TY - JOUR T1 - Effects of Mulching Materials on Soil and Performance of cv. Uva di Troia Grapevines in Apulia region, Southeastern Italy JF - American Journal of Enology and Viticulture JO - Am. J. Enol. Vitic. DO - 10.5344/ajev.2011.11092 SP - ajev.2011.11092 AU - Giuseppe Ferrara AU - Mariano Fracchiolla AU - Al Chami Ziad AU - Salvatore Camposeo AU - Cesare Lasorella AU - Andrea Pacifico AU - Adel Aly AU - Pasquale Montemurro Y1 - 2012/02/14 UR - http://www.ajevonline.org/content/early/2012/02/06/ajev.2011.11092.abstract N2 - The responses in soil conditions, vine growth, and physiological, yield and quality components of cv. Uva di Troia to the application of synthetic and organic mulches were studied in this experiment for two years (2006–2007 and 2007–2008). The effects of the application in the vine rows of two synthetic mulches (geotextile as polypropylene and black polyethylene) and an organic one (exhausted olive pomace 3- and 6-cm tick) were compared to a control (weed mowing) in an organic vineyard. Throughout the trial, we conducted soil and leaf analyses, weed surveys, and measured vegetative activity, leaf gas exchange and water status, yield and quality components and phytotoxicity tests. The exhausted olive pomace showed positive effects on some soil fertility variables and on vine physiology (stomatal conductance, transpiration and net assimilation). Black polyethylene and geotextile provided good control of the weeds, especially in the first year, but positive results were also obtained with the exhausted olive pomace. Components of yield and quality variables of grape were unaffected by any of the organic and synthetic mulches compared to weed mowing. The exhausted olive pomace provided good control of weeds, improved the fertility of the soil and it could be acceptable from a sustainability point of view. The mode of action of the exhausted olive pomace was both physical and phytochemical through the release of phytotoxic compounds. ER -