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

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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.

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5

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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).

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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