaction has no alleviated…
Abandoned vineyard (Lubenice, Cres, 2010.06.04)
Example of soil profile
Using penetrometer
0 10
Sticksound
20 30 40 50 60
compacted PT-I moisture measuring sound and penetrometer
Zone sensitive to compaction
100 cm
200 cm
Vine rooting (from Kozma, Kriszten)
Depth of P L A N T A T I O N
S U B S O I L
Prevention and alleviation of soil compaction Prevention: In dry / deeply frozen soil it possible In wet soil is risky (omitting to traffic, however vine protection requires interventions) Apply soil preserving running apparatus (?!)
Alleviation: According to the damage extension a heavy duty cultivator (no winged tool!) or slotting ripper can apply (do not leave opened slots, because it promotes soil respiration, water and organic matter loss). Every second line in one year Soil conditioning green manure plants (with low water demand) can also be sown to extend duration of the subsoiling. Surface cover can prevent a bit the trampling effects, and soil structure.
Apply soil preserving running apparatus (?!)
Important
Cutter head is replaceable, and no winged!
- shape of shank and cutting edge of equipment: create less clods - levelling the soil surface - preserving water and organic matter - timing the operation - extending the loosened state (problematic)
Soil structure preservation and moisture management Goal: conservation and increase of organic matter, keep the soil in place, managing soil moisture Possibilities: 1) Permanently covered spacing by drought and traffic tolerant grass mixture (e.g. sheep's fescue – Festuca ovina, ovina English ryegrass – Lolium perenne) perenne ,
2) Autumn-spring cover by native weed flora (by early spring weeds) and mixing into the soil in time 3) Covering the inter-rows by soil conserving and OM increasing plants in limited period (e.g. cereals, rape, or N-accumulating plants e.g. birdsfoot – Lotus corniculatus, or white clover – Trifolium repens (every second line) 4) Permanently inter-row cover by stubble residues (crushed straw, reed, sedge) 5) Creating a shallow (< 10 cm) friable layer in the surface (it is frequent considering mechanical weed control)
Vineyard in winter (N. S. Wales, Australia, in region of town Orange)
temporary weed cover
permanent grass (limited growth)
Vineyard in winter (N. S. Wales, Australia, in region of town Orange) permanent grass in inter-rows and clean rows
N.S. Wales-Australia: The habitat deficiencies are considered manageable; Their strengths are the continuous development of skills and fulfilling the needs of the market
20, May, 2011 Tokaj wine region
Permanent cover of inter-rows by ryegrasswhite clover mixture (controlled by moving and rolling, and bumped shaping)
Soil preserving cover from vintage till spring
Advantages: - low water demand, - effective soil preservation in winter, - well-handled
Risks:
25, Oct., 2012, Tokaj wine region
Dry period from the end of autumn till spring (required well-timing)
Soil preserving cover from vintage till spring by native weed flora (Hódmezővásárhely, Sóshalom, Marc, 2011) Control early spring weeds is quite easy
Cultivated inter-rows, chemically treated rows – changing impact
20 May, 2011, Tokaj region
Sheep fescue (Festuca ovina): Prefers sunny, semi-shaded places and water-permeable, warmer soils (traffic tolerant).
White clover (Trifolium repens) Planting in dry areas, and living 4-6 years
English ryegrass (Lolium perenne) Planting dry grasslands, a trampling-tolerant perennial grass. Gets thin.
Hairy crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) Prefers loose sand and loam soils Annual (self-renewable)
Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) Drought and trampling tolerant
„W e sowed papilionaceae seed mixture between the rows, partly in order to repair the soil's biological activity aiming towards a more intensive soil life that will ensure the soil fertility, improve its structure, and increase the humus and nutrient content of the soil in the long term. The composition of this seed mixture with plants that bloom over a long period will also continuously attract insects which are natural enemies of those pests that damage the grapes”. (Organic wine production, Gróf Degenfeld Szőlőbirtok, Tarcal).
Tarcal, 21, May, 2011
Blooming over a long period: May, 2011, Gróf Degenfeld Szőlőbirtok, Tarcal
Elder plantation (Orosháza, 18 May, 2011)
Sown white clover and grass mixture in the inter-rows, and put straw or moved grass under the trees
Permanently inter-row cover by stubble residues (crushed straw)
Protecting matter and source of organic matter Renew annually (?!) Recommended: Recommended in dry areas, steep slopes (not only…)
Photo: Zanathy G. Advantage: Do not require water; moisture retention, soil structure defending against heavy rainfall, at rapid snowmelt, moderating trampling (!). It can mix into soil. Less mass requires from chopped straw and it cover better. However row direction wind may remove easily (!) Roller recommended. Risk: transport, and application expenses (compare to the grass planting, or temporary cover crop sowing or mulching costs). Pest’ habitat (?)
Organic materials in the soil q Raw residues mixed/inverted into the soil are break down by earthworms and arthropods; bacteria and actinomycetes are disaggregated. q Decompose rapidly sugars and proteins, and the crude protein. q Slowly decompose hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin and fats. q The end products of decomposition: - in ventilated soils: carbon dioxide, water, and nutrients - in airless soils: methane, acetic acid, butyric acid and toxic gases q The materials are decomposed slowly is formed into relatively stable substances - with N-containing compounds – that is humus matters
q Humus is nutrient source and nutrient reservoir q Fixes toxic heavy metals, positively impacts on the nutrient uptake q Water fixing of humus colloid is multiply greater related to the clay-colloids, it promotes better soil water management, and water holding capacity
The organic material is essential for the formation of crumb structure, in nutrient, water and heat management of the soil. A good textured – good humus balanced – soil has good load-bearing capacity, and resists to the settling, compaction, and dust formation.
18. Nov., 2006 (Tokaj region): weed control in autumn. While winter was quite dry, and growing season was also dry (till August). Do not forget that climate changed to extreme
Friable soil layer (< 10 cm) creating (for weed control, too). Do not abuse soil tolerability in a flat site!
A sandy (and clayey) soil agglomerates, settles, compacts, and crusts in short time
A sandy soil does not retain the water, desiccates rapidly, and sensitive to climate damages
In soils having low humus content, the decomposition process of organic matters is rapid. Adding organic matters (crop residues) will help to maintain the crop productivity, but will no promote the increase of the humus content
Prevention of damages and risk reduction Problem Site selection Altitude above sea level Importance of cardinal orientation Rootstock selection Elevation of bunch zone Soil quality improvement Manuring Soil conservation in and out of growing season
Solution Further to north? 300 m and above? E-W impossible? For drought tolerance? Away from the ground Increase soil water holding capacity by humus content increasing, K fertilization Farmyard manure, compost, green m.* Inter-rows cover from vintage to spring, during growing season, reduced soil disturbance
* By Plinius: lupine, chaff, husk, straw
Apply them cautiously Winged tools: cut, but create pan
Disks: mix well, but create dust and pan (thicken)
Rotating tools: break soil, mix well but pulverise
Ásógép
Use rarely, when really no other tool
Strengths - Site - Soil (!) - Altitude - Vine rows orientation (?) - Good traditions - Skills - Market demands
Weaknesses - More extreme climate - Harmful climate phenomena - Deteriorating soil quality (organic matter decrease, pulverisation) - Conventional running gear of the heavy machines - No harmony between soil condition conservation and plant protection
Soil conserving cover
