Defining and Managing for Healthy Vineyard Soils, Intersections With the Concept of Terroir

Abstract

The use of sustainable soil management practices is becoming common in wine growing regions around the world in response to an increased awareness of the value of soil health to maintain environmental quality, crop yield, and grape quality. In spite of this, little information is available on the meaning of soil health within a viticultural context, the effects of soil management practices on soil health and the consequences for grape quality and the expression of the terroir. In this review we discuss interrelated dynamic physical, chemical, and biological properties associated with soil health and how they could be important in the expression of the terroir. We focus on the use of cover crops and compost application, two practices commonly used in vineyard soils, and how they affect these physical, chemical and biological aspects of soil health, grape quality and the expression of the terroir. Finally, we discuss research gaps, and best management practices to reduce possible tradeoffs associated with these practices such as the emission of greenhouse gasses.

Compost Application to Degraded Vineyard Soils: Effect on Soil Chemistry, Fertility, and Vine Performance

“…It is unclear if soil C increases were due to direct 12 inputs of fine organic matter in compost or increases in the stable soil C pool. Understanding the effect of compost additions on vineyard soil C stocks is an ongoing area of research (Lazcano et al 2020).…”

Inoculation with Mycorrhizal Fungi and Irrigation Management Shape the Bacterial and Fungal Communities and Networks in Vineyard Soils

“…The biological quality of soils may be defined as the capacity of a soil to host a large quantity and diversity of living organisms that are involved in its functioning and the provision of ecosystem services [2]. Within these services, the role of microorganisms on decomposition, mineralization of plant nutrients, atmospheric N fixation, and C sequestration is particularly relevant for cropping systems [3]. In vineyards, the composition of the soil microbiome has been recently highlighted because it seems to be the major driver in shaping the bacterial and fungal communities associated with grapevine tissues, including berries [4], defining the regional characteristics of the wine [5][6][7].…”

“…Thus, the traditional conception of 'terroir', defined as the interaction of the vine with its ecosystem [8], requires the addition of the 'microbial terroir' concept given that microbial vineyard inhabitants determine grape characteristics and quality [9][10][11][12]. In addition, the need to reconcile the 'terroir' and the soil health concepts in the context of wine production was recently highlighted [3].…”

Inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi and irrigation management shaped the bacterial and fungal communities and networks in vineyard soils

“…The biological quality of soils may be de ned as the capacity of a soil to host a large quantity and diversity of living organisms, which are involved in its functioning and in the provision of ecosystem services [2]. Within these services, the role of microorganisms on decomposition, mineralization of plant nutrients, atmospheric N xation and C sequestration, is particularly relevant for cropping systems [3]. In vineyards, the composition of the soil microbiome has been recently highlighted because it seems to be the major driver in shaping the bacterial and fungal communities associated with grapevine tissues, including berries [4], de ning the regional characteristics of the wine [5,6].…”

“…Thus, the traditional conception of 'terroir', de ned as the interaction of the vine with its ecosystem [7], requires the addition of the 'microbial terroir' concept given that microbial vineyard inhabitants would determine regional grape characteristics and quality [8][9][10][11]. Indeed, it was recently highlighted the need to reconcile the 'terroir' and the soil health concepts in the context of wine production [3].…”