South Africa Wine Research Projects 2025

2. VITICULTURE RESEARCH COMPLETED PROJECT

THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENT SCION/ROOTSTOCK COMBINATIONS ON GRAPEVINE WATER STATUS US SS EL1 Dr Vink Lategan, Department of Soil Science, Stellenbosch University Project completed: 2021

AIM AND INDUSTRY RELEVANCE: In a climate where water scarcity is an increasing challenge, especially in key wine-producing regions like the Western Cape, identifying cultivar-specific water stress thresholds is crucial for maintaining grapevine health, optimising yield, and ensuring consistent fruit quality. The primary aim of this project was to investigate the effects of different scion and rootstock combinations on grapevine water status under controlled environmental and soil conditions. The project established a pot trial of five red wine cultivars on four rootstocks to study water status responses under uniform conditions near Stellenbosch. Although challenges such as delays in the availability of plant material, infrastructure setbacks, and climatic disruptions limited the implementation of water stress treatments, the project successfully established the experimental system and collected valuable baseline data. Results showed clear variations in leaf water potential and vegetative growth among combinations, with the Ramsey rootstock often promoting stronger growth. A key outcome was the development of an affordable, Arduino-based soil moisture logging system, enhancing the feasibility of precision irrigation monitoring. These findings provide foundational insights into grapevine water relations and support future research aimed at improving irrigation scheduling and sustainable vineyard management.

SOUTH AFRICA WINE RESEARCH 2025

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