Description
Whole surface permanent living mulch involves sowing a perennial cover crop species or mixture - or maintaining a spontaneous living mulch - across the entire vineyard surface, including both the under-row and inter-row areas.
Explanation
This practice provides several benefits, including reduced tillage, lower soil erosion, and organic matter conservation, while also ensuring effective weed control.
Drawbacks
Difficult to implement in dry environments due to water competition between the groundcover and vines.
Managing the under-row area can be challenging, especially in stony, sloped, or heavy soils. There is also increased frost risk for vines due to cover crop presence in winter or early spring, requiring careful planning of fungal treatments and shredding operations.
Technical Aspects
Technical readiness
To improve accessibility, there is a need for machinery capable of sowing both under-row and inter-row areas, along with suitable cover crop mixtures for challenging conditions such as stony or sloped soils. Currently, the required equipment - particularly for under-row sowing - is not widely available on the market.
Ease and efficiency of implementation
Pedoclimatic conditions significantly influence the success of this practice. Sloped soils often present challenges due to variations in composition and fertility from top to bottom, while stony terrain can complicate seedbed preparation. Cover crops may increase frost risk during frequent cold events, and warm, wet spring conditions limit the window for effective intervention. These factors require careful planning and adaptive management strategies.
Need for training and education
On-farm demonstration activities and training are essential for guiding farmers through the successful establishment and management of whole-surface cover crops.
Need for investments
Implementation requires specific machinery capable of performing both inter-row and under-row tillage and sowing simultaneously, unless relying on spontaneous cover crops, in which case such investment may not be necessary.
Policy Recommendations
Subsidies are essential to support both the adoption and development of appropriate mechanical equipment. Co-funding should be available for investments in new machinery, along with research programs aimed at improving equipment design and suitability for varied conditions.
Additional financial support is needed for training and demonstration activities to build farmers' skills and confidence. Promoting cooperation and resource sharing among farmers will further enhance the effectiveness, cost-efficiency, and scalability of this innovation.