Abstract

ZERMENO-GONZALEZ, Alejandro et al. Biofertilization of a vineyard and its relationship to photosynthesis, yield and fruit quality. Agrociencia [online]. 2015, vol.49, n.8, pp.875-887. ISSN 2521-9766.

Seaweeds extracts applied to soil and foliage as biofertilizers increase yield and quality of diverse crops. This is related to an increase in the rate of plant photosynthesis. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of applying a seaweed-extract-based biofertilizer to the soil and foliage of a vineyard of cv. Shiraz grape (Vitis vinifera, L.), on the carbon dioxide (CO₂) assimilation rate and its relationship to fruit yield and quality. For this purpose, two 5.2 ha sections of cv. Shiraz grape vineyards were delimited in the wine company San Lorenzo, Municipality of Parras, Coahuila, Mexico. One of the sections was fertilized with the biofertilizer Algaenzims at the beginning of the production cycle (March 15, 2013) at a dosage of 2 L ha^-1 applied to the soil, and on April 3, 2013, it was applied to foliage at 0.5 L ha^-1. Assimilation rate of CO₂ for each section of vineyard was evaluated during its productive cycle by installing an eddy system with its corresponding sensors. The treatments were with and without application of the biofertilizer. Static differences in CO₂ assimilation rate between treatments was assessed with the Wilcoxon non-parametric test for paired populations (p≤0.05), whereas for differences in fruit yield and quality a completely randomized design was utilized and treatments means were compared with the Tukey test (p≤0.05). To evaluate the energy balance over each surface, net radiation, latent and sensible heat flux and soil heat flux were measured. Based on the Wilcoxon test (p≤0.05), the results of the study showed that the application of the biofertilizer increased the CO₂ assimilation rate by 7.72 %. Because of this, fruit yield was 13.9 % higher and °Brix was 3.04 % higher (Tukey, p≤0.05) in the plantation where the biofertilizer was applied.

Keywords : Seaweed; Vitis vinifera; net carbon dioxide exchange; energy balance; eddy covariance.

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