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Review: soil physical and chemical properties as indicators of soil quality in A ustralian viticulture
Author(s) -
Oliver D.P.,
Bramley R.G.V.,
Riches D.,
Porter I.,
Edwards J.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
australian journal of grape and wine research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.65
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1755-0238
pISSN - 1322-7130
DOI - 10.1111/ajgw.12016
Subject(s) - vineyard , soil quality , environmental science , context (archaeology) , viticulture , cation exchange capacity , agricultural soil science , agriculture , soil retrogression and degradation , vine , soil water , soil organic matter , agricultural engineering , soil science , agronomy , agroforestry , soil biodiversity , chemistry , engineering , geography , ecology , biology , food science , archaeology , wine
Soil quality, in a viticultural context, may be defined as the soil's capacity to support grapevine growth without resulting in soil degradation or otherwise harming the environment. In other agricultural systems, various approaches for evaluating soil quality have been adopted, and numerous soil physical and chemical properties have been used to characterise it. Here, we consider the relevance and suitability of these approaches and the choice of soil properties for A ustralian viticulture. As a consequence, the soil physical and chemical properties suggested to comprise a minimum data set for ongoing monitoring of soil quality in A ustralian viticulture are aggregate stability, air‐dry soil consistence, pH , electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity (if pH Ca < 5.5), exchangeable cations and total organic carbon. Biological parameters are considered in a companion paper. The rationale for not including other soil physical and chemical properties that may be part of the minimum data set in other agricultural systems or be considered important in A ustralian vineyard soils is discussed. An area still to be considered is the selection of an indicator(s) of vine or grape quality since yield, which is used in many other agricultural industries, may not necessarily be an appropriate management goal in viticulture.