2014/01/01 by Cecile Coulon Leroy, Coulon-Leroy, Cécile, Étienne Neethling +5
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #0 #Agriculture and Biological Studies #Food Industry and Aquatic Biology
paper · doi:10.17180/8ez1-6345
openalex publication_date 2014/01/01 · openalex created_date 2022/10/06 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Winegrowers must adapt their viticultural practices taking into consideration new environmental regulations and a changing climate. We designed a conceptual representation of the joint effects of soil, subsoil, landscape and cultural practices on vine behavior. The joint effects were connected to 'grape/wine' product types that were previously characterized by winegrowers and advisory agents. Our concept applied to study plots, showed that it was possible to characterize, in a simple and operational way, the global vine functioning/behavior and relate it to 'grape/wine' product types. Firstly, variables evaluating vegetative development and earliness are evaluated according to soil, sub-soil factors and cultural practices. Then, water supply conditions are characterized. According to regulations of designation of origin, it appears that practices opened to the choice of winegrowers may have an impact on water supply. Some plots being more sensitive than others to annual climate variability, growers have a certain flexibility to adapt their practices to environmental factors and expected wine style. Changes in cultural practices may allow winegrowers to adapt to climate change at short and medium term. However at a long term, the best vineyard plot localizations of today might not be those of tomorrow. Vines could be planted on plots which until now had been evaluated as less qualitative, because of an excessive water holding capacity.