ABSTRACT
Soil biological activity and nutrient dynamics under contrasting vineyard management systems

Matías Betancur1, Guillermo Pascual2, Fuensanta Caravaca3, Antonio Roldán3, Manuel Campoy3, Thierry Lebeau4, Juan Hirzel5 , Gustavo Santoyo6, Ma. del Carmen Orozco-Mosqueda7, Gonzalo Tortella8, Miquel Martorell9, and Mauricio Schoebitz2*
 
Cultural management practices in vineyards (Vitis spp.) significantly influence soil quality. Nevertheless, the impact of these practices on soil quality within Chile’s heritage vineyards remains largely unexplored. This study sought to assess the effects of two distinct management practices—organic and conventional—on soil quality in vineyards located in the Itata Valley, Ñuble Region. The investigation focused on microbiological variables, including microbial biomass, basal respiration, and enzymatic activities associated with the C, N, P, and S cycles, as well as chemical variables such as pH, organic matter, available nutrients, and total soil trace elements. Additionally, the study examined the influence of varying durations of organic management (2 to 11 yr) on soil quality parameters. Organic management was found to significantly enhance soil biological activity, as indicated by increased basal respiration, microbial biomass, and key enzymatic activities related to the C, N, P, and S cycles, with improvements ranging from two- to 3.2-fold (P < 0.05) compared to conventional management. Conversely, conventionally managed vineyards exhibited higher soil nutrient availability, including nitrate (58%) and sulfate (95%), than their organically managed counterparts. Soil quality has improved with extended periods of organic management. Over the span of 2 to 11 yr of organic management, there were significant increases in pH and Ca (P < 0.05), while Cd levels decreased by 25%. Consequently, organic management is superior for the sustainability of heritage vineyards, as it increases soil biological activity by up to 3.2-fold and reduces heavy metals such as Cd by 25% after 11 years of implementation.
Key words: Heavy metals, microbial biomass, soil enzymatic activity, soil quality, sustainable management, Vitis spp.
1Universidad Adventista de Chile, Facultad de Ingeniería y Negocios, Chillán 3780000, Chile.2Universidad de Concepción, Facultad de Agronomía, Concepción 4030000, Chile. 3Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura—Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Departamento de Conservación de Suelos y Agua, 30100 Murcia, España. 4Université de Nantes, Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géosciences, UMR LPG-Nantes 6112 CNRS, 2 rue de la Houssinière, BP, 92208, 44322, Nantes Cedex, France. 5Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, INIA Quilamapu, Chillán 3800062, Chile.6Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Instituto de Investigaciones Químico Biológicas, Morelia 58030, Michoacán, México.7Tecnológico Nacional de México, Departamento Ingeniería Bioquímica y Ambiental, Celaya 38010, Guanajuato, México.8Universidad de La Frontera, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Centro de Investigación Biotecnológica Aplicada al Medio Ambiente (CIBAMA), Temuco, Chile.9Universidad de Concepción, Facultad de Farmacia, 4070386 Concepción, Chile.*Corresponding author (mschoebitz@udec.cl)