COVER CROPS in South African Vineyards

COVER CROPS IN SOUTH AFRICAN VINEYARDS

Reference list Brink D. 2007. Die effek van verskillende oppervlakbewerkingspraktyke op die wortelverspreiding van wingerd.MSc dissertation, Faculty ofAgriculture, Department of Soil Science, Stellenbosch University. Conradie WJ. 1994, September. Vineyard fertilisation. In Proceedings of workshop on vineyard fertilization. Nietvoorbij (Vol. 30). Fourie JC. 2011. Soil management in the Breede River valley wine grape region, South Africa. 3. Grapevine performance. South African Journal of Enology and Viticulture , 32(1), 60–70. Coastal region The trials in the Coastal region were conducted at the ARC Infruitec- Nietvoorbij research farm in Stellenbosch in theWestern Cape. Eight cover crops, namely Henog rye, Overberg oats, Saia black oats, grazing vetch, faba bean, Paraggio bur medic, Kelson snail medic, andWoogenellup subterranean clover, were compared to treatments without a cover crop. Unless otherwise stipulated, nitrogen was broadcast at 14 kilogram per hectare during the first week of March followed by 14 kilogram of nitrogen per hectare of nitrogen at the two-to-four-leaf stage of the grass cover crops. In the case of the legumes the application of nitrogen was restricted to the vine row. The grapevines were in full production from 1995/96 onward. Shoot mass, grape yield, berry mass and volume, and leaf-petiole nitrogen were measured for the vines. Grape juice was analysed, and research wine prepared and evaluated. Nitrogen status of vines

NITRATE- NITROGEN LEVELS WERE SUFFICIENT IN THE GRASS COVER-CROP TREATMENTS AS WELL AS IN THE CONTROL WITHOUT A COVER CROP.

The nitrogen levels measured as nitrates in the leaf petioles of grapevines in the different grass cover- crop treatments are shown in Figure 8.10. Nitrate- nitrogen levels were sufficient in the grass cover-crop treatments as well as in the control without a cover crop.

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