ISHS Acta Horticulturae 427: Strategies to Optimize Wine Grape Quality
EFFECT OF VARIOUS GROUND COVERS ON BERRY AND MUST CHARACTERISTICS OF ‘SANGIOVESE’ WINE GRAPE IN THE "BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO" AREA |
| Authors: | F. Ferrini, G.B. Mattii, P. Storchi |
| Keywords: | grapevine, ripening, sod, soil management |
| Abstract:
A research program was begun in 1992 in a vineyard of twelve-year-old Sangiovese/420 A at 3 x 1.2 m spacing to test ground cover effects in the “Brunello di Montalcino” area, an environment marked by scarce summer rainfall. The program includes the following trials: a) spring-summer soil tilling: b) ground cover with natural grass; c) ground cover with Trifolium subterraneum (subterraneum clover); d) ground cover with Festuca arundinacea (tall fescue). The results of the must analyses carried out from veraison to harvest showed that the ground cover positively affected sugar content which was higher in the ground covered plots compared to the tilled ones. Among various ground covers, tall fescue gave an earlier harvest date. Must titratable acidity and pH were higher in the tilled plots but no differences among the different kinds of ground cover were detected. As far as the berry weight was concerned, it has to be stressed that the ground cover strongly reduced this parameter even though the effects seemed to be also related to the climate trend during the ripening period. The results of the research showed that the ground cover can be used even in a zone with scarce rainfall during the growing season with positive effects on the berry characteristics and on the harvest date. | |
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