Search

Grapevine is a perennial crop whose growth and productivity can be affected by many pedoclimatic and agrotechnological factors. Currently, land terracing is a common field organization for new vineyard plantations, reducing slope on the cultivated land, and for the introduction of new areas for agricultural production. One of these pedoclimatic factors is the position of vines on vineyard slope. The aim of this paper was to assess the effect of the grapevine position on the field slope on growth expressed by pruning weight and on cold hardiness of bud and cane grapevine. The research used relatively simple methods and it was conducted in a commercial hillside vineyard from Samburesti viticultural region in Romania. The grapevines used for this study were represented by three red grape varieties: Vitis vinifera L. cv. Cabernet Sauvignon, Vitis vinifera L. cv. Merlot, and Vitis vinifera L. cv. Feteasca Neagra. Annual growth of grapevine and cane maturation in the previous growing season was influenced by slope positions. The lowest pruning weight was recorder in Merlot planted at the top of the vineyard slope. For all grapevine cultivars we found statistically significant differences between vines cultivated on the top of slope and vines cultivated on the foot of slope.

Agriculture in developed countries is getting more and more specialized. This is the way to reduce costs and keep agriculture activities economically competitive in global context. Specialization leads some agriculture production and activity to prevail on other in limited and specific areas that economists and politicians call "districts", that are often not functionally connected each other and have impact on environment, and human and social activities. In northern part of Italy, in Piedmont region, there are 2 important agricultural specialized production areas: the "wine district" on the hilly dry part of the region and the "animal husbandry district", with pig and cattle farms, on flat well-watered part of the region. In vineyards, since many years, we have seen a progressive impoverishment of organic matter in their soils. On the other hand land application of slurry and manure from livestock farms is recognized responsible of indiscriminate nitrogen contamination of surface and deep water. An experience of integrated animal organic waste management is running on farms 40 km a part: the solid fraction separated from pig slurry rich in organic nitrogen and organic matter is transported and spread as organic fertilizer in vineyards. Paper reports logistical and economical aspects of the integrated strategy for the management of the organic animal wastes. Special attention is given to design specific machines to manage and spread the separated fraction in slope vineyards. Paper report also physical and chemical characteristics of soil and separated solid fraction. The aim of this "peer to peer" project is to demonstrate that connections between very different specialized agriculture production areas can contribute to solve environmental problems and be cost-effective at the same time.