Nutritional evaluations of Cabernet Sauvignon grape and some rootstocks in calcareous soils under greenhouse conditions

Abstract

Greenhouse studies were carried out to determine the effects of three calcareous soils on the foliar growth and elemental composition of a vinifera variety, three common roostocks, and the variety grafted to the three roostocks. Soils, water, shoot growth, tissue analyses, and cation uptake were evaluated in grapevines on which grape variety rootstocks and grafted materials were established on Mohall, Sonoita, and Casa Grande soil series in PVC columns collected from three agricultural areas in Arizona. Grapevines have a root system that explores the subsoil as well the surface of the soil; however, in calcareous soils with high pH and high lime content, some micronutrient are relatively insoluble, also calcium tends to be precipitated forming calcium carbonate and becomes water insoluble; therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the roostock effect in the nutritional uptake. Good compatibility was observed between rootstocks and scions, also all grafted vines grew very well and no chlorosis or foliar elemental deficiencies were obserbed during the experiments. In this study, roostocks showed bigger shoot growth in grapevines than the rest of the treatments. Grafted grapevines contained higher foliar potassium than the rest of the treatments. Also all material evaluated had calcium and iron deficiencies with content less than 1.2 percent and 70 mg kg-1, respectively, and no one had more than 0.5 percent of sodium content, foliar grape content reported by California that can be a problem. Cabernet savignon had the highest magnesium content in the three soils. Cation balance was used to measure the cation uptake for the evaluated materials; consequently, grafted plants had higher cation uptake than nongrafted plants. In this evaluation, Cabernet savignon grafted to 41 B had the highest cation content in comparision with every treatment; therefore, it was the highest in potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron content. No one treatment had a deficient level of manganese; although, the studied soils were basic with high pH. In relationship with copper uptake, Dogridge had the highest copper uptake in the three evaluated soils.