A modelling approach to discriminate contributions of soil hydrological properties and slope gradient to water stress in Mediterranean vineyards

Angelo Basile, Rossella Albrizio, Dario Autovino, Antonello Bonfante, Roberto De Mascellis, Fabio Terribile and Pasquale Giorio

Agricultural Water Management, 2020, vol. 241, issue C

Abstract: Grapevine is a widespread crop for grape and wine production, often cultivated on hilly areas. Moderate vine water stress plays an important role in determining high-quality viticulture. However, a precise quantification of the effect of hydraulic properties and slope gradient on hilly soil water balance and consequently on vine stress has not yet been addressed in the literature. The slope-gradient effect is generally taken for granted, without providing experiments validating such a qualitative assumption. We tested the hypothesis that soil hydraulic properties play a greater role than slope gradient in driving soil water status and vine stress. In two consecutive years, we studied an “Aglianico” vineyard grown along a 90 m slope, with up-slope soil having lower water holding capacity than down-slope. Up-slope vines were more stressed, as shown by lower leaf water potential, stomatal conductance, leaf CO2 assimilation and leaf area index, than down-slope vines.

Keywords: Vineyard; Hydraulic properties; Vine water stress; Hydrus (2D/3D); Modelling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:241:y:2020:i:c:s0378377419322085

DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106338

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