Post on 12-Mar-2021
Introduction and study area
Gerlach trough
Environmental impact of crop diversification in steep vineyards
Thomas Iserloh1, Felix Dittrich2, Cord-Henrich Treseler3, Katharina Frey-Treseler3, Roman Hüppi4,
Johan Six4, Sören Thiele-Bruhn2, Manuel Seeger1
1Trier University, Department of Physical Geography, 54296 Trier, Germany / 2Trier University, Department of Soil Science, 54296 Trier, Germany / 3Winery Dr. Frey, 54441 Kanzem/ Saar, Germany / 4ETH Zürich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
www.diverfarming.eu
Project partners:
European Union’s Horizon 2020 Programme for research
& innovation under grant agreement no 728003
Crop diversification and low-input farming across Europe:
from practitioners’ engagement and ecosystems services to increased revenues
and value chain organisation
Weingut
Dr. FreyKanzem / Saar
The EU-funded project DIVER-
FARMING aims to research sus-
tainable and economically bene-
ficient diversified cropping systems
using low-input agricultural practices
that are tailor-made to fit the unique
characteristics of six EU pedo-
climatic regions.
Germany is involved with a broad-
based study in organic steep slope
viticulture.
Wawerner Jesuitenberg (CS9)
(Winery Dr. Frey, Kanzem an der Saar)
A: Vine intercropped with Thymus vulgaris
B: Vine intercropped with Origanum vulgare
C: Vine monocrop
Figure 1: Total Soil Erosion 2018 and one extreme event at study site (CS9) and at a long term study site (LT5). Figure 4: Nitrous oxide fluxes.Figure 2&3: Soil organic carbon and coarse fragments.
Investigation and assessment of:
Herbs:
Colonisation & growth / manageability / effects on
vine and soil / water demand during dry conditions
and growth phase / subsequent use (food, crop
protection, herbal essences, seed production)
Soil erosion and contamination:
Soil fertility and pollutants / soil structure / water
availability and soil carbon storage / carbon
sequestration by biomass / erosion rates /
greenhouse gas emissions / benefits, drawbacks and
limitations of machinery adapted to diversified
cropping systems
Effects on biological diversity:
Microbial community structure / microbial activity of
the soil / soil macrofauna / vegetation und biodiversity
Pedoclimatic region: Continental
Mean annual temperature: 11.2 ºC
Mean annual precipitation: 727 mm
Oregano Thyme
Experimental design
Selected preliminary results
9,309,01
8,61
9,14
2,84 2,86 2,87 2,85
87
91 90
93
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
0
1
2
3
4
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Control Oregano Thyme Oregano seed /control 2018
juic
e d
en
sity
(°O
e)
qu
alit
y p
aram
ete
rs a
cid
ity
(g/l
); p
H
acidity pH °Oe
Figure 7: Quality parameters of wine juice – acidity (g/l), pH, °Oe (mean results 2018)
Preliminary Conclusion• Because of a high drought, tillage under the herbs in 2018
was particularly intense. Due to one extreme rainfall event,
this resulted in very high erosion rates. Most of the soil
erosion in 2018 is from this extreme event.
• Due to soil tillage, soil erosion increased after herb planting
in rows (compared to monocrop lines).
• Due to erosion, SOC is low and the amount of coarse
fragments are high under the vines. We expect a reduction
of soil erosion after consolidation of herbs in 2019.
• Nitrous oxide fluxes are low, but a peak is measurable
during the extreme rain event.
• As a result of heavy rainfall on June 1st and summer-
drought, some damage to the herb-plantings was visible.
Figure 6: Wine grape yield (kg/ha) and number of grapes per wine-plant (mean
results). Average yield 2018: 7536 kg/ha.
0
5
10
15
20
25
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000
Control Oregano Thyme Oregano seed /control 2018
nu
mb
er
of
grap
es
yie
ld (
kg/h
a)
yield (kg/ha) grapes per wine-plant
Figure 5: Area covered by herbs in 2018 – vineyard and single stand compared (mean
results).
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
are
a (c
m²)
Oregano
Thyme
Oregano single
Thyme single
• Development of aromatic herbs was better in single stand
compared to intercrop plantings during establishment year 2018.
Variation in soils (less rock fragments), field preparation (deeper
cultivation in single stand) and fewer competition (water/nutrients)
can be an explanation for differences.
• Vine yield in 2018 was sufficient for site. Wine in rows with Thyme
showed lower number of grapes per wine-plant and yield. Seed-
establishment of Oregano failed, so this treatment is shown as
“control”.
• Crop quality was tested on selected wine-plants. The parameters
showed similar qualities throughout treatments. Further
development of herbs can cause higher differentiation throughout
the next years.
CS 9 LT 5
Date/Time Rain (mm)
30.05.-05.06.2018 107
01.06.2018 / 0:00h-0:59h 55.6