The need to employ controlled grass sowing as a soil management technique in vineyards stems from the unavoidable necessity to substi¬tute mechanical tilling and to annul its negative effects. The nega¬tive aspects of mechanical tilling are increasingly felt: for example, soil compaction, loss of soil glomerule structure with resulting problems of erosion due to superficial rill of water in slopes, formation of tilling layer, above all with machines which work at high peripheral speed (rota¬ting hoes), reduction of porosity and increase of anoxia conditions around the roots, and leaching of clay. The use of controlled grass sowing exerts numerous influences on the vineyard. The effects of water competition reduce the development of vine root structures near surface level with the disappearance of many radicles. Surface competition is compensated, within several years, by a more intense development of deep roots which are able to efficien¬tly absorb water. In addition, nitro¬gen nutrition of the vines is modi¬fied by the meadow and this effect can be placed in relation to the decrease in superficial radicles. In soils that suffer from excess humidity, permanent grass sowing can also be considered a factor for controlling growth and productivity of the vines. However, where rain¬fall, particularly during the sum¬mer, is less intense controlled grass sowing can lead to some inconve¬niences and should be limited, according to experience over time, to between the rows in such a way that it does not compete with the vines. Trials were conducted in two pri¬vate vineyards: Azienda Pian d'Albola (località Vignale - Radda in Chianti) and Azienda Agricola Tenuta di Lilliano (Castellina in Chianti). Both vineyards were reali¬zed with plants of the vine species Sangiovese, clone R24 grafted onto 420A with 2.80 x 1.00 m spacing (3571 plants/ha). The vineyards were divided into four randomized blocks and within each one the fol¬lowing treatments were present: • traditional tilling; • partial spontaneous grass sowing; • partial grass sowing with Festuca rubra (vr. Rapid) and Lolium perenne (vr. Naki); • partial grass sowing with Trifolium subterraneum (vr. Clare); • partial grass sowing with Bromus catarticus (vr. Samor). During the observation years, data were collected from 32 plants per treatment, 8 per row, chosen from the most representative plants. The plant composition of the various types of grass sowing after four years of testing are reported. Significant differences were obser¬ved in vegetative and productive behavior of the plants subjected to different types of soil management. In particular, the competitive effect of spontaneous grass sowing was noted, above all with regard to the growth and productivity expressed by the grape vines. Also the mixture composed of Festuca rubra (vr. Rapid) and Lolium perenne (vr. Naki), seemed to have depressive effects on grape vine productivity. In light of the obtained results, the employment of controlled grass sowing, only in the areas between rows in the vineyard, is hypothesized.

Risultati di ricerche sull'inerbimento del vigneto nel Chianti Classico

SCALABRELLI, GIANCARLO
2001-01-01

Abstract

The need to employ controlled grass sowing as a soil management technique in vineyards stems from the unavoidable necessity to substi¬tute mechanical tilling and to annul its negative effects. The nega¬tive aspects of mechanical tilling are increasingly felt: for example, soil compaction, loss of soil glomerule structure with resulting problems of erosion due to superficial rill of water in slopes, formation of tilling layer, above all with machines which work at high peripheral speed (rota¬ting hoes), reduction of porosity and increase of anoxia conditions around the roots, and leaching of clay. The use of controlled grass sowing exerts numerous influences on the vineyard. The effects of water competition reduce the development of vine root structures near surface level with the disappearance of many radicles. Surface competition is compensated, within several years, by a more intense development of deep roots which are able to efficien¬tly absorb water. In addition, nitro¬gen nutrition of the vines is modi¬fied by the meadow and this effect can be placed in relation to the decrease in superficial radicles. In soils that suffer from excess humidity, permanent grass sowing can also be considered a factor for controlling growth and productivity of the vines. However, where rain¬fall, particularly during the sum¬mer, is less intense controlled grass sowing can lead to some inconve¬niences and should be limited, according to experience over time, to between the rows in such a way that it does not compete with the vines. Trials were conducted in two pri¬vate vineyards: Azienda Pian d'Albola (località Vignale - Radda in Chianti) and Azienda Agricola Tenuta di Lilliano (Castellina in Chianti). Both vineyards were reali¬zed with plants of the vine species Sangiovese, clone R24 grafted onto 420A with 2.80 x 1.00 m spacing (3571 plants/ha). The vineyards were divided into four randomized blocks and within each one the fol¬lowing treatments were present: • traditional tilling; • partial spontaneous grass sowing; • partial grass sowing with Festuca rubra (vr. Rapid) and Lolium perenne (vr. Naki); • partial grass sowing with Trifolium subterraneum (vr. Clare); • partial grass sowing with Bromus catarticus (vr. Samor). During the observation years, data were collected from 32 plants per treatment, 8 per row, chosen from the most representative plants. The plant composition of the various types of grass sowing after four years of testing are reported. Significant differences were obser¬ved in vegetative and productive behavior of the plants subjected to different types of soil management. In particular, the competitive effect of spontaneous grass sowing was noted, above all with regard to the growth and productivity expressed by the grape vines. Also the mixture composed of Festuca rubra (vr. Rapid) and Lolium perenne (vr. Naki), seemed to have depressive effects on grape vine productivity. In light of the obtained results, the employment of controlled grass sowing, only in the areas between rows in the vineyard, is hypothesized.
2001
8882950239
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11568/193612
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