The Vineyard Magazine features an article on soil health and vine care, which includes a research update on our collaborative cover crop project with UKRI and a number of other UK research partners.
DEFRA’s Farming Innovation Project (FIP) as part of Innovate UK has funded a two-and-a-half-year project, which commenced in 2022, specifically to support the research into groundcover management practices, with the aim to increase productivity and sustainability in UK viticulture.
With vines only covering approximately 15% to 20% of the vineyard, exploring groundcover management opportunities is an important exercise given their potential impact on soil health, yields, juice quality and emissions.
There has been limited research in this area to date and many vineyards are looking for further support.
The project has been delivered by a consortium of participants, with groundcover management trials held in the Kent vineyards at Gusbourne Estate, Chapel Down and NIAB East Malling. Cover crop seeds and agronomic advice was supplied by the seed merchant T. Denne & Sons alongside scientific research from NIAB East Malling and the Natural Resources Institute (University of Greenwich).
Together with the support of industry consultants and researchers Vinescapes, the project group has investigated the change and outcomes to soil health, vine growth and wine quality between a range of inter-row cover crop treatments, as well as different under-vine management methods.
The cover crop treatment mixes included phacelia, faba bean, an annual mix of rye and vetch as well as a perennial mix containing creeping red fescue and three clover species.
The control treatment consisted of alleyways that were maintained as before, with natural and spontaneous vegetation that is regularly mown.
Comprehensive testing has been conducted during the trial, to fully understand the impacts for grape and wine production, including measurements of soil health parameters such as soil organic matter, nutrient content, microbial biomass carbon, water infiltration, compaction, and extractable nitrate; vine performance parameters including canopy volume (LiDAR), leaf nutrient analysis and chlorophyll, flavanol, and anthocyanin measurements.
Grape and wine analysis undertaken measured the pH, Brix, tartaric acid, malic acid, PAN, ammonia and YAN. NIAB provided an additional EMR Rhizolab study to analyse the root systems interactions and impact of soil sampling at depth. Over the course of the project, the team came to identify some clear benefits to the biodiversity, vineyard and soil health of each site.
These benefits include:
- Increased organic matter within the soil
- Improved soil infiltration
- Reduced soil compaction
- More active microbial community effects (e.g. PGPR)
- Improved biofumigation
- Increased soil fertility
- Reduced weed species
- Providing more attractive food source for pollinators
- Suppressed leaching thanks to scavenge nutrients.
Through the combined effort of all these factors, the project confirmed the positive impact selected ground covers can have on the ability of soil to perform ecosystem services and functions; impacting the biological, chemical and physical health of the soil.
The scientists, vineyard owners and managers and partners involved will talk through the process, findings and key learnings from this research to benefit the UK’s winegrowing community on their sustainability journey.