%0 Journal Article
%T Cover cropping in a slopping non-irrigated vineyard: II - effects on vegetative growth, yield, berry and wine quality of "cabernet sauvignon" grapevines
%A Lopes
%A C.M.
%A Monteiro
%A A.
%A Machado
%A J.P.
%A Fernandes
%A N.
%A Ara¨²jo
%A A.
%J Ci¨ºncia e T¨¦cnica Vitivin¨ªcola
%D 2008
%I Scientific Electronic Library Online
%X grapevine vegetative growth, yield, fruit composition and wine quality were studied in the estremadura winegrowing region of portugal in a £¿cabernet sauvignon£¿ slopping non-irrigated vineyard. during three seasons three treatments were compared: soil tillage (control), permanent resident vegetation, and permanent sown cover crop. when compared to soil tillage, the inter-row sward treatments displayed a lower predawn leaf water potential from bloom to mid-ripening. these differences in vine water status did not affect vine yield or berry sugar accumulation; however, in the third season after experiment setup it induced a significant reduction in vegetative growth in the sward treatments, compared to soil tillage. this vegetative growth reduction had a positive effect on grape composition by reducing titratable acidity and increasing berry skin total phenols and anthocyanins. those differences were also detected in the wines by the judges who gave a better classification to the wines from the sward treatments. our results indicate that cover cropping can be a valuable tool for controlling vigour and enhancing wine quality in this winegrowing region.
%K grapevine
%K cover crops
%K growth
%K yield
%K quality.
%U http://www.scielo.gpeari.mctes.pt/scielo.php?script=sci_abstract&pid=S0254-02232008000100004&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en