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NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health – a Review by Professor Emeritus Robert White 10 November 2010

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Page 1: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

NWGICSpring Vine Health Field Day

Queensland

Soil Health – a Review

byProfessor Emeritus Robert White

10 November 2010

Page 3: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Soil quality depends on the interaction

of chemical, physical and biological properties

Properties Processes Functions

to promote healthy vines producing quality fruit

Information on soil quality (= health) derived from

national and international literature

views of scientists, growers and industry

personnel

Page 4: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Important to recognize soil quality depends on

‘inherent’ and ‘dynamic’ factors

The ‘inherent’ factors are

parent material (geology))

climate (rainfall and temperature)

organisms (good and bad)

topography (up and down), and

time (ageing!)

Page 5: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Some examples

Page 6: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Deep red loam(Ferrosol) formedon basic rocks inthe King Valley,NE Victoria

Infertile podzolic soil (Podosol) formed on old sandstone rocksin central NSW

Page 7: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

The Jory soil in the Willamette Valley, Oregon (Ferrosol)

Red Cambrian soil, Heathcote

(Ferrosol)

Page 8: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Soil animals mix organic matter deeply in a Chilean soilPeriglacial deposits

under vineyards in Chile

Page 9: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

A young soil forming on fissile slate deposits in the Collio del Friuli, Italy

Ancient weatheredlateritic soil underlyingmore recent alluvialsediments in theRiverina

Page 10: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Grey Vertosol formed onQuaternary alluvium in theRiverina

Red Chromosol formed onQuaternary alluvium in theRiverina

Page 11: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

What are the key ‘dynamic’ soil properties that

affect soil quality and vineyard performance?

Page 12: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Some examples

Page 13: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Soil organic matter (SOM) is beneficial for

Soil structure (aggregation)

Soil organisms (their food)

Nutrient turnover, cation exchangecapacity, and

Improving soil water storage

Increase SOM through composts, manures,cover crops and mulches

Page 14: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Build up of SOM in a degraded granitic soil18 months after 100 cubic metres per ha of compostedstraw + chicken manureon a vineyard near Young, NSW

Page 15: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Benefits of cover crops are

(a) Protection of the mid-rows from erosion, especially on slopes (see Hunter Valley)

(b) Improving soil structure and making themid-rows more trafficable under wet conditions

(c) Reducing excess vigour in vines on fertilesoils

(d) Adding organic matter to the soil, dependingon the type of cover crop (grasses vs legumes)

Page 16: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Mixed species cover crop at AtaRangi, Martinborough NZ

Winter cereal cover cropnear Stellenbosch,South Africa

Composted grape marc

Page 17: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Potential disadvantages of cover crops are

(a) Compete with the vines for water in dry-grownvineyards

(b) May predispose to frost damage in spring ifnot mown

(c) May harbour certain pests and diseases,e.g. the light brown apple moth

Page 18: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

In-row mulch in the Barossa –build up of SOM,earthworms, conserving water

Light texturedover-cultivated soil in Bordeaux, France

Page 19: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Management Practice Earthworm biomass

(kg/ha)

Mulch of grape marc 220

Ryegrass cover crop, slashed and

thrown under the vines

300

Bare soil, surface application of lime 340

Straw mulch 450

Straw mulch plus lime 700

From White (2003); original data from Buckerfield and Webster (2001)

Effect of mulch on earthworm biomass in a Barossa soil

Page 20: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

SOM can be increased in vineyards, more easily in cool, moist regions than hot and dry regions

What is realistically achievable?

Data for C inputs in an organic vineyard on the Californian central & north coast

MaterialOrganic/Biodynamically farmed

(kg C/ha)

Prunings 1,000

Leaves 1,400

Weeds, cover crops 1,200-12,000

Compost 2,300-6,900

Total C input 5,900-22,500

Page 21: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Topsoil (0-0.3 m) Subsoil (0.3-0.6 m)Treatment Organic C

(%)

Extra available water (mm)

Organic C

(%)

Extra available water (mm)

Control – no amendment

0.63 - 0.44 -

10 t/ha/yr fresh cow manure

0.92 5.1 0.52 1.8

8 t/ha/yr spent mushroom compost

0.96 5.1 0.46 1.5

20 t/ha/yr fresh cow manure

1.21 7.5 0.58 1.5

16 t/ha/yr spent mushroom compost

1.34 7.5 0.64 0.9

Soil (86% sand) in Loire Valley after 28 years of organic inputs

Page 22: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Big difference between ‘conventional’ and‘organic’ viticulture is in the amount oforganic inputs and the use of syntheticchemicals for pest and disease control

Many growers are adopting the best practicesfrom both systems (‘integrated’) – terms organicand conventional have become less relevant

‘Biodynamic’ viticulture (BD) same as organic,provided organic inputs are maintained (BD preparations have no significant effect)

Page 23: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

For example - Take prep. 500 sprayed on at

80 g/ha to stimulate soil biological activity

Due to competitive pressure with resident soil

organisms, the chances of the added

‘bugs’ surviving in the top 15 cm of soil is

between 1 and 25 million to one!

Page 24: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Soil chemical properties – some issues

soil sampling – location, soil variability,

depth?

soil testing – what to measure, which lab?

vine nutrition – visual signs, petiole tests?

salinity and sodicity

Page 25: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain
Page 26: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

What to measure and which lab?

pH, EC, organic C, exchangeable Na+

soil biological tests, e.g. microbial biomass C

Location MB-C (mg/kg)

MB-C (g/m2) MB-C (kg/ha 15 cm depth)

Barossa 25-35 50-70

Alsace 600-740 1200-1480

Marlborough 40-105 400-1050

Page 27: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Soil salinity – soil /water extraction or

SoluSamplers

Sodicity – exchangeable Na+

percentage (ESP) >6

As ESP increases, clays

are likely to disperse and

aggregates become less

stable

Page 28: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Increased salinity predisposes to an increase

in soil sodicity

Irrigation inevitably means an increase in soil

salinity, unless there is a sufficient leaching

fraction LF - irrigation in early winter with good

quality water or sufficient winter rainfall

LF between 0.1 and 0.15

Page 29: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Fe deficiency, St Emilion, France

Zn deficiency, Rueda, SpainVisual symptoms

Page 30: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Macronutrient

Element

Very

Deficient

Deficient Low to

Marginal

Adequate High to

Excessive

N (total) <0.7 0.7-0.89 0.9-1.2 >1.2

P <0.15 0.15-0.19 0.2-0.24 0.25-0.5 >0.5

K (with

adequate N)

<1.0 1.0-1.7 1.8-3.0 >3.0

Ca <1.2 1.2-2.5

Mg <0.3 0.3-0.4 >0.4

Na >0.5

Cl >1.0

Macronutrient concentrations (%) in petioles

Page 31: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Micronutrient

Element

Deficient Low to

Marginal

Adequate High to

Excessive

Fe 25-30 >30

Cu <3 3-5 6-11 >40a

Zn <15 15-25 26-150 >450a

Mn <20 20-29 30-60 >500a

B <25 25-34 35-70 >100

Mo <0.05 0.05-0.19 0.20-99 >100

Micronutrient concentrations (mg/kg or ppm) in petioles

aMay indicate spray contamination

Page 32: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Plant analysisThis can be repeated season after season to compile a record of the vines’ nutritional status(crop logging)

Page 33: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Soil physical properties

Soil depth – depth of rooting, subsoil

constraints (compaction)

Soil structure and water - plant available water

rate of supply, drainage, and

Soil strength – trafficability and ease of root

penetration.

Generally more difficult to measure than chemical

properties

Page 34: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Benchmarking soil quality

Based on soil/vine properties for soil

quality, or

Based on cultural practices that improve

soil qualityExample of the former – Cornell Soil HealthAssessment System(http://soilhealth.cals.cornell.edu)

Example of the latter – Californian SustainableWinegrowing Program(www.sustainablewinegrowing.org)

Page 35: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Factor Indicators Value Rating ConstraintPh

ysic

alAggregate stability (%) 22 25 Aeration, infiltration, rooting

AWC (mm/m) 180 63Surface hardness (psi) 107 78

Subsurface hardness (psi)

400 13 Subsurface pan, compaction

Bio

logi

cal

Organic matter (%) 2.1 14 Energy storage, C sequestration, water retention

Active C (ppm) 462 21 Soil biological activityPotentially mineralizable N (mg N/g soil/week)

2.0 0 N supply

Root health (1-9) 2.3 88

Che

mic

al

pH 8.3 0 Toxicity, nutrient availability

Extractable P (ppm) 9.5 100Extractable K (ppm) 20 11 Plant K availabilityMinor elements 56

Overall quality score out of 100 39.1 Very low

Page 36: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

0

0.005

0.01

0.015

0.02

0.025

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Frequency distribution for soil K values from a large number of sites

Rating – too low

Optimum

Rating – too high

Soil test values in mg/kg

Page 37: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

A benchmarking system for Australian vineyardswould require

1. Selection of key soil properties2. Review of existing data on soil quality3. Identification of benchmark values (ranges)for the main regions and soil types4. Identification of knowledge gaps5. Research to ‘plug the gaps’6. Collaborative approach between scientists and growers7. ‘Packaging’ of information for extension togrowers

Page 38: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Conclusion

Improvement in soil quality may be limited by

inherent factors (geology, climate, age etc), but

A focus on dynamic soil properties can improve

vineyard performance and resilience, e.g.

soil organic matter and organisms, soil depth,

soil structure, soil nutrient supply

Growers should adopt the best practices from

‘conventional’ and ‘organic systems’ – integrated,

sustainable systems

Page 39: NWGIC Spring Vine Health Field Day Queensland Soil Health ... · South Africa Composted grape marc. ... May predispose to frost damage in spring if not mown (c) May harbour certain

Full report available on GWRDC websitewww.gwrdc.com.au

See also the Soil Health Knowledge Bank atwww.soilhealthknowledge.com.au(maintained by the Grains R and D Corporation),and

Soils for Fine Wines (2003), Oxford UniversityPress, New York

Understanding Vineyard Soils (2009), OUP,New York