Service crops in grapevine agroecosystems. Characterization of agrobiodiversity, ecosystem services, soil quality and the ecophysiological response of grapevines to these environments.

GRECO, SILVINA; TONOLLI, ALEJANDRO; FRUITOS, ANDREA; DEBANDI, GUILLERMO; MARTÍNEZ, LAURA; BARZOLA, PEHUEN; DE ROSAS,INÉS; FERRARI, FLORENCIA

Ciencias agronómicas. Revista de investigaciones de las Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. UNR

Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias - Universidad Nacional de Rosario

Lugar: Rosario; Año: 2022 vol. 22 p. 13 - 14

The increase in agricultural production (by increasing the cultivated area or by productive intensification) can lead to a reduction in biodiversity and, therefore, to a decrease in the capacity of ecosystems to provide ecosystem services (Martín-López and Montes, 2011). Agroecology, as an alternative, still requires developing practices that can properly accomplish its bases: improvement and conservation of biodiversity, soil quality and water care (Tonolli et al., 2019) and thereby ensure the provision of ecosystem services.Agrobiodiversity is the biodiversity of agricultural production and includes wild and cultivated species that are part of agroecosystems. It also includes the diverse ways in which producers can use it to produce and manage crops, soil and biota (Thrupp, 2000). Increasing plant diversity develops animal diversity and both contribute to soil quality (Nicholls and Altieri, 2002) and improved water resource utilization (Uliarte et al., 2009). Vandermeer and Perfecto (1995) classify cultivated species within the planned diversity, spontaneous species surrounding the crops within the associated diversity and species found in the surrounding area of the agroecosystem within the surrounding diversity.A method to analyze and quantify the plant diversity of an agroecosystem is to subdivide it into three aspects: composition (identity, richness and abundance of species, as well as diversity), structure (spatial arrangement) and function (roles that species play in the agroecosystem) (Noss, 1990).One of the main tools to promote agrobiodiversity consists of developing a permanent or temporary vegetation cover, on the entire or part of the surface (Uliarte et al., 2009). This practice increases soil structure, reduces soil compaction, improves water infiltration and maintains biodiversity, among other qualities.The vegetation accompanying the crop or crops generates an environment of simplified biological relationships (few organisms) or of greater complexity (Quezada et al., 2020) depending on the composition, relative abundance and seasonality of the vegetation. Promotion provides the possibility of activating and optimizing biological processes that lead to situations of stability and reduction of erosion, compaction and pest problems. The promotion of accompanying vegetation can be developed by means of service crops (species selected and cultivated to accomplish one or more determined functions (Langemeyer et al., 2017)) or by means of spontaneous vegetation (practices that allow the establishment of species found in the agroecosystem itself or that arrive to them without intentional human intervention, reaching together, values of cover and height favorable to the crop or crops that are the object of production (Ovalle et al., 2007).The combination of accompanying vegetation management strategies, productive environments and the type of promotion of accompanying vegetation makes it possible to visualize productive intensification strategies, ecological intensification strategies and ecological and productive stability strategiesMendoza has 158,585 ha under vine. The dominant vineyard production model corresponds to the conventional managementand for a few decades there have been concerns about the environmental sustainability of these agroecosystems. In response, several producers have chosen for the implementation of certified organic management systems and in general terms: agroecological management (Van den Bosch et al., 2015).Agroecology has contributed to the demonstration of the negative environmental impacts of conventional agricultural management, but it still needs to develop practices that can properly accomplish its bases. In this sense, it is observed in the field that many winegrowers have advanced in strategies for managing accompanying vegetation, productive environments and types of promotion of spontaneous vegetation. Thus, it is common to observe green cover in the inter-rows to provide some type of ecosystem service. In particular, the use of spontaneous vegetation has been poorly practiced and therefore it is unknown which vegetation cover, floral composition, richness and diversity promotes ecosystem services and favors the cultivation of vines.Within the framework of a strategy of ecological and productive stability, the project seeks to contribute to the understanding of the characteristics acquired by agrobiodiversity, ecosystem services and soil in grapevine agroecosystems with an approach of promotion and development of spontaneous vegetation, as well as to know the ecophysiological response of grapevines to these vegetation environmentsThe following observations will be made in each plot during the months of September, December and March- Richness, composition and abundance of plant species and vegetation cover using the phytosociological method.- Richness of groups of focal insects by means of the sampling technique with a D-Vac aspirator modified to accommodate a fine mesh of 40 cm in diameter.- Soil quality in samples at -20 cm both in the inter-row and in the row, at 30 cm from the plant, to determine organic matter, texture, bulk density, compaction, microbial activity and functional microbial groups related to mineralization, N fixation and related to cellulose metabolization).- Pruning weight, % sprouting and production.- Morphological, physiological and phenological characteristics of the most abundant (> 2% of cob.) and most frequent species to assign ecosystem functions.