Challenges- Soil

Question 1

To what extent does the geology of a vineyard affect the way its mannaged?

Answer 1

Intro:
Impact of Geology: Geology significantly influences viticultural decisions such as vineyard design, varietal choice, and management techniques affecting grape balance, health, yield, and quality.

1. Soil Management:
Chemical Properties: Nutrients, pH, and salts dictate amendments and fertilization for vine balance.

Physical Properties: Affects decisions on tilling, mulching, mowing, and use of cover crops based on water holding capacity, compaction, and erosion control.
Tablas Creek in Paso Robles, transitioned from irrigated to dry farming over the last two decades, and implemented several changes to improve the soil water-holding capacity->Biodynamic and Regenerative Organic farming, a flock of sheep and a rotational grazing plan, the application of biochar, cover cropping, and using a keyline plow to encourage water absorption.
Andrea Leonardi =400E for fertilization/ha/yr

2. Vine Vigor Management:
Soil color and moisture levels affect vine vigor.
Pruning and trellising optimized for better sunlight exposure and air circulation.

2. Irrigation Management:
   Influenced by water holding capacity, drainage, and soil depth.
   Key for root development and improving soil structure.
   Ex poor soil Gualtallary drip vs soils in East mendoza (forrow).
3. Pest and Disease Management:
   Soil type dictates intensity of management.
   Nematodes: More common in sandy soils. Danisa- Dvines-
   Cover Crops: Used to improve soil health and manage pests and weeds. Porter Napa leafhopers.
   CC- cost
4. Technology and Equipment:
   Accessibility: Use of terraces to manage steep slopes.
   Simmington- Douro - socalcos- also slopes hace nmore dainage
   Mechanization: Influences vineyard design and operational efficiency.
   -Plancic all manual

Question 2

23. What are the Causes and effects of Nitrogeen deficiencies in the vineyard? How can be remedied?

Answer 2

1. Nitrogen Deficiency Leading to Poor Growth
   Cause: Insufficient nitrogen due to poor soil fertility or inefficient nutrition systems.
   Effect: Reduced vine growth and yield, impacting essential compound production (DNA, proteins, pigments).
   Solution:
   Conduct soil and vine testing.
   Use legumes and organic matter.
   Implement integrative approaches like Spier SA.
   Fertilization strategy by Danisa Calderon at Deevines: 50kg/ha in 2-3 applications, crucial for fermentation.
2. Nitrogen Present but Unavailable to Plants
   Cause: High soil pH (>6) or drought conditions.
   Effect: Lower vigour, similar to nitrogen deficiency, including yellowing leaves.
   Solution:
   Marcelo Belmonte recommends nutrition drip systems to enhance root access and prevent leaching.
   Address compact soil with tilling.
3. Unbalanced Plant
   Cause: Nutritional imbalance.
   Effect: Reduced yields, excessive shading, increased disease susceptibility, and uneven ripening.
   Solution:
   Employ canopy management and deleafing.
   Reconsider training systems.
   Example: Cabernet in California managed by Sabrina Massola.
4. Competition from Weeds or Cover Crops
   Cause: Weed or cover crop competition for nutrients.
   Effect: Similar effects as nutrient deficiency, leading to weakened, unbalanced vines.
   Solution:
   Weed removal using methods like Randap.
   Reconsider the use of certain cover crops.
   Example from Plancic, Croatia.

Question 3

21. What is the importance of soil pH in viticulture. How can vine growers influence soil ph to obtain quality grapes for winemaking?

Question 4

How can vine nutrition be improved through soil management?2010

Answer 4

Soil nutrition: micro and micro nutrients.
It needs to be improved because, natural poor solis, unbalanced canopy (excess of vigour)
Nitrogen, key risponsable for the vine canopy growth and vigour, as well as proteins and AA is commonly on of the key macro nutrients that can be in defficiency.
**K- 100 kg/ha **
P- 20kg/ha- most effective on foliage
Micro: FE, MN MO (clorosis, vine lower yields and lower flowering)
how is it messured.

Fertilizers can improve the vine nutrition. They direclty supply the macro nutrients. Efficient, effective, Targeted doses.
Fertirrigation can help microdosis and timing for direct application.
Suitable for both conventional and bio. Often biodynamic producers prefer other methods.
Marcelo Belmonte- **NPK n5okg/ha **
Foliar fertilization is highly effective in meeting the very high transient micronutrient demand during bloom and veraison, while fertigation is effective for satisfying non-peak demand.

Also, compost addition helps to incorporate organic matter in the soil favoring the vine nutrition. This is frequent used in Organic manure and mulches. Organic matter may also be a source of copper, zinc, molybdenum, and boron
Wirra Wirra Australia

Other biodynamic management
preparation dynamization.
Loire- first winery

Cover crops can also help balance the N and C in the soil and improve the vine nutrition. legumes fix N. Mix of grasses can help with aireation Litorrai. Cost, animals also serve as natural organic matter.
Napa Ridge.
**Handpicked Dani- Boron high in Yarra- Dandilleon to promot Bo, Se, Mg
**
Other: Some varieties are prone to certain micronutrient deficiencies, such as boron deficiency in Zinfandel and zinc deficiency in Mourvedre. Moreover, rootstocks may be prone to micronutrient deficiencies. Freedom is commonly associated with zinc deficiency and 3309 is prone to iron deficiency.

Question 5

What nutrients are important to the grapevine for the production of quality grapes, and why 2015

Answer 5

Several nutrients are key for the production of quality grapes.
Quality : balanced potential alcohol, flavor concentrations, acids and phenolic ripeness (most important for reds)
a balanced vine where green/canopy growth is balanced with fruit ripeness, will ensure full ripeness and quality of grapes.

Macro nutrients are key
1. Balanced nitrogeen 50kg/ka is key to ensure vine has green greowth. a healthy canopy Regulates photosyntesis ensuring an active metabolism and syntesis of sugars. Also foliar surface regulates respiration (and acid formation), and evapo transpiration (for temperature regulation). Further more, it is responsible of shading. An excess of N, particularly in natrually vigorous varieties like CS would lead to excessivly vigorous canopy, shading of the bunches, lack of air circulation and more fungal dissease risk, for example. Lack of N = consequences on quality and N defficiency in ferembation

Name? Canelones uruguay tannat.
Marcelo belmonte poor soils of Gualta.

3. Phosporum 100 kg/ha is responsable for energy, enzymes and metabolism of the plant (ATP),
   defficieny increases the pH- Key in Rioja to monitor. On pholiage is more effective, while leaves are growing
4. Potassium (K) 20 kg/ha manages regulates the water flow and affect acidity production, inffluences the pH of must (higher). Root development
   Miguel Galet-ventisquero.- because of fdrought- Murke (biodigested milk protein), to prevent green flavors in Carmenre because of K defficiency
5. other micro nutrients defficiencies or excees could limit the vine yielding, quality and overall health.
   Ca- excess- Champagne and Jerez- chlorosis- rootstocks41B
   Excess of B, Mn or Cu (excessive applications ex Bordeaux)- reduced vine health
   Handpicked Dani- Yarra- Dandilleon to promot Bo, Se, MG
   Cl- vine leaves die

Nutrient defficiency
Fe, Mn, Mo-poor fruit set, choloris, diminished yields
Organic matter may also be a source of copper, zinc, molybdenum, and boron.

Question 6

What steps can a viticulturist take to provide and maintain proper vine nutrition?2016

Answer 6

Define proper vine nutrition: balanced canopy growth and fruit ripeness to deliver quality grapes.

1. Measure nutrition- Soil 2 years and petiol. Napa Porter. Integrated fertigation plan. N 50- P 100 - K 20 - fertigation
   leaf application of P.
2. Reduce compactation and ensure a healthy soil structure and enough water so vines can take nutrients from soil. Avoid passes and compactation, soil aireation, tilling. Cover crops are integral solution. Key in clay and rainy places. Burgundy Chrisophe Chauvet- ABochot.
3. Organic- other techniques such as mulching, manure. Integrated systems Spier - animals soil restoration-
   Similarly, Ridge or Bonterra.
4. Canopy management- deleaf- manage excess of vigour and a blance vine. Crop dropping. Healthy and balanced prunning with targeted yields.
   rioja- Pablo Orio at Muga.
   Takes labour and time.

Question 7

Does soil preparation affect the potential yield and quality in a vineyard?

Answer 7

yes it is key to manage.

soil preparation: ensure root development though proper soil structure, nutrient aviability and balanced soil healt (microbial and chemically balanced)

• additions to soil (e.g. lime or nitrogen);
  balanced pH and Nitrogeen will impact on vigour and overall plant balance- ripeness and sun exposure
• fertilisation- foliar or fertigation- cost?
• cultivation (tilling) vs. none: tractor vs horse/cow impact soil structure and roots health. This leads to balanced metabolism, nutrient access and water aviability. Water holding capacity vs water aviability- Danbury Ridge MW.
  Soil airiation and roots growth
  Structure
• cover crops also support
  Mix and complex- nutrients and evaporation- vinehealth and balance promoting
• chemical sprays etc; Biodynamic/organic/chemical and weeding.