Volume 192, 1 July 2014, Pages 95–104
Highlights
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- Interactions between grapevine and cover crop and their economic impact were studied.
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- Perennial grass influenced positively the amount of total anthocyanins.
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- The mixtures promoted a higher level of soil covering compared to the other treatments.
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- The cost analysis did not show differences among soil management treatments.
Abstract
In
the Mediterranean area, the use of cover crops in vineyards is still
debated and the results of the few scientific experiments considering
the influence of cover crop on grapevine are often conflicting. This
work aims at providing useful indications on sustainable management for
irrigated vineyards growing in a hot and dry region. A five year study
was carried out in NW Sardinia, Italy, in a 8 year old vineyard cv.
Carignano. To evaluate interactions between grapevine and cover crop as
well as the economic impact of intercropping, soil tillage (T1) was
compared with 4 inter-row treatments: natural covering (T2), complex
commercial grass–legume mixture (T3), simple experimental grass–legume
mixture (T4) and perennial grass Dactilys glomerata cv Currie (T5).
During
the five years of the experiment, the mixtures have ensured a higher
level of soil covering compared to the other treatments. Moreover, the
covering and the contribution to the dry matter yield for every
component of the mixtures changed drastically with an increased presence
of D. glomerata. Compared to the soil tillage, the cover crops
reduce the vigor but does not affect yield. Regarding fruit quality,
only the perennial grass influenced positively the amount of total
anthocyanins. The cost analysis has not evidenced strong differences
among treatments or limiting factors for growers related to the use of
cover crop in vineyards.
Keywords
- Vitis vinifera L.;
- Cover crop;
- Unsown species;
- Cost effective;
- Berry composition
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