Attend GiESCO 2017 in Argentina
Abstract
Attendance at the 20th International GiESCO (Group of international Experts of vitivinicultural Systems for CoOperation) conference held in Mendoza, Argentina (5-10 November 2017) was important from several perspectives, including:
- Learning about the Argentinian viticulture and wine industry based around Mendoza
- Having the opportunity to network with colleagues involved in similar research programs
- Presenting to the global wine community results from the Wine Australia funded research investigating the use of cover crops in the undervine zone of the vineyard
Summary
Events such as the international GiESCO conference enable those working in applied systems-based research to benchmark their work against the broader global research community. From this perspective, it was pleasing that we are co-leaders in the field of undervine cover cropping research along with Justine Vanden Huevel from Cornell University. Their research is based in vineyards with high soil fertility and about a metre of rainfall per year, so they welcome some competition to reduce vine vigour and yields. Species used for cover crops generally reflect the environment and the role they are required to perform. In New York State those species are quite different to that required in most Australian vineyards. Despite this, they have found cover crops to successfully replace the need for herbicides, with environmental (less nitrate leaching and more diverse soil microbiome) and possible quality improvements to be gained.
Following discussions with Californian colleagues, one area of research that should be developed in Australia as a consequence of the present work and the benefits appearing to arise from it, is the potential to address phylloxera with undervine cover crops. Conventional undervine management practices where herbicides are used to remove all vegetation apart from the vines, leads to a biologically inactive soil with poor levels of microbial diversity. It is therefore suggested that undervine cover cropping be investigated in phylloxera infested vineyards to improve soil biodiversity, vine root health and potentially redress some of the impacts of phylloxera on vine health.