From Nutrigated grafted vines to the glass of wine

A three-year experiment in Italy (2009-2011) showed that the NutrigationTM growing method improves the vineyards' quantity and quality

The experiment was conducted with the help of Dr. Giovanni Bigot, Agronomist Viticultural Consultant

Wine grape growers in Europe never rushed to change their traditional growing methods due to the concern of losing the unique taste of their wines.
Recently, new agronomic and economic challenges, like the climate change and the competition with new vineyards in other parts of the world, are forcing these growers to incorporate new growing methods such as NutrigationTM.

On the other hand in the segment of the white wines and sparkling wines, the aim rule of the freshness, aroma moderate but tangible, a more modest alcohol level characters ... which is very difficult to get if you rely on nutrition in the management of water only to natural cycles (rain, however, more and more erratic) and mineral nutrition of isolated only to traditional granular fertilizer to rapid effect.
For that reasons the NutrigationTM have been developing in the main vineyards.

An ideal NutrigationTM regime regulates the mineral concentrations in the root zone allowing efficient mineral uptake during the different growing stages of the season.

Various field tests of Haifa Chemicals in Italy show that NutrigationTM and new fertilization regimes improves the characteristics of high-value vine seedlings (grafted vines). Other tests show that when NutrigationTM was used in vineyards these vineyards yielded more and gave better quality of grapes and wines.

A three-year experiment (2009-2011) compared 2 Nutrigation regimes to the conventional granular fertilizer regime on Pinot grigio grapes in Isonzo Area (vocated area for white vine placed in north east of Italy, close to the border with Slovenia). This experiment shows that the NutrigationTM regime had bigger production and a better quality from the conventional regime. In terms of net income per Ha the experiment shows income growth around 6% (based on grape value) and around 13% (based on vine value) in the NutrigationTM regimes compared to the traditional granular fertilizing regime.

Comparing the quality of grafted vine seedlings that grow under Nutrigation regime to seedlings that grow with traditional method shows that a NutrigationTM increased the starch quantity in the roots and the root system are more developed in the vines that grow under NutrigationTM regime. These parameters indicate that the vine will grow faster and healthier.

To read more about the result of the meeting we got after the trials, click the following link: http://www.haifa-group.com/files/Articles/Resoconto_Convegno_Fertirrigazione_ENG.pdf