Development of a low-input under-vine floor management system which improves profitability without compromising yield or quality. FINAL REPORT to WINE AUSTRALIA, Project Number: UA 1303

The under-vine zone of the vineyard contains the greatest concentration of vine roots, with management directly impacting vine yield, quality and profitability. The removal of weeds involves regular use of herbicides or cultivation, neither of which is recognised as best practice soil management. This project investigated the growth of cover crops below the vine which are both beneficial to the soil and the vine while competing with or suppressing the growth of weeds. At four South Australian sites, annual pasture legume and grass cover crops generated yields and financial gross margins equivalent to or greater than the herbicide controls.