WATER STATUS OF A CHARDONNAY VINEYARD AND ITS RELATION TO THE YIELD AND GRAPE QUALITY - DOI: 10.7127/rbai.v11n500799

Resumo

The water availability is one of the most important environmental resources for yield and quality of the grapes. Although water is an abundant resource especially in Pinto Bandeira region whose rain annual depth is high, due to soil characteristics as shallow depth with waterproof horizons near the surface, the water may not be available sometimes among the year (short droughts), which often coincide with the sensible phenological periods of greatest grape water requirement. This study aimed to achieve accurate information regarding Chardonnay vineyard water requirement in Pinto Bandeira, RS, soil water potential through studies of soil water storage capacity and its relationships to yield and quality of the vines. The characteristics of soil water storage capacity and water loss of vineyard, especially by evapotranspiration, should be analyzed together for an adequate definition of the vineyard's water status and its relation to the grape yield and quality. Another important point is that there is considerable variability of water requirement in the same vineyard and this variability increases with topographic irregularity.