COVER CROPS in South African Vineyards

COVER CROPS IN SOUTH AFRICAN VINEYARDS

The following species were assessed: 1. Mix of annual species True-blue daisy ( Felicia heterophylla ) White Namaqualand daisy ( Dimorphotheca pluvialis )

Wild cineraria ( Senecio elegans ) 2. Mix of perennial species

Carpet geranium ( Geranium incanum ) Orange hermannia ( Hermannia pinnata ) Silver bush everlasting ( Helichrysum petiolare ) Rose-scented pelargonium ( Pelargonium capitatum ) Terracotta gazania or gousblom ( Gazania krebsiana ) Khaki yellowweed ( Steirodiscus tagetes ) Blue flax ( Heliophila coronopifolia ) Cancer bush ( Lessertia frutescens ) Prickly roella ( Roella ciliata ) Yellow monopsis ( Monopsis lutea ) 3. Mix of succulent species Livingstone daisy ( Cleretum {Dorotheanthus} bellidiforme ) Red vygie ( Lampranthus multiradiatus ) Ice plant ( Drosanthemum striatum ) Worcester-Robertson vygie ( Drosanthemum speciosum ) Purple carpet ( Drosanthemum floribundum ).

Reference list Fourie JC. 2014. Evaluation of indigenous fynbos and renosterveld species for cover crop management in the vineyards of the Coastal wine grape region. South African Journal of Enology and Viticulture 35(1), 82–89. Fourie JC. 2018. ‘Weed’ species suitable for cover crop management in vineyards. Wineland October, 83–85. Fourie JC, Freitag K and Ochse CH. 2018. Creeping saltbush or ‘rooi­ pitjiebrak’ ( Atriplex semibaccata ) as a cover crop in drip and micro-sprinkler irrigated grapevines established on a sandy clay loam soil in the Breede River valley. Wineland December, 60–63.

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