Understanding soil biology to improve agricultural management in Ribeiro PDO vineyards

The Estación de Viticultura e Enología de Galicia (EVEGA-AGACAL) aimed to understand the impact of soil biology on various vineyards within the DOP Ribeiro. The study sought to understand how different agricultural management practices impact soil biology and overall vineyard health.

To achieve this, soil samples from vineyards employing conventional management practices were compared with those from vineyards using organic management. The research was funded by the Consellería do Medio Rural Xunta de Galicia, with contributions from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (FEADER) (75%), the Xunta de Galicia (22.5%), and the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Environment (MAPA) (2.5%).

The Solution

To evaluate the biological dimension of the soil, EVEGA-AGACAL utilized the BeCrop® Test developed by Biome Makers, as part of the Fields4Ever initiative. The BeCrop® indices provided a holistic view of soil health, encompassing crucial factors such as carbon, nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus information. Additionally, it provided data on micronutrient levels, hormonal regulation, stress responses, and biocontrol indicators.

Using BeCrop® technology, EVEGA-AGACAL could gain valuable insights into the effects of organic practices on crops and how these differ from conventional methods.

Results

The study revealed that organic management led to better nitrogen cycling and potassium pathways compared to conventional practices. Additionally, organic management showed improvements in micronutrient pathways, including magnesium and chlorine, and an increase in exopolysaccharide production. Furthermore, BeCrop indicators showed lower scores for conventional methods and higher scores for transitional/organic management approaches.

Thanks to the use of BeCrop® technology, EVEGA-AGACAL obtained valuable information about the impact of organic practices on crops and the differences compared to conventional methods.

This research was published, and you can read the full article at the following link: Physicochemical Properties and Microbiome of Vineyard Soils from DOP Ribeiro (NW Spain) Are Influenced by Agricultural Management.

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“Thanks to BeCrop®, we have unlocked a deeper understanding of soil biology, allowing precise analysis of the soil microbiome for our research. Its innovative indicators have revolutionized our soil management strategies, improving crop yields and promoting sustainable agriculture. We are grateful for BeCrop’s invaluable contribution to our work and look forward to continued collaboration.”