Drought Management Using Rootstocks

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Drought ManagementUsing Rootstocks

• Adam Hall
• Technical Officer/ Grower Liaison
• The Yalumba Wine Company
• Oxford Landing Estate

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Root-System Size
Vertical Depth
Horizontal Spread
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• Rootstocks differ in both their vigour and
  drought tolerance.
• Root systems can vary in depth, horizontal
  spread, number of fine roots and density.
• Generally a larger, denser, deeper root system
  provides more tolerance to drought.

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Choosing a Drought Tolerant Rootstock for

• Low Vigour Potential (shallow and infertile)
  soils

Rootstock Vigour Salt (Tee et al., 2004) RKN (Whiting, 2004) Lime (Whiting, 2004)
Ramsey High Moderately Tolerant V. High Moderate
140R Moderate-High Moderately Tolerant High V. High
1103 P Moderate-High Tolerant Moderate-High Moderate
110R Moderate Moderately Sensitive Moderate V. High
99R Moderate-High Moderately Sensitive Moderate-High Moderate
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Choosing a Drought Tolerant Rootstock for

• Moderate Vigour Potential Soils

Rootstock Vigour Salt (Tee et al., 2004) RKN (Whiting, 2004) Lime (Whiting, 2004)
140R Moderate-High Moderately Tolerant High V. High
1103 P Moderate-High Tolerant Moderate-High Moderate
110R Moderate Moderately Sensitive Moderate V. High
99R Moderate-High Moderately Sensitive Moderate-High Moderate
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Trial Work

• Water restrictions 03 Vintage
• 60 allocation
• Examined irrigation records expected reds to have
  used less water
• Actually the whites had used less
• Why?

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Ramsey vs 101-14

• Setup trial comparing Ramsey with 101-14
• Comprised different Irrigation rates
• In 05/06 treatments were
• 3.55ML/Ha
• 4.74ML/Ha
• 6.76ML/Ha
• Achieved through different drippers

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2007
1.71 Ml/ ha
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2007
2.25 Ml/ ha
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2007
3.25 Ml/ ha
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RAMSEY
101-14
6.76Ml/ha 4.74Ml/ha 3.55Ml/ha
6.76Ml/ha 4.74Ml/ha 3.55Ml/ha
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2004
1.2 L/hr 101-14
1.2 L/hr Ramsey
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• Cabernet Sauvignon/ Ramsey rootstock.
• Five irrigation treatments (0.55, 1.74, 2.23,
  3.34 6.68 Ml/ ha).
• All treatments received same amount of irrigation
  up to fruit set.

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2.27 ML/Ha
0.55 ML/Ha
3.34 ML/Ha
6.68 ML/Ha
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0.6ML/Ha
Change in canopy health in 14 days (14 27th
Feb) Average max temp during this period was 35
degrees (max 41 degrees)
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2.3ML/ Ha healthy canopy that stood up to the
heat.
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Cabernet 10/06/08
June 2008
Low irrigation treatment
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Cabernet 10/06/08
June 2008
Low irrigation treatment
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Cabernet 26/9/08
September 2008
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Cabernet 9/10/08
October 2008
The low irrigation treatment burst late, but
caught up by flowering
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OLE Drought Recovery Trial

• Joint effort by Yalumba Nursery, SARDI, CSIRO.
• 3.6Ha of Chardonnay on Ramsey
• Treatments began 2008/09 season
• Involved installation of 5 new submains, fully
  automated irrigation controller
• Able to apply equal amounts per irrigation

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• 6 Treatments
• 100 Control (4.96 ML/ha)
• 50 by Interval (2.38 ML/ha)
• 30 by Depth (1.61 ML/ha)
• 30 by Interval (1.49 ML/ha)
• 20 by Interval (1.07 ML/ha)
• 10 by Interval (0.62 ML/ha)

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Submain setup for Drought Recovery trial
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Yield 2009
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100
30
50
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10
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Control
100
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50
50
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10
10
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10 A week later
10 1 week later
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OLE Drought Recovery Trial

• 2009/10 Recovery treatment begins.
• 1/3 of each treatment returns to control
  irrigation
• In 2010/11 another third
• 2012/2013 all treatments are back on control
  irrigation
• Results will allow for informed strategies on
  holding back water

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Managing for Drought

• If you are managing all rootstocks the same, you
  are not using the drought tolerant rootstocks to
  their full potential
• How can you set up your vineyard so that you can
  manage them differently
• Dont rely on just one, have a mix of rootstocks
  as insurance for wet and dry years.

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Managing Rootstocks

• Group A (101-14)
• Prefers fertile high potential soils
• Keep soil moisture high particularly in hot
  weather
• Mulch
• Group B (5C Teleki)
• Avoid low potential sites
• Match to more vigorous varieties

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Managing Rootstocks

• Group C (1103 Paulsen)
• Require less irrigation than ungrafted vines
• Better in heavy soils
• Group D (Ramsey)
• Requires less irrigation than other rootstocks
• Great in very low potential sites or on low
  vigour varieties