Water uptake dynamics in irrigated and intercropped grapevines

What is it about?

We report on the water uptake of irrigated grapevines under different soil vegetation covers. The grapevines were installed in Vertisols, hence in high water availability pedoclimatic conditions. We found that, despite irrigation, the water uptake by the vines is not limited to the plantation row and occurs throughout the development cycle of the vine. Although it preferably takes place in the surface layers of the rows, the root system adjust its development as a function of available water in the different soil compartments. The cover crop plays an important role in this water uptake dynamics since it was observed that grapevines located in plots with sown cover crop consume water at depths of about 3.00 m, which strongly suggests that the vegetation cover forces the vine roots to seek for available water at progressively deeper soil layers.

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Why is it important?

These findings are important taken into consideration the success of deficit irrigation strategies on the control of water availability for the vines, especially when they are irrigated and grow in soils with high water storage capacity.