Approaches to Grape Growing Flashcards
Convential Viticulture
In the second half of 20th century viticulture became industrialized. Aim was to increase production while minimizing labor costs. Achieved by mechanization, chemical inputs, irrigation, clonal selection. Viticulture became monoculture. Kept weed free by ploughing b/n rows and sparying herbicides. Use of agrochemicals to control pests and diseases increased. As well as mineral fertilizers.
Advantages of a Monoculture: Mechanize vineyard work, reduction of competition from other plants, ability to tend to the needs of the plant (irrigation, nutrition, hazards, pests, diseases) to increase yields and minimize costs.
Disadvantages: Monocultures are prone to disease and pests and need more care (spread quicker and at same time); Nutrient depletion (no natural ecosystem to replenish) so need more application; residual chemicals from treatments can get into ground water or air.
Late 20th century realization this was expensive, harmful to soil quality and environment, potentially hazardous to workers and consumer. Now many efforts to reduce chemicals.
Sustainable Viticulture
Three themes: economic, social, environmental
Environment: Sustainable viticulture aims to promote the natural ecosystem in the vineyard, maintain biodiversity, manage waste, minimize applications of chemcials and energy use and reduce impact of viticulture on the environment.
Growers encouraged to understand the life cycles of the vine and pests and monitor weather to predict and prevent pest or disease outbreaks. Then applications when used can have the greatest impact and be reduced overall.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM): also known as lutte raisonee is a key part of sustainable agriculture. Builds on insights of organic but is prepared to use some chemicals when necessary. Sets thresholds for action, identifies and monitors pests, preventitive measures.
Lodi Rules, Sustainable Winegrowing NZ, Sustainable Wine Growing South Africa
Advantages: more thoughtful with attention to impact, scientific understanding of threats to minimize interventions, reduction of spraying of synthetic treatments, cost savings
Disadvantages: Not protected term, standards can be set too low and dillute
Organic Viticulture
Seeks to improve the soil and range of microbes and animals (worms) to increase the health and disease resistance. Rejects use of manufactured (synthetic) fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides, pesticides.
Application of compost that breaks down in soil. Provides a slow release of nutrients, improves structure of the soil, and increases biomass in the soil.
Use of natural fertilizers (animal dung, calcium carbonate). Restore natural balance
Cultivation of cover crops to prevent soil erosion and contribute to amount of life in the soil. Can be done by ploughing them in (green manure) or improving biodiversity
Reduction of monoculture by growing cover crops, planting hedges, and establishing islands of biodiversity
Use traditional remedies such as sulfur and copper sulfate to combat mildews and monitor weather to only spray when necessary. But build up of copper in the soil has lead some to hypothesize that less frequent synthetics might be better for the environment.
Can make use of natural predators. To protect against gray rot, bacterium Bacillus subtillis introduced to compete with Botrytis cinerea. Sexual confusion uses pheremon tags to disrupt mating patterns such as insects and moths to limit populations.
All certification should meet standards set by IFOAM International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (but each country has diff stnds). Universal requriement is a farm must undergo a period of conversion to organic standards before certification. Certification increases costs but hopes of charging more
In 2017 5.4% of world’s vineyards certified organic. Europe has 84%. Italy highest % at 15.8%. Less than 5% in many new world
Advantages: improved health and disease resistance of vine, health of soil, elimination of chem sprays, cost saving on sprays.
Disadvantages: small reduction in yield, possible sig reduction in yield in poor weather, increase reliance on copper which may build in soil, cost and time of certification if sought.
Biodynamiic Viticulture
Based on work of Rudolf Steiner and Maria Thun.
Includes organic practices and philosophy and cosmology regarding the farm as an organism and seeking to achieve a balance b/n the physical and higher non physical realms.
Vineyard soil seen as a connected system with planet Earth, other planets, and air. Grape growing practices are adapted to coincide with cycles of moon, planets, stars
Calendars developed for fruit, root, leaf, flower days and activities best suited.
Homeopathic preparations used to fertilize soil, treat diseases, ward off pests and enhance and strengthen the life forces of the farm.
500 - corn manure stuffed into a cow’s horn and buried through the winter. Dug up and contents dynamized (stirring into water and creating a vortex and then reversing it) so the water memorizes the preparation. Then sprayed as a homeopathic compost to catalyze humus formation.
501 - ground quartz silica stuffed into a cown’s horn and buried for six months. Dug up, dynamizes, sprayed to promote plant growth.
Compost - must be activated by a series of starters added in tiny quantities (yarrow, chamomile, nettle, oak bark, dandelion, valerian prepared in special ways like in a deer’s bladder). These are preps 502 - 507
Use traditional chems like sulfur and copper to spray. Some practice ashing; spreading the ashes of burnt weeds or animals (rats, sparrows) to ward them off.
Demeter is the most common certification.
Costs are a bit higher than organic due to the preps.Mainly by smaller places (Romanee Conti), popular in the Loire (joly)
Limited research
Precision Viticulture
Using data collected from the vineyard (soils, topography, plant growth) to respond to changes from plot to plot or row to row.
Data collected using sensors on aircraft (remote) or mounted on tractors (proximal). Geospatial tech such as GPS and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) allow the data to be presented visually in maps.
Interventions can then be targeted known as variable rate applicatin technology. Grower can respond to differences between the plots or rows. Pruning, Leaf removal, treatments, irrigation, crop thinning, harvesting, root stock.
Considerable upfront investment (sensors, software) so best for large scale or high value smaller estates. Mostly in California and Australia
Advantages: detailed understanding of variations, ability to tailor interventions
Disadvantages: initial cost of data collection, cost of sensors or software and/or consultant or staff to interpret and make interventions
