COVER CROPS in South African Vineyards

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SHUTTERSTOCK

EFFECT OF COVER CROPS ON WATER USE

Irrigation is essential for commercial grape production in South Africa, but agriculture faces increasing competition with other water users for a share of this resource. In addition, water scarcity will become more acute, and water-saving practices ever more important as climate change progresses. Although drip irrigation consumes less water than full-surface micro-sprinkler irrigation, the latter is needed to successfully grow cover crops in the drier and semi- arid regions in which wine, table and raisin grapes are cultivated. However, cover crops have the potential to reduce overall water use by providing a mulch during summer.

This chapter describes water use in vineyards with different cover- crop treatments compared to vineyards without a cover crop. Trials were conducted in the Coastal region, Breede River valley, and Olifants River valley.

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