Screening Cover Crop Species For In-Row And Inter-Row In Canadian Organic Vineyards

Summary

Grape growers are increasingly interested in cover cropping to enhance long-term productivity while improving the ecosystem health. A wide range of cover crop species for in-row and inter-row use in vineyards were evaluated in two provinces of Canada in 2019. Superior species were selected based on characteristics such as seeds availability and cost, establishment, dry biomass, growth rate, canopy cover, weed suppression, height, host for pest and diseases, maturity date, drought tolerance, traffic tolerance, and risk of being invasive. Among tested species for British Columbia superior species were Ladino white clover and spring lentil for in-row, and ryegrass, fescue, cereal rye, tillage radish, vetch and berseem clover for inter-row. In Ontario, superior inter-row species were crimson clover, pearl millet and yellow clover. Field studies are planned to assess the effect of the superior cover crop species on soil ecology, yield, and fruit quality/composition in the next three years.