The effects of soil physical properties on yield components, grape quality and grapevine yield cv. Cabernet Sauvignon in Ultic Palexeralf soils located in Central Southern Chile were assessed. The experimental design was completely randomized with three treatments of soil texture: clayey, sandy clay and clayey loam. The higher yield was obtained in the sandy clay and clayey loam soils. The increase of bulk density, penetration resistance and clay content decreased the number of clusters per vine, number of berries per cluster and grapevine yield. Soil texture had not effects on the yield of shoots, berry diameter and total acidity. However, soluble solids were higher in the clayey soil. Shoot orientation only had positive effects on the cluster weight, number of berries per cluster, and grapevine yield, being higher in the upward shoots. This research remarked the importance of soil physical properties on the selection of sites with viticultural aptitude.
Both productivity and quality of grapevine are the results of climate-soil-plant interactions, and together with viticultural and enological technology, the concept of terroir has been determined [
Soil physical properties essentially regulate the potential volume of soil that can be explored by roots, plant roots growth and distribution, soil water availability, root respiration and exchange of soil oxygen [
With respect to soil type, soil forming processes are primarily responsible for differences in soil depth, clay content and available water capacity. These have a direct influence on vineyard management and grape quality [
Soil texture has impact on weight berry, must and wine composition, but not on vine vigor, although they play an important role in wine sensory attributes [
In granitic soils, the soil compaction affects the grapevine yield especially in the inter-row, due to intensive use of farm machinery in different farm operations [
The knowledge on soil-vine interaction is crucial to obtain the yield potential of a cultivar as well as on both production and quality grapevine. Therefore, it is necessary that soil survey and geographic information systems provide more detailed information about the complex interactions among soil texture, nutrients, vine vigour, canopy microclimate and variations in soil geochemistry [
A field experiment was carried out at Santa Patricia farm, Quinchamalí zone, Ñuble province, Bio-Bio Region (36˚36'LS, 71˚55'LW, 92 m .a.s.l.), Chile, during 2008-2009 growing season. This area has a Mediterranean climate and it is located in the central south zone of Chile. The average annual rainfall is 1100 mm with a 70% falling in May, June, July and August. Annual reference evapotranspiration is reported as 1100 mm , with a dry period of 4 to 5 months and with 5 - 6 frost-free months. Average annual mean temperature is 13.5˚C with an average temperature of 3.7˚C in the coldest month (June) and 28˚C in the warmest month (January). Annual mean relative humidity is 70% [
The soil is classified as fine, kaolinitic, thermic Ultic Palexeralf (Cauquenes Series), derived from granitic materials, clay loam texture, subangular blocky structure, reddish brown (5YR4/4), slope 11.5%, moderate permeability, moderate drainage and rapid run off [
The vineyard covers an area of 60 ha (cv. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah) planted at 3 m between rows and 0.8 m between vines, trained by Scott Henry modified system. This consists in plants with upward shoots alternated with plants downward shoots. These were trained on wire to 90 and 115 cm above soil. Plants were pruned to two buds cordon. The applied fertilization was 86 kg N ha−1, 21 kg P2O5 ha−1, 40 kg K2O ha−1, 19 kg CaO ha−1, 10 kg MgO ha−1 and 1 kg B ha−1. Vines were irrigated by surface drip irrigation, one emitter per vine ( 4 L∙ h−1) at a pressure of 100 kPa. Rows had approximately 100 m . long containing 125 vines. The timing varied from 1 to 4 hr and the irrigation frequency of 1 to 2 days. The applied water volume during the growing season was 1261 m 3 ∙ha−1 in clayey, 1987 m3∙ha−1 in sandy clay and 1640 m3∙ha−1 in clayey loam soil.
The field experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design with factorial arrange of 3 × 2, corresponding to soil texture and shoot orientation, respectively. The soils treatments were as follows: T1: Clayey soil with three replicates of ten homogeneous plants divided in upward and downward shoots, located in the upper zone with concave slope at 81 m elevation; T2: Sandy clay soil, with three replicates of ten homogeneous plants divided in upward and downwards shoots, located in the lower zone with convex slope at 74 m elevation; T3: Clayey loam soil, with three replicates of ten homogeneous plants divided in upward and downwards shoots, located in the medium zone with concave slope at 77 m elevation. Each treatment consisted of three replicates of 10 homogeneous plants divided in upward and downward shoots.
Soil physical properties were determined at 0 - 15, 15 - 30, 30 - 50, 50 - 70 and 70 - 100 cm-depth. Particle size analysis was determined by the hydrometer method and textural class by USDA system. Soil bulk density was determined by the cylinder method. Penetration resistance was determined by 15 measures in rows and 15 measures inter rows by means of a penetrometer (Humboldt, H-4137, Humboldt de México, Ciudad de México, México). Soil water availability/(WA) was determined by the difference between field capacity (FC) and permanent wilting point (PWP) expressed as basis dry weigh (BDW). Field capacity (33 kPa) and permanent wilting point (1500 kPa) were determined by pressure the plate method [
The yield components assessed were: number of cluster per vine, cluster weight, number of berries per cluster and berries weight, measured in three replicates of ten alternate plants (five upward shoots and five downward shoots) in each treatment, totalizing 30 plants per experimental unit. From each plant the number of clusters per plant was counted. Two clusters were chosen, basal and distal from the central shoot of each cord (four clusters per plant), in upward and downward plants in each replicate of each treatment, totalizing 120 clusters per treatment. Then, the average weight of the clusters and number of berries per cluster was obtained, excluding those dehydrated and rot. 100 berries were randomly chosen per cluster in order to obtain the average weight of berries.
The equatorial diameter of 100 berries randomly selected was measured from each cluster by means of a 15 pieces grape caliber of 15 to 28 mm (Field Instruments, Santiago, Chile). The content of soluble solids (˚Brix) was determined in the juice of the berries from all selected clusters, separated by upward and downward plants, by means of a thermo-compensated refractometer (ATC-1E, Atago, Milan, Italy). From each replicate 4 readings were carried out; two for cluster musts from the upper canopy and 2 clusters from the lower canopy. Then, the orientation was averaged in each replicate. In addition, the must was used to obtain total acidity per titration with KOH 0.1 M , expressed in g∙L−1 H2SO4. Two titrations per replicate were carried out for musts from the upper canopy and two for the lower canopy. These were then averaged in each replicate of the three treatments.
The variables measured were statistically evaluated by means of analysis of variance (ANOVA). When differences were statistically significant, a least significant difference (LSD) comparison was used to separate means with a 95% confidence level (P < 0.05). Normality was contrasted with the Shapiro-Wilk test (P < 0.05) and the data were normalized by using square root [
The bulk density (
Water availability presented significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) among soil treatments (
Penetration resistance showed significant differences ((P ≤ 0.05) among soil treatments for inter-row and in-row. The greater values were measured in clayey soil (T1) and inter-row due to person traffic and use of farm machinery, causing a higher compaction in fine soils than gravelly soils, affecting the root growth and grapevine performance [
The soil bulk density of T1 (1.50 to 1.70 Mg∙m−3) is in accordance with the greater values of penetration resistance in-row (3.57 MPa) and inter-row (5.08 MPa) (
Physical properties | T1 Clayey | T2 Sandy clay | T3 Clayey loam |
---|---|---|---|
Clay (%) Silt (%) Sand (%) ρb (Mg∙m−3) WA (%) FC PWP | 42.1 a 19.6 b 38.3 c 1.59 a 11.12 a 29.26 a 18.14 a | 31.8 a 19.7 b 46.2 c 1.50 a 6.91b 21.04b 14.13b | 35.3 b 28.5 a 36.2 b 1.35 b 8.24 b 20.43 b 12.19 b |
Different letters in rows indicate significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) according to LSD test; LSD: least significant difference. FC: Field Capacity; PWP: Permanent Wilting Point. WA = FC − PWP.
The root growth was influenced by soil compaction due to the high penetration resistance, greater of 3 MPa, declining the level production. In this condition, it is not possible to obtain soil macroporosity between 10% - 15% regarded as the minimum air porosity to allow gaseous exchange in the rizhosphere [
Shoot orientation did not impact the number of clusters per plant (P > 0.05) among soil treatments (
Soil texture did not affect the cluster weight among shoot orientation (P > 0.05), and not determined interaction between shoot orientation and soil texture (
Soil texture did not affect the number of berries per cluster among shoot orientation (P > 0.05), and not determined interaction between shoot orientation and soil texture (
Treatment | Clusters/vine | Cluster wt (g) | Berries/cluster | Berry w (g) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Upward | Downward | Upward | Downward | Upward | Downward | Upward | Downward | |
T1 T2 T3 S*O | 40.93 Aa 41.70 Aa 44.87 Ab 44.30 Ab 44.93 Ab 43.53 Aab 0.65 ns | 85.99 Aa 76.80 Ba 104.11 Ab 88.59 Bb 103.53 Ab 83.52 Bb 0.12 ns | 75.92 Aa 67.22 Ba 89.57Ab 76.57 Bb 82.68 Bab 70.35 Bab 0.74 ns | 1.14 Aa 1.07 Aa 1.11 Aa 1.11 Aa 1.15 Aa 1.10 Aa 0.57 ns | ||||
Different capital letters in the columns and different lowercase letters in the rows are significantly different (P ≤ 0.05) according to LSD test; LSD: least significant difference; T: Treatment; T1: Clayey; T2: Sandy clay; T3: Clayey loam; S*O: Interaction soil texture (S) * Shoot orientation (O). ns: not significant.
bulk density, penetration resistance and clay content on the vine growth, phothosyntetic activity and decreases of buds fertility [
Respect to shoot orientation, upward shoots showed higher number of berries per cluster (P ≤ 0.05) for all soil treatments. These results were also similar to those obtained by Hidalgo et al. [
Soil texture did not impact the berry weight among upward and downward shoots ((P > 0.05), and not determined interaction between shoot orientation and soil texture (
Grapevine yield presented no significant differences among soil treatments nor within shoot orientation (P > 0.05), and the interaction between shoot orientation and soil texture (
Soil texture did not impact the berry size between upward and downward shoots (P > 0.05), and the interaction between soil texture and shoot orientation (
Shoot orientation presented no significant differences in the berry diameter (P > 0.05) (
Soil texture presented no significant differences in soluble solids among upward and downward shoots (P > 0.05) and interaction between shoot orientation and soil texture (
Treatment | Berry size | Soluble solids | Total acidity | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(mm) | (˚Brix) | (g/l H2SO4) | ||||
Upward | Downward | Upward | Downward | Upward | Downward | |
T1 T2 T3 S*O | 12.87 Aa 12.81 Aa 12.84 Aa 12.78 Aa 12.79 Aa 12.84 Aa 0.55 ns | 26.73 Aa 27.37 Aa 25.83 Ab 26.20 Ab 24.80 Ac 25.03 Ac 0.94 ns | 3.90 Aa 4.04 Aa 4.05 Aa 3.90 Aa 4.04 Aa 3.90 Aa 0.34 ns | |||
Differents lowercase letters in the columns and different capital letters in the rows are significantly different (P ≤ 0.05) according to LSD test; LSD: least significant difference. T1: Clayey; T2: Sandy clay; T3: Clayey loam; S*D: Interaction soil textures (S) * Shoot orientation (O). ns: not significant.
vineyard microclimate, that influenced the sugar content and wine color density. This effect was closely related with the solar radiation intercepted by leaf surface [
Furthermore, not significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed in soluble solids among upward and downward shoots in the three soil treatments, as shown by other authors [
Soil texture did not affect the total acidity of the must among upward and downward shoots (P > 0.05), and no interaction between shoot orientation and soil texture (
The greater yield was obtained in textural class sandy clay and clayey loam. The increase of bulk density, penetration resistance and clay content decreased the number of clusters per vine, cluster weight, number of berries per cluster and grapevine yield. Soil texture did not affect the grapevine yield between upward and downward shoots, berry size and total acidity, but the soluble solids concentration was higher in clayey texture soil. Shoot orientation had positive effects on clusters weight, number of berries per cluster and grapevine yield, being greater in upward shoot. This research remarked the importance of soil physical properties on the site selection with viticultural aptitude.