Browsing by Author "Soares, Rui"
Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Enhancing agroecological practices in vineyards: evaluating biotechnological tools for soil health and grapevine performance in the Douro regionPublication . Sousa, Ana S. S.; Godinho, Mariana; Oliveira, Manuel; Castro, Paula; Soares, Rui; Pereira, Sofia I. A.
- Enhancing agroecological practices in vineyards: evaluating biotechnological tools for soil health and grapevine performance in the Douro regionPublication . Sousa, Ana S. S.; Godinho, Mariana; Oliveira, Manuel; Castro, Paula; Soares, Rui; Pereira, Sofia I. A.
- Enhancing vineyard resilience: evaluating sustainable practices in the Douro demarcated regionPublication . Oliveira, Manuel João; Gonçalves, Igor; Soares, Rui; Pereira, Sofia; Moreira, Helena; Sousa, Ana Sofia Silva; Castro, Paula; Barbosa, CatarinaIn Mediterranean agriculture, sustainability and productivity are seriously threatened by climate change and water scarcity. This situation is exacerbated by poor management practices such as excessive use of agrochemicals, overgrazing, and monoculture. The Douro Demarcated Region (DDR) is an emblematic region, classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2001. Viticulture is the main agricultural activity in DDR, widely known to produce Port wine. So far, new approaches have been developed to redesign Mediterranean agroecosystems with greater resilience and productivity, focusing on the development of sustainable agricultural production systems through the combined use of biotechnological tools and environmentally respectful agronomic practices, enhancing soil functions and health by employing bioinoculants, remediation techniques, cultivation systems, and climate-adapted crops in each studied region. The present study aims at assessing the impact of bioinoculants’ application and cover cropping on grapevine growth and water stress management in DDR vineyards. A trial was conducted in a commercial vineyard, where treatments with bioinoculants (plant growth promoting bacteria and/or arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) and cover cropping (sown with hydrogel), were applied. Exposed leaf area and predawn leaf water potential were measured to assess treatment impacts on grapevines. The results indicate that bioinoculants’ application in cover cropping seeded with hydrogel promote grapevine leaf expansion, increasing vegetative biomass, and enhancing nutrient uptake. Additionally, cover cropping contributed to greater soil water availability, reducing plant water stress during dry periods. These findings underscore the potential of these sustainable practices to improve vine health and increase resilience to adverse climatic conditions in the Douro region.
- Promoting sustainability in Mediterranean agriculture: insights from the Portuguese vine and wine sectorPublication . Oliveira, Manuel João; Santos, Cátia; Barbosa, Catarina; Gonçalves, Igor; Soares, Rui; Pereira, Sofia; Castro, PaulaAgroecology is an integrated approach that simultaneously applies ecological and social concepts and principles to redesign and manage food and agricultural systems, promoting agroecosystems with the necessary biological, socio-economic, and institutional diversity and alignment to support greater efficiency. The present study aimed at characterising the socio-economic factors that lead farmers to accept and adopt more sustainable practices. Herein, we have addressed technical and economic aspects, in an integrated manner, in order to demonstrate the benefits of sustainable agroecosystems focused on Mediterranean crops. To achieve this, a survey was conducted to map and characterise viticultural practices in Portuguese vineyards, as well as winegrowers’ perception regarding the acceptance and implementation of alternative agricultural practices. The questionnaire also identified some barriers and opportunities for the application and adoption of alternative agricultural practices toward sustainable agriculture, considering technical and socio-economic aspects, vineyard characteristics, agricultural practices, and farmers' educational level. Winegrowers identified climate change adaptation and biodiversity preservation as the most important benefits of implementing alternative practices. Additionally, they demonstrated awareness of the importance of adopting alternative viticultural practices, especially for environmental improvement (biodiversity and natural resources conservation), as well as for increased sustainability of their operations/vineyards and greater profitability (e.g., through wine tourism). It was also possible to perceive that most respondents had a very clear and objective perception of what alternative practices are, even though showing some difficulty in changing habits and work techniques, loss of profitability, and increased production costs. Altogether, our study highlights that Portuguese winegrowers are aware of the importance of agroecological practices, such as sexual confusion, no-till farming, ecological corridors, and the preservation of biodiversity (e.g. insect shelters), reinforcing their position in adopting these approaches for the expansion of agroecology in the context of the ongoing reforms of European Agricultural Policy.