Influence of Long-Term Application of Green Waste Compost on Soil Characteristics and Growth, Yield and Quality of Grape (Vitis vinifera L.)

Soil properties are one of the main factors affecting the yield and qualitative value of grapes. Therefore, application of compost in a vineyard may affect grape production and chemical composition of berries. For these reasons, we started a field trial in 2001 to determine the long-term effects of compost application on growth, yield and quality of V. vinifera cv. Chardonnay grapes grown in a Tuscan vineyard (Italy). In summary, the results demonstrated that long-term addition of compost to a vineyard can be beneficial to soil characteristics, including organic matter and nitrate content, and had no or limited effects on plant growth and grape quality. Contrasting results were observed for production parameters, however, an average result from the nine years of trials shows that compost application maintained a similar average yield throughout the years, when compared to chemical fertilizers.