Strawberry Living Mulch In Organic Vineyards

Summary

"A living mulch system can improve soil nutrient status and structure, provide beneficial habitat for biodiversified coenoses and spatial competition against weed infestation, and support a rhizosphere-enhanced diversity in microbial populations that can suppress soilborne pathogens. Strawberry living mulch in vineyards has been evaluated for two years through a participative approach involving researchers and producers. From the results of the experimental work, it appears that living mulch obtained with wild strawberry combined with a horizontal blade weeder reduces the need for further soil management, starting from the second year after vines planting, and assures a full soil cover during winter, thus reducing soil erosion and weed competition. It maintains a diversified coenosis and represents a source of potential second income. Several advantages, as well as some weak points of the technique, have been shown, and some technical tips have been issued from the practical activities. Low input weed management is the first advantage derived from introducing living mulches. Such service is especially relevant for the area surrounding the trunk, where management is particularly complex and requires frequent manual interventions. Furthermore, installing a permanent mulch guaranteed a constant soil cover, and especially in hilly regions can drastically reduce the risk of erosion and leaching during rainy periods, compared to mechanical tillage. Mulching species could also provide an accessory for agroecological services and contribute in creating resilient biological communities; biodiverse populations able to dynamically evolve, matching the changes on environmental conditions."