Abstract
Effective vineyard management is essential for maintaining grapevine cultivation in semi-arid regions impacted by climate change. Utilising organic mulches is a viable soil management practice that improves soil properties, such as moisture retention, erosion control and soil structure. However, the effect of organic mulches on plant development and grape composition remains unclear. The present study analysed the effects of three organic mulches and two conventional soil management practices on vine physiology, agronomy and grape composition over three years under semi-arid conditions in northern Spain. Three organic mulches (spent mushroom compost-SMC, straw-STR and grapevine pruning debris-GPD) were compared with two conventional soil management practices (herbicide-HERB and tillage-TILL) in nutrient-poor soil. Physical and chemical soil properties, grapevine physiological response, leaf nutrition, growth development, yield and grape composition were evaluated in the Tempranillo cultivar. The SMC mulch improved soil water content, leaf nitrogen concentrations and vegetative growth, resulting in higher yields without compromising grape composition. Conversely, STR mulch increased soil water content, reduced soil temperature, and improved plant water status and leaf gas exchange variables without affecting vine growth and yield. However, no significant differences in grape carbon isotopic discrimination (δ13C) were observed between soil management treatments. SMC’s nutrient-rich composition, fine granularity and low C/N ratio could thus promote short-term plant development in poor-nutrient soils, and STR and GPD organic mulches may offer long-term benefits for vine development. A strong correlation was obtained between reflectance values and vegetative growth, yield and leaf nutritional content, offering a non-destructive and rapid assessment method. Overall, organic mulches represent a viable soil management alternative that enhances plant development and yield without reducing grape composition. This research provides valuable insights for winegrowers interested in suitable viticultural practices and highlights the importance of analysing soil and mulch properties to select the most appropriate organic mulch.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
SMC mulch improved soil water content, leaf nitrogen and vegetative growth.
- Treatment
- SMC mulche0
- Outcome
- soil water content, leaf nitrogen concentrations and vegetative growthe0
- Direction
- improvede0
VitisNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The SMC mulch improved soil water content, leaf nitrogen concentrations and vegetative growth”
t0“grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
SMC mulch raised yield without compromising grape composition.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“resulting in higher yields without compromising grape composition”
e1“The SMC mulch improved”
t0“grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
SMC mulch did not compromise grape composition.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“higher yields without compromising grape composition”
e1“The SMC mulch improved”
t0“grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
STR mulch increased soil water and reduced soil temperature.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“STR mulch increased soil water content, reduced soil temperature”
t0“grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
STR mulch reduced soil temperature.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“STR mulch increased soil water content, reduced soil temperature”
t0“grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
STR mulch improved plant water status and leaf gas exchange.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“STR mulch increased soil water content, reduced soil temperature, and improved plant water status and leaf gas exchange variables”
t0“grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
STR mulch did not affect vine growth and yield.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“without affecting vine growth and yield”
e1“STR mulch increased”
t0“grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
Grape carbon isotopic discrimination did not differ significantly among management treatments.
- Treatment
- soil management treatmentse0
- Outcome
- grape carbon isotopic discrimination (δ13C)e0
- Direction
- no significant differencese0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“no significant differences in grape carbon isotopic discrimination (δ13C) were observed between soil management treatments”
t0“grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
Reflectance was strongly correlated with vegetative growth, yield and leaf nutrient content.
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A strong correlation was obtained between reflectance values and vegetative growth, yield and leaf nutritional content”
t0“grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
SMC composition could promote short term development in nutrient poor soil.
- Outcome
- short-term plant developmente0
- Qualifier
- nutrient-rich composition, fine granularity and low C/N ratioe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“SMC’s nutrient-rich composition, fine granularity and low C/N ratio could thus promote short-term plant development in poor-nutrient soils”
t0“grapevine”
Claim · model-written summary
STR and GPD mulches may offer long term vine development benefits.
- Outcome
- long-term benefits for vine developmente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“STR and GPD organic mulches may offer long-term benefits for vine development”
t0“grapevine”
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See all 9 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.