COVER CROPS in South African Vineyards

CHAPTER 2 REGIONAL TRIAL SITES

140,0

25,0

120,0

20,0

100,0

15,0

80,0

Breede River v alley Coastal r egion Olifants River v alley

60,0

10,0

40,0

5,0

20,0

Long-term average daily mean temperature in °C

0,0

0,0 Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb

Long-term average total monthly rainfall in millimetres

FIGURE 2.2. Long-term average monthly rainfall and average daily mean temperature for trial sites in the Breede River valley, Coastal region, and Olifants River valley. Data supplied by the ARC Institute for Soil, Climate and Water.

Breede River valley Trials in the Breede River valley were conducted at the ARC Infruitec- Nietvoorbij research farm near Robertson in theWestern Cape. Climate The Breede River valley is a winter-rainfall area. The long-term average annual rainfall is 280 millimetres and the average daily temperature ranges from approximately 12 ºC in winter to approximately 24 ºC in summer.Table 2.1 lists average temperature and rainfall data for March 1991 to February 1993.

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