New research reveals how soil health and biodiversity boosts vineyard resilience to climate change – with opportunities for wine producers around the world to change course, regenerate land and produce great wines. A team of researchers from Niab, the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation (RVF) and Vinescapes have reviewed the science behind regenerative approaches to vineyard management.
Regenerative viticulture (RV) has been gaining traction with grape growers conscious of the environmental impacts of common viticulture practices such as tilling rows between vines, spraying synthetic pesticides, growing in a monoculture environment and working with compacted and unhealthy soils.
Climate change, biodiversity loss and ecosystem decline are placing pressure on vineyards in wine regions around the world, forcing growers and wine markets to look at alternative means of production.
Winegrowers have started to chart a different viticulture focused on rebuilding soil health, restoring ecosystems, replenishing water cycles, reviving biodiversity, enhancing soil nutrients, reducing erosion and drought risk and providing alternatives to synthetic pesticides and herbicides. The research study recently published in the journal OENO One, shows many of the benefits of practices adopted in RV are supported by science, but there is a need for further context specific and multi-practice research to fully understand the risks and rewards associated with these practices.
Lead RVF researcher Dr Alistair Nesbitt, of viticulture climate consultancy Vinescapes, and founding trustee of the RVF, said: “What really stands out from the research is a core focus on vineyard ecosystems and functional biodiversity can reduce so many vineyard challenges in the first place, and at the same time help growers mitigate and adapt to climate change.
“The study reinforces the potential for RV to provide wine producers with different techniques, which they can track, monitor and maintain with the right advice and technological support – this is great news for winegrowers in both hot and cool climate regions.
“This review evaluates peer-reviewed literature concerning methods of working with nature in vineyards including not tilling soils, integrating cover crops in rows, managing weeds without herbicide and grazing animals in vineyards.
“It establishes where there is scientific consensus, informs further research needs, and provides a basis for informed recommendations that growers can adopt.”
The multi-disciplinary research team composed of lead author Dr. Flora O’Brien (Niab soil and root-biology scientist), Dr Alistair Nesbitt (Viti-Climatologist and CEO of Vinescapes Ltd.), Becky Sykes (RVF Program Manager) and Dr Belinda Kemp (Niab Group Leader – Viticulture and Oenology Research) reviewed hundreds of research papers, for the first time, to evaluate the science behind regenerative viticulture approaches.
RVF author Becky Sykes, said: “The findings illustrate the emerging status of RV and this review supports those establishing RV systems.
“The evidence also supports policymakers by highlighting aspects of RV contributing to the provision and protection of ecosystem services, climate change mitigation and vineyard resilience, fostering opportunities in viticulture.”
“Furthermore, anyone owning, managing or thinking of investing in vineyards can now benefit from this knowledge and look to adopt, amend, trial and apply one or more practices to build knowledge around techniques and the impacts on their vineyard.”
Dr Nesbitt added: “The RVF provides valuable guides and information for anyone wanting to find out more about RV, and through our advisory services at Vinescapes we are now supporting the sustainable shift in practices with growers around the world to help them realise the true potential of their vineyards in a regenerative way.”
