Organic Mulching Versus Soil Conventional Practices in Vineyards: A Comprehensive Study on Plant Physiology, Agronomic, and Grape Quality Effects

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

 

In general the manuscript reads well and presents a data set which will add to the published finds in this area of research. I have some detailed suggestions on how it can be improved. Well done.

I would suggest a little more reading and including some more content in the introduction and discussion from articles such as:

Yu, R., Zaccaria, D., Kisekka, I. et al. Soil apparent electrical conductivity and must carbon isotope ratio provide indication of plant water status in wine grape vineyards. Precision Agric 22, 1333–1352 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-021-09787-x

 

Microsoft Word - CSIRO Report Compost as mulch for vineyards.doc (greenindustries.sa.gov.au)

 

Chan, K. Y., Fahey, D. J., Newell, M., & Barchia, I. (2010). Using Composted Mulch in Vineyards—Effects on Grape Yield and Quality. International Journal of Fruit Science, 10(4), 441–453. https://doi.org/10.1080/15538362.2010.530135

 

Some of your discussion jumps to statements which are not supported by the data you present. 

Repeatedly you talk about changes in salinity but Salinity is only one aspect of CE as is texture and clay content and clay content in SMC treatment was significantly changed so more likely to be the reason for change in EC.

You also talk about the treatment SMC having more water stress but SMC only had a leaf water potential significantly different from all the other treatments on one occasion in 11 sets of measurements. Your results do not support the comments you are making.

In discussing the results you do not state that the vineyard in your experiment is not irrigated (assumed by reading the results) then discuss irrigated vineyard results line 387. some discussion/context about natural rain or irrigation and mulch would be useful here in placing the results in context.

The discussion does not include any information of the ability to produce/acquire the large volumes of material required for the yearly application of mulch at the volumes used in this experiment. Pruning material alone from a vineyard is likely to only cover less than 1/7 of the vineyard under row area in any one year. The cost of buying and transporting mulch to a vineyard is large both in dollars and environmental cost.

 

 

 

 

 

Comments on the Quality of English Language

 

The English is good but you may want to change the part listed below.

In this sense, a field experiment was conducted over three consecutive years in a 67

 

I think the author are trying to say “For this reason, “

Author Response

Reviewer 1:

In general the manuscript reads well and presents a data set which will add to the published finds in this area of research. I have some detailed suggestions on how it can be improved. Well done.

Thank you for your comments.

I would suggest a little more reading and including some more content in the introduction and discussion from articles such as:

Yu, R., Zaccaria, D., Kisekka, I. et al. Soil apparent electrical conductivity and must carbon isotope ratio provide indication of plant water status in wine grape vineyards. Precision Agric 22, 1333–1352 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-021-09787-x

Thank you for recommending this article. It is indeed an interesting study. In summary, this work emphasizes the importance of soil texture in influencing soil electrical conductivity (EC) due to changes in the soil’s water-holding capacity. However, soil moisture is the most influential factor in EC.

Our results indicate that the SMC treatment reduces soil clay content, which should theoretically decrease water retention. Nevertheless, we observed more water moisture throughout the growing cycle in deeper soils (25 cm), where vine roots are primarily established in SMC soil treatment. This increase in moisture and the described variations in physicochemical parameters may contribute to a higher EC.

We consider your suggestion and incorporate this reference into our study. This reference enriches our discussion by commenting on the importance of texture and soil moisture on the EC on lines 393-397.

Microsoft Word - CSIRO Report Compost as mulch for vineyards.doc (greenindustries.sa.gov.au)

This technical issue from 1999 outlines the primary effects of increased plant growth and productivity with organic mulches. The report describes effects very similar to those discussed in more recent scientific articles, which have been considered and cited in our work.

Chan, K. Y., Fahey, D. J., Newell, M., & Barchia, I. (2010). Using Composted Mulch in Vineyards—Effects on Grape Yield and Quality. International Journal of Fruit Science, 10(4), 441–453. https://doi.org/10.1080/15538362.2010.530135

This study has been considered during the discussion of the obtained data and is cited as reference number 59.

Some of your discussion jumps to statements which are not supported by the data you present.

Thank you for your feedback. We always aim to base our discussion on the results obtained. However, some points may not have been clearly communicated. If you could specify the line or section in question, we’d be happy to clarify and discuss it in more detail.

Repeatedly you talk about changes in salinity but Salinity is only one aspect of CE as is texture and clay content and clay content in SMC treatment was significantly changed so more likely to be the reason for change in EC.

As mentioned earlier, section 4.1 has been revised. It now includes a discussion on the observed changes in texture and highlights the importance of volumetric water content. We have also added relevant references to better address the influence of factors such as clay content in the SMC treatment, which, as you pointed out, likely plays a significant role in the changes in EC. Thank you for your observation. In lines 27, 399, 453, and 495, the salinity designation was replaced by soil electrical conductivity.

You also talk about the treatment SMC having more water stress but SMC only had a leaf water potential significantly different from all the other treatments on one occasion in 11 sets of measurements. Your results do not support the comments you are making.

As explained in the discussion (section 4.2), specifically in the paragraph between lines 428-429, we mention that there is no clear trend in the leaf gas exchange and water potentials data due to variability in environmental conditions and the punctual nature of these parameters (lines 433-435). However, to confirm the higher plant water stress in the SMC treatment, we focused on the analysis of carbon isotope discrimination (δ¹³C) in the berry, which integrates the sugar accumulation period between veraison and ripening—when water stress is typically higher during the growing season. Given that this result is based on data from three consecutive years, we consider it a robust indicator that SMC-mulched plants experience more plant water stress than the HERB treatment.

In discussing the results you do not state that the vineyard in your experiment is not irrigated (assumed by reading the results) then discuss irrigated vineyard results line 387. some discussion/context about natural rain or irrigation and mulch would be useful here in placing the results in context.

Great observation. The type of irrigation used in the vineyard is not mentioned. As stated in the materials and methods section, this is a commercial vineyard (line 90), where vines cannot experience severe water stress that could hinder grape production. Drip irrigation is applied when it is essential. However, the same amount of irrigation is applied across the vineyard, so all treatments are under the same conditions. This information has now been added to the experimental design section (line 90) for better context.

The discussion does not include any information of the ability to produce/acquire the large volumes of material required for the yearly application of mulch at the volumes used in this experiment. Pruning material alone from a vineyard is likely to only cover less than 1/7 of the vineyard under row area in any one year. The cost of buying and transporting mulch to a vineyard is large both in dollars and environmental cost.

Economic viability is an essential factor to consider. However, we believe that addressing this topic would deviate from the initial objective of the study. Including this section would also make the article overly dense, with two distinct parts. That said, this topic has been discussed within our research group, and we are considering a future study to evaluate the short- and long-term economic viability of using mulch, including costs related to acquisition and transportation.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

In this sense, a field experiment was conducted over three consecutive years in a 67. I think the author are trying to say “For this reason, “

Thank you for the suggestion. "In this sense" has been replaced with "For this reason" (line 73). We believe this change better fits and introduces the final paragraph more effectively.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This study investigated the application of organic mulching in vineyards to achieve long-term sustainability in viticulture. It analyzed the impact of three types of organic mulches (spent mushroom compost SMC, straw STR, grapevine pruning debris GPD) and two conventional soil management practices (herbicide HERB and tillage TILL) on grapevine physiology, agronomy, and grape quality over a three-year period. The research concluded that the effects of organic mulching on grapevine development were influenced by the physicochemical properties of the soil and mulch, soil water availability, and environmental conditions. It emphasized the importance of analyzing soil and organic mulch characteristics to determine vineyard requirements and select the most appropriate soil management treatment.

Overall, the writing, figures and tables are clear, well organized and easy to read. There are some problems, which must be solved before it is considered for publication.

 

Major comments:

Abstract:

-Lines 22-23: The way this sentence is phrased might lead people to understand that the inherent properties of the soil directly affect the action of the mulch on the development of grapevines. To convey the research results more clearly, the sentence could be clarified or restructured.

Introduction:

Why does this article compare under-row tillage, the use of pesticides and mulching treatments, given that they each serve different purposes in agriculture and horticulture? This point needs to be clarified in the background introduction.

Discussion:

This article emphasizes in both the abstract and conclusion the importance of conducting soil and organic mulch analysis before selecting the most suitable soil management practices. Thus, it would be beneficial to include some guidelines for selecting appropriate mulches for agricultural soil management.

Conclusion:

The specific implications of the research findings for vineyard management should be emphasized.

Minor comments:

-Lines 126-127: Why wasn't soil sampled and analyzed before the implementation of soil management treatments in February 2019?

-Line 207: phosphorus (K) ?

-Line 294: In Table 2, there is an issue where the thickness of the horizontal lines is inconsistent.

-Lines 299-303: Adding some explanations on the principle by which the δ¹³C indicator reflects plant water use efficiency can facilitate readers' understanding.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Carefully proofread to avoid grammatical and spelling errors, and ensure the use of clear and precise scientific language.

Author Response

Reviewer 2:

Major comments:

Abstract:

-Lines 22-23: The way this sentence is phrased might lead people to understand that the inherent properties of the soil directly affect the action of the mulch on the development of grapevines. To convey the research results more clearly, the sentence could be clarified or restructured.

Thank you for your suggestion. In lines 23-24 of the abstract, the intention was to convey that the effect of organic mulches on grapevine development depends on external factors such as soil characteristics, organic amendment properties, water availability, and environmental conditions, among others. This conclusion was reached based on the results presented, the group's experience in this field, and a thorough literature review. However, the sentence has been rewritten to make the idea clearer and easier to understand.

Introduction:

Why does this article compare under-row tillage, the use of pesticides and mulching treatments, given that they each serve different purposes in agriculture and horticulture? This point needs to be clarified in the background introduction.

This study examines the effects on soil, grapevine development, and grape quality of three organic mulches and two conventional soil management practices (herbicide and under-row tillage). These two conventional practices are commonly used in vineyard soil management. For this reason, they were included to compare the results of organic mulching with conventional methods, allowing for a more critical and objective assessment of the obtained results. However, indeed, the introduction did not address this point or the environmental impact of conventional soil management. We have added information on this topic to enrich the introduction (lines 39-44).

Discussion:

This article emphasizes in both the abstract and conclusion the importance of conducting soil and organic mulch analysis before selecting the most suitable soil management practices. Thus, it would be beneficial to include some guidelines for selecting appropriate mulches for agricultural soil management.

Thank you for your insightful suggestion. Including guidelines for selecting appropriate mulches is indeed valuable, given the importance of matching mulch type to soil conditions and crop requirements. However, summarizing this choice into a single guideline or checklist is not feasible. Selecting the appropriate soil management practice can vary significantly based on the specific vineyard conditions. For these reasons, creating a guideline for selecting the proper soil management would be better suited for a review paper, where various studies can be compared to provide a more comprehensive view of this topic.

Minor comments:

-Lines 126-127: Why wasn't soil sampled and analyzed before the implementation of soil management treatments in February 2019?

As mentioned in lines 132-133, soil samples were collected in December 2018 before the implementation of soil management treatments in February 2019. The soil samples were taken in December due to staff availability during the holiday season. Additionally, the Government of La Rioja manages the field service supporting us, and at that time, the exact schedule for when the sampling would be conducted was uncertain.

-Line 207: phosphorus (K) ?

Thank you for your observation. The k symbol of phosphorus was changed by P (line 213).

-Line 294: In Table 2, there is an issue where the thickness of the horizontal lines is inconsistent.

Thank you for pointing this out. The issue with the inconsistent thickness of the horizontal lines in Table 2 (line 300) has been corrected, and the internal lines of the table have been homogenised.

-Lines 299-303: Adding some explanations on the principle by which the δ¹³C indicator reflects plant water use efficiency can facilitate readers' understanding.

Thank you for your recommendation. We agree that it would be helpful to briefly introduce the principle behind δ¹³C. Instead, we have decided to provide this context in the discussion section between lines 420-425.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Carefully proofread to avoid grammatical and spelling errors, and ensure the use of clear and precise scientific language.

Thank you for your recommendations. Some English changes recommended for the other reviewers were made (line 73, lines 33-34, lines 36-37, line 219, etc.).

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Good article. Congratulations!

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Minor editing of English language required....

Author Response

Reviewer 3:

How original is the topic? What does it add to the subject area compared with other published material? The topic is not an original one, mulching in wine plantations being a long-studied topic. However, this study comes with new and valuable information regarding mulching with easily accessible organic matters, which ensures sustainability of technologies and is beneficial for soil fertility and stability.

Thank you for your comment. In fact, organic mulches were first studied in the mid-1990s. However, there is still no agreement on their effect on vines. For this reason, the present study analyses three organic mulch treatments with two conventional mulches over three years and analyses soil, plant, and vine parameters to give an overview of the possible effect.

Is the paper well written? Is the text clear and easy to read? With a few exceptions, which I will mention in detail, the article is well written, clear, coherent and easy to read. It uses a complex methodology, with a good presentation of the investigation techniques, a clear and correct analysis and interpretation of several parameters. Some corrections that would be required are:

Line 1: the title of the article make abstraction from the experimentation and investigation along with organic mulching, equally in this study, of conventional soil maintenance systems (herbicides and tillage)... Even from the abstract, it appears as a surprise that the results also concern herbicid and tillage. So, evaluate whether it would not be correct to reformulate the title of the article.

Thank you for your feedback. You are correct that the original title didn't mention conventional soil management practices, as we considered herbicide and tillage to be the 'control' treatments. However, we have revised the title to include 'soil management practices' to reflect all the treatments analysed in the study more accurately.

Line 29: viticulture is a traditional occupation not only for the Mediterranean regions but also for the temperate ones.

Thank you for your comments. The specification of the Mediterranean area has been deleted because, as you say, there are other Mediterranean regions in the world (line 30).

Line 33: the term “disturbing” is too strong for this context and phrase, so find another one. When you say “compounds applied”, what are you referring to ?... because the sentence is slightly unclear. Review here.

Thank you for your suggestion. We have rewritten the sentence to make it easier to understand (lines 33-34).

Line 36: here a to is missing... "sensitivity of grapevine to pests" .

Thank you for your correction. The text has been adapted (line 36-37).

Lines 66 – 67: this whole phrase is part of the methodology, there is nothing to look for here. Of course, a short, concise formulation of the research objectives is acceptable.

This section touches on aspects of the experimental design, but we considered it essential to include it to clarify the objectives.

Line 88: a reference regarding the type of climate is required.

Thank you for your comment. The climate classification according to the Köppen-Geiger system and the corresponding verification reference has been added (lines 95-96).

Line 213: “soil parameters” is more appropriate than “soil description”.

Thank you. The word has been changed (line 219).

Lines 99 and 240: the graphic explanations of the figures must be inserted as a legend under the figures; in the current form, as explanations in the title, they are difficult to understand.

Thank you for your recommendations. Regarding line 106 (Figure 1), we have added the information in legend format as requested. However, we could not do the same for line 245 (Figure 2). Since Figure 2 contains six graphs, adding a legend required reducing the size of the graphs significantly, which made the layout too cramped and unbalanced. This figure is complex and has many details, but the figure caption thoroughly describes all the elements to ensure it can be understood correctly.

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

accept