PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - M. G. McCarthy TI - Irrigation of Grapevines with Sewage Effluent. I. Effects on Yield and Petiole Composition AID - 10.5344/ajev.1981.32.3.189 DP - 1981 Jan 01 TA - American Journal of Enology and Viticulture PG - 189--196 VI - 32 IP - 3 4099 - http://www.ajevonline.org/content/32/3/189.short 4100 - http://www.ajevonline.org/content/32/3/189.full SO - Am J Enol Vitic.1981 Jan 01; 32 AB - Five-year-old Shiraz vines established on 45 liters of sewage effluent per vine per week during the irrigation season were studied during the subsequent three growing seasons. Two additional irrigation treatments consisting of 135 liters effluent per vine per week or 135 liters of good quality reticulated reservoir (mains) water per vine per week were imposed so the effect of a greater water supply containing either a high or a low salt load could be compared.Increasing the irrigation rate resulted in a significant improvement in vine vegetative growth and yield in each of the three years irrespective of water quality.Vines irrigated with the increased allocation of water showed significant increases in berry weight, cluster weight and number, and weight of prunings.During the three seasons sodium and chloride concentrations increased in the petioles of effluent irrigated vines to concentrations greatly in excess of those in vines receiving mains water. Petioles from vines receiving 135 L of effluent contained the highest concentrations of magnesium and total nitrogen, and vines given mains water were highest in phosphorus and potassium. The concentrations measured were within the range recorded for vine petioles from other viticultural areas in southern Australia.