Impact of soil texture and water availability on the hydraulic control of plant and grape-berry development

• Published in: Plant and soil Vol. 368; no. 1/2; pp. 215 - 230
• Main Authors: Tramontini, Sara, van Leeuwen, Cornelis, Domec, Jean-Christophe, Destrac-Irvine, Agnès, Basteau, Cyril, Vitali, Marco, Mosbach-Schulz, Olaf, Lovisolo, Claudio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01.07.2013; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V; Springer Verlag
• Subjects: Agricultural soils; Agrology; Agronomy; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Berries; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; clay soils; Crop production; Cultivars; Drought; Droughts; Ecology; Environmental Sciences; Food quality; fruit quality; Fruits; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gas exchange; General agronomy. Plant production; Gravelly soils; Hydraulics; leaf water potential; Leaves; Life Sciences; Magnesium; Moisture content; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Plants; Regular Article; roots; Sand soils; Sandy soils; shoots; small fruits; Soil hydraulic properties; Soil moisture; Soil science; Soil Science & Conservation; Soil texture; Soil types; Soil water; Soil water content; Soil water potential; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; Soils; stems; Sugar; sugar content; sugars; Vegetal Biology; Vineyards; Vitaceae; Vitis vinifera; Water; Water availability; Water consumption; Water loss; Water potential; Water stress; Water uptake; Wine industry; Wineries; Xylem; Hydraulic architecture; Cabernet franc; Water deficit; Merlot; Soil type; Grapevine; Water supply; Hydraulic control; Berry; Water availability; Physical properties; Texture; Vitis vinifera; Soils; Fruit crop; Vitidaceae; Water regime; Dicotyledones; Grape; Soil types; Angiospermae; Development; Spermatophyta; Soil plant relation
• DOI: 10.1007/s11104-012-1507-x
• ISSN: 0032-079X

Aims All components of the soil-plant-atmosphere (s-p-a) continuum are known to control berry quality in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) via ecophysiological interactions between water uptake by roots and water loss by leaves. The scope of the present work was to explore how the main hydraulic components of grapevine influence fruit quality through changes in liquid- and gas-phase hydraulic conductance. Methods To reach our objectives, determinations of shoot growth, berry size and sugar content, leaf gas exchange, predawn leaf water potential (as a proxy of soil water potential), midday stem water potential and leaf water potential were performed in conjunction with anatomical measurements of shoot xylem. All measurements were conducted in two different cultivars (Cabernet franc and Merlot) and on three different soil types (clayey, gravelly, and sandy). Results Shoot xylem morphometric characteristics and whole-plant hydraulic conductance were influenced by cultivar and soil type. Differences in leaf gas exchange parameters and water potentials were determined by soil type significantly more than by cultivar. Between the two extremes (gravelly soil imposing drought conditions and sandy soil with easily accessible water) the clayey soil expressed an intermediate plant water consumption and highest sugar accumulation in berry. Conclusions Hydraulic and non hydraulic limitations to vine/berry interactions supported the conclusion that water availability in the soil overrides differences due to cultivar in determining the productive potential of the vineyard. Non hydraulic stomatal control was expected to be an important component on plants grown on the clayey soil, which experienced a moderate water stress. Possible links between hydraulic traits and berry development and quality are discussed.