THE INFLUENCE OF CLIMATE AND SOIL ON VITICULTURAL AND ENOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF ´SANGIOVESE´ GRAPEVINES UNDER NON-IRRIGATED CONDITIONS

A study was conducted to investigate the role played of climatic and soil variables on viticultural and enological parameters of ‘Sangiovese’ in central Italy.
Ten vineyards located on 7 farms were studied in 2002 and 2003. A large portion of the variance of the considered parameters was explained by soil type and water holding capacity.
Measured soil water availability discriminated among the different vineyards, while the effect of rainfall was significant only between years.
Soil temperature had no effects.
High soil water availability from veraison to harvest induced more vegetative growth and reduced sugar, color and phenol contents in the berries.
However, vineyards with low soil water availability during hot, dry summers had a low sugar content, acidity and color.
The outcome of this research indicates that there is not an optimum soil water availability content for each year.
However, a reduced availability of water during August and September, on average less than 1.5% by volume, seems to induce better quality ‘Sangiovese’ fruit.

VII International Symposium on Grapevine Physiology and Biotechnology

P. Storchi, E.A.C. Costantini, P. Bucelli

soil, functional characters, ´Sangiovese´, zoning, Italy

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2005.689.39