Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
such as lime and gypsum, and rock phosphate fertilizer can be
incorporated at this stage and a decision made on the use of rootstocks.
7. Climate and soil factors may determine that full-scale irrigation, or only
supplemental watering, is required. If irrigation is to be used, the design
should be based on the soil types present and their distribution. The
quantity of water required at peak demand can be estimated and water
quality assessed, with particular emphasis on total dissolved salts (
TDS
)
and dissolved elements such as Na, Cl, Fe, and B. If reclaimed water of
high
TDS
is to be used, provision for salt leaching and offsite drainage
must be considered.
8. Site potential and the use (or not) of irrigation have influenced vine
spacing. In Old World vineyards on poorer soils in higher rainfall regions,
planting densities can be as high as 10,000 vines per ha, whereas in New
World regions on more fertile soils with full irrigation, lower densities of
1800 to 2200 vines per ha are common. However, higher plant densities
are now being adopted, especially in cool climate vineyards of the New
World, when the emphasis is more on wine quality than yield.
