Salinity Effects on the Ion Composition of Fruiting Cabernet Sauvignon Vines

Abstract

Glasshouse-grown `Cabernet Sauvignon' vines (Vitis vinifera L.) were irrigated with nutrient solution containing 1, 10, 25, 50 or 75 mM NaCl. Shoot growth was substantially reduced by the 50 and 75 mM NaCl treatments. A great increase in the chloride content of bleeding sap from decapitated plants occurred above the 25 mM salinity level. The interrelations of sodium, chloride and potassium levels in petioles, laminae (blades) and berries for the various salinity treatments are described. Replacement of potassium by sodium was evident in petioles, but not in laminae or berries. A consequence of increased salinity in the rootzone of vines was a higher level of sodium and chloride within fruit and leaves. These observations are discussed in terms of possible effects on wine composition.