Projects

Water and nutrient management strategies, and health promoting natural products can reduce the competition between grapevine and cover crops and enhance health and productivity of vineyards

Author
Dr. Mehdi Sharifi, AAFC
Initiation date
2023-03-31
Completed
Synopsis

The focus of this study is on water and nutrient management for Canadian vineyards. Specific objectives: a) to investigate Subsurface Water Retention Technology (SWRT) and biochar-compost mixture inter-row application for improving soil water holding capacity and reducing the competition between grape vine and cover crops for water and nutrients. b) To evaluate the effect of Vermi Compost (VC), VC tea and Stella Maris application rate, method and frequency on yield, fruit quality, plant nutrient status and plant and/or soil health

Key Findings

  • Of the 23 cover crop species we tested for use in vineyards, legumes were generally the best for adding carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) to the soil. Specifically, Ladino white clover, Dutch white clover, and clover blend (mix of clover species) produced the most biomass and had the highest C and N content.
  • Cover crop species that don’t add as much C or N to the soil can still be useful in situations with limited water or nutrients(or in restoration projects) because they need less water and nutrients and are less likely to compete with grapevines.

Project Updates

14-Cover-crops-for-irrigated-vineyards-in-BC
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CAP Activity 10 Final Summary_Dr. Mehdi Sharifi_Water and nutrient management strategies, and health promoting natural products can reduce the com
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