Potential for organic Chilean wine

Abstract

The potential for extending organic wine production in Chile is discussed in relation to its history and present situation. The main objective is to present an overview of the production of organic wine in Chile, its certification, and national and international markets. During the wine harvesting season in March and April 2006, the authors visited and interviewed staff at four Chilean organic wineries. The wineries were all situated in the wine-producing centre of the country and were of variable sizes. One of the certification bodies in Chile was also interviewed. In addition to the field studies and interviews in Chile, various written information has been used. Second to Argentina, Chile is the country that produces most wine in Latin America. Vineyards cover a total of 110 000 hectares of the country's two million hectares of arable land. A study carried out in 2005 showed that 2000 hectares (almost 2%) of vineyards are organically cultivated. The organic production is operated by 32 different companies, which produce organic wine mainly for exportation to the international market. In Chile, the number of certified organic wine producers has increased in recent years in a trend directed by international demand and possible competitive advantages for Chilean wines. In order for a wine to be called ‘organic’ or ‘wine made from organically grown grapes’, the cultivation and final product must be approved by a certification company. In Chile there are three main active certification bodies; one national (Certificadora Chile Orgánico, CCO) and two international (the Swiss company IMO and the German company BCS). The study reveals a country with innovation and energy but facing strong pressures from the international market and its jungle of laws and directives, and the differing prestige of different certifications and labels. Chile as a wine-producing country has many competitors, and the production of organic wine could be a way to find diversity and exploit new market ground where environmental consideration concerns and sustainability are important targets.     

Effects of a plastic cover on soil moisture change in a Mediterranean climatic regime

Water deficit is a serious problem for most agricultural crops, especially in arid–semiarid regions, and limits sustainable development. Production can be improved by reducing evapotranspiration and loss of infiltrated water by the use of a plastic cover. We monitored soil moisture fortnightly over 1 yr using a neutron probe near four trees in an olive grove (Olea europaea, var. Arbequina), two of which had a plastic cover buried in the topsoil around them. These trees were monitored using three neutron probe access tubes per tree to compare the behaviour of soil moisture over time with two other identically instrumented and nearby trees with no cover. Analysis was based on the resultant moisture profiles. The plastic cover retained moisture and increased soil water residence time. During the dry season, the amount of water retained in the plots was at most 15–20% greater in the mid‐season and at least 5–6% greater at the end of season than in the central part of the plots near the trunk. The plastic cover was effective to ca. 50 cm with maximum water content near the soil surface. During the wet season, the cover did not affect soil water. Soil moisture was greater near the tree trunk as a result of stemflow and throughfall.     

Determining soil organic carbon for agricultural soils: a comparison between the Walkley & Black and the dry combustion methods (north Belgium)

Mapping soil organic carbon (SOC) and establishing any change over time are important because of CO₂ fluxes between soil and atmosphere and cropland decreases in SOC. The latter is one of the main causes of soil fertility decline and increased erodibility. As most analytical methods underestimate total SOC content, correction factors are needed to avoid methodological bias when comparing SOC data from sampling campaigns using different analytical procedures. The traditional method for SOC analysis used to be, and in most cases still is wet oxidation in potassium dichromate, better known as the Walkley & Black method. In this study, we aim to estimate correction factors for the classic and modified version of the Walkley & Black method for different land use and soil type combinations for agricultural soils in north Belgium. General correction factors of 1.47 for the classic Walkley & Black method and 1.20 for the modified Walkley & Black method are proposed. The results show that sandy grassland soils are characterised by lower recoveries than silt loam grassland soils. Furthermore, the correction factor appears to increase with soil wetness.     

Effects of Shading on Chlorophyll Content,Chlorophyll Fluorescence and Photosynthesis of Subterranean Clover

A field‐experiment (2004/2005 and 2005/2006 seasons) was conducted in the coastal plain of south‐eastern Sicily (37°03′N, 15°18′E, 15 m a.s.l.), on a Calcixerollic Xerochrepts soil, aimed at quantifying the effect of shading on chlorophyll (Chl) content, Chl fluorescence, photosynthesis and growth of subterranean clover. Four levels of photosynthetically active radiation reduction (from 0 % to 90 %) were tested on Trifolium brachycalycinum cv. ‘Clare’ and Trifolium subterraneum ecotype ‘Ragalna’. In both species shading progressively increased F_v/F_m, internal CO₂ concentration, diffusive leaf resistance and specific leaf area (up to 8 %, 34 %, 18 % and 68 %, respectively), and decreased Chl content, T_max, photosynthetic rate and plant dry weight (up to 9 %, 24 %, 79 % and 39 %, respectively). As plants aged, characteristic bell‐shaped trends were evident for photosynthetic parameters, with F_v/F_m increasing up until the onset of flowering, and thereafter declining. This implies that F_v/F_m may be a useful indicator of earliness in subterranean clover genotypes. The aboveground dry biomass response to shading was both genotype‐ and season‐dependent, but was predictable from the measurement of relative leaf Chl content. Moreover, our results suggest that an improvement in the interaction between host‐rhizobium may represent a major potential breeding target for enhancing subterranean clover tolerance to shading.     

Anthropogenic effects on the physical and chemical properties of subtropical coastal urban soils

We investigated the effects of various anthropogenic factors on urban soil properties in subtropical, coastal Tampa, FL, USA. Specifically, we explored the influence of (i) urbanization as measured by land use, land cover, population density and years since urban development and (ii) socioeconomic conditions as reflected in household income and property values on bulk density (BD) and several key soil chemical properties. Results indicate that Tampa’s urban soils were affected to varying degrees by these factors with chemical properties being more variable than BD. Across land uses significant differences were found for Mehlich‐1 (M1) extractable P, Ca and Na. A similar trend was observed for land‐cover classes, although significant differences were also found for pH and M1‐Cu. Soil properties had no statistically significant relationship with population density. However, time since urbanization did with M1‐P and Na varying significantly across age categories. For our socioeconomic analyses, M1‐K and Mg levels differed significantly by household income while pH, P, Ca and Na values differed significantly by property value. Overall, our findings indicate that despite their inherent heterogeneity, there are identifiable patterns among subtropical coastal urban soil properties. We suggest that a more thorough understanding of these patterns and their drivers is an essential first step towards developing soil management strategies aimed at maintaining environmental quality and ecosystem services in subtropical cities.     

Soil conservation on road embankments using palm‐mat geotextiles: field studies in Lithuania

The application of geotextile mats constructed from the palm leaves of Borassus aethiopum (Borassus) and Mauritia flexuosa (Buriti) was investigated in field experiments. The use of geotextiles caused improved soil moisture storage during dry summer periods on a steep (21–25°) roadside slope in Lithuania. The enhanced soil moisture under the Borassus and Buriti mats encouraged better root development of perennial grasses, increased the number and weight of earthworms and increased the dry biomass of perennial grasses by 50.5 and 18.2%, respectively, compared with a grassland control. The mean rate of water erosion from bare soil during the study period from 17/04/2007 to 11/12/2008 was 33.21 Mg/ha. The cover of palm‐mat geotextiles decreased soil losses from bare fallow soil by 94.8–91.1%. An erosion rate of 0.85 Mg/ha over this 21‐month period was measured on the slope under perennial grasses without geotextile cover. Application of geotextile cover on perennial grasses completely prevented soil erosion by water. Therefore, use of geotextiles has clear soil and water conservation benefits on industrial slopes susceptible to erosion. The use of geotextiles has multiple benefits including soil conservation, the improvement of plant growth conditions and the encouragement of earthworm populations.     

浅谈互通立交连接部出入口设计

互通式立交端部设计是整个立交设计的重要部分,通过对端部出入口设计要点的分析研究,结合单、多车道出入口不同的设计要求,提出合理建议,以期更好的完善立交端部设计。     

基于Linux的家用微型植物工厂

试验研究的家用微型植物工厂,具有全自动发面和生豆芽的功能,还可在室内完成种菜的全过程。植物工厂内部利用温、湿度传感器,CO2浓度探测器以及LED灯来精确控制内部的小气候环境,不受外界环境影响,确保各功能的完好实现。植物工厂提供了可以人工控制的用户接口,应用基于web的B/S(Browser/Server)和浏览器/服务器模式,引入了嵌入式SQLITE数据库,可针对不同的植物生长进行人工调控、适时的自动控制和管理。试验结果表明:家用微型植物工厂能正确显示、精确控制工厂内的环境,系统运行可靠稳定,达到了预期的设计目的,可应用于家庭生活或餐馆的小菜种植。     

W/O微乳液体系中SA和MS清除·O_2~-的研究

以水溶液体系作为对照,利用分光光度法研究了W/O型微乳液体系中水杨酸（SA）和水杨酸甲酯（MS）清除超氧阴离子自由基（·O2-）的性能.结果发现,在水浴时间为20min、pH值为8.20和邻苯三酚加入量适宜的情况下,W/O微乳液体系中SA、MS对·O2-的清除率分别可达72.92%、81.47%.微小的pH值变化会引起邻苯三酚自氧化速率的显著变化,电解质溶液对其也有明显的影响,但对SA、MS清除·O2-的能力影响不大.     

邢台市地被景观现状及发展浅议

阐述了园林地被的概念及分类并介绍了邢台市园林绿化中主要应用的地被植物及其应用形式。分析了邢台市园林绿化中地被景观发展的现状及存在问题,并在此基础上提出今后园林地被植物的应用前景及发展方向。