Management of Cover Crops in Organic Vineyards with Roller Crimper: Does the Termination Date Matter?

Abstract

In vineyards, cover crops terminated with the roller crimper provide effective weed management, but their efficiency depends on the cover species and termination timing. To investigate this, an experiment was conducted in organic vineyards (Vitis vinifera var. 'Tempranillo') located in Raimat (Lleida). The study encompassed eight treatments (four cover crop species with two roller crimper termination dates) and a control without a planted cover, following a completely randomized block design with three replications. Species sown in late October 2022 included black oats (Avena strigosa), barley (Hordeum vulgare), ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), and triticale (×Triticosecale). In spring, the cover crops were crimped with the roller on two different dates (BBCH 75 and 87). Throughout the study, weed presence, soil coverage, and biomass production of both the cover crop and summer weeds were assessed. Results from the 2022/23 season indicated that all cover crops, except ryegrass, provided substantial soil coverage. Barley and triticale cover crops exhibited the lowest percentage of winter weed coverage. All cover crops, especially ryegrass, showed reduced summer weed biomass compared to the control. The percentage of weed coverage in June was unaffected by the roller date, while in July, this coverage was lower in the second roller date only for the oat cover.