Experiences about vineyard cover crop seed mixtures

  • Tamás Miglécz University of Debrecen, Department of Ecology
  • Ádám Donkó Hungarian Research Institution of Organic Agriculture
  • Orsolya Valkó University of Debrecen, Department of Ecology
  • Balázs Deák MTA-DE Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Research Group
  • Péter Török University of Debrecen, Department of Ecology
  • András Kelemen MTA-DE Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Research Group
  • Dóra Drexler Hungarian Research Institution of Organic Agriculture
  • Béla Tóthmérész MTA-DE Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Research Group
Keywords: agro-biodiversity, biodiversity, ecosystem services, soil protection, weed management, cover crop, viticulture, ecological farming

Abstract

In organic viticulture the development of new methods to save soil fertility, enhance soil microbial activity, control erosion, deflation and suppress weeds are high priority issues. Sowing high diversity cover crop seed mixtures in vineyard inter-rows offers a great opportunity to fulfill these tasks. During our study we evaluated three high diversity cover crop seed mixtures in on-farm field trials in two vineyards of Tokaj and two vineyards of Szekszárd vine regions. Seed sowing was applied in March, 2012: Biocont-Ecowin, Legume and Grass-medical herb seed mixtures were sown. The percentage cover of sown and unsown (weed) species was recorded in late June, 2012, 2013 and 2014. In the first year the Biocont-Ecowin and Legume seed mixtures were best established in both vine regions, therefore the weed control capability was also the best in inter-rows sown with these seed mixtures. For the second and third year in inter-rows sown with the Grass-medical herb and Legume seed mixtures lower weed cover was detected, while in inter-rows sown with Biocont-Ecowin seed mixture and in control inter-rows higher weed cover was detected. Our results show that sowing high-diversity cover crop seed mixtures in vineyard inter-rows offers a great opportunity to control weeds regardless of vine regions.

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Published
2015-12-31
Issue
Vol. 21 (2015): Volume 21. Conference proceedings of the 9th Hungarian Conference of Conservation Biology (Szeged, 20-23 November 2014)
Section
Scientific Research