Relations between replant disease, growth parameters and mineral nutrition status of grapevines (<i>Vitis</i> sp.)

Abstract

Grapevine cultivars Riesling (Vitis vinifera L.), 5 C (V. berlandieri PLANCH. x V. riparia MICHX.), Riesling grafted on rootstock cultivar 5 C (Riesling/5 C) and maize (Zea may L.) were grown in pots on a soil from a grapevine nursery affected with replant disease and on a soil that had not been planted with grapevines before. On replant soil the grapevines, in particular 5 C and Riesling/5 C, were severely inhibited in shoot and root growth, while ungrafted Riesling was less affected. In contrast, maize produced similar dry weights on both soils.
There was no causal relationship between the incidence of replant disease in grapevines and their nutritional status, regarding macro- and micronutrients. However, compared to non-replant soil, on replant soil the manganese concentrations in shoots of all grapevine types were significantly lower, indicating an alteration of microbial activity and/or microbial composition in the rhizosphere of grapevines.
Grapevine replant disease could not be induced in a soil by incubating the tenfold amount of grapevine roots, that seasonally remain in the nursery soil. Thus, the growth inhibition of grapevines cannot be attributed to substances released from dead grapevine roots of the degradation products. Obviously, factors associated with living roots (rhizosphere) are an essential prerequisite for the development of replant disease. The elimination of replant disease by steam sterilization of replant soil supports the assumption, that rhizosphere microorganisms are involved with grapevine replant disease.