1.2 Coordonnées des personnes-ressources et des institutions impliquées dans l'évaluation et la documentation de la Technologie

Nom du ou des institutions qui ont facilité la documentation/ l'évaluation de la Technologie (si pertinent)

Federal Research Station for fruit-growing, viticulture and horticulture (FAW/RAC) - Suisse

Nom du ou des institutions qui ont facilité la documentation/ l'évaluation de la Technologie (si pertinent)

CDE Centre for Development and Environment (CDE Centre for Development and Environment) - Suisse

1.3 Conditions relatives à l'utilisation par WOCAT des données documentées

Quand les données ont-elles été compilées (sur le terrain)?

01/10/2003

Le compilateur et la(les) personne(s) ressource(s) acceptent les conditions relatives à l'utilisation par WOCAT des données documentées:

Oui

2.1 Courte description de la Technologie

Définition de la Technologie:

Naturally growing or sown perennial grasses/herbs providing cover
between rows in sloping vineyards, where the vines are usually oriented up and down slope.

2.2 Description détaillée de la Technologie

Description:

The area around Lake Biel has a strong wine growing tradition dating back several centuries. The vineyards are, for micro-climatic reasons, sited on the southwest facing slope close to the lake. Annual rainfall is about 1,000 mm, with at least one erosive storm per year, and the soils are highly erodible. In conventional viniculture all weeds are controlled chemically. The ‘green cover technology’ comprises sown, or naturally occurring, perennial grasses and herbs which form a biodiverse green cover - a ‘living mulch’ - over the soil surface between vine rows. In this region, rows are generally oriented up and down the slope for ease of machine operation. Green cover may also be applied where vines are grown on narrow bench terraces. The purpose is the prevention of soil degradation, especially soil erosion by water. Secondary purposes include protection of the soil surface from compaction when using mechanised equipment, and promotion of biodiversity.
Green cover is generally established naturally - except on contour-planted terraced vineyards, where cover is planted for immediate stabilisation of the terraces. To avoid competition, a 10-40 cm diameter zone around the freshly planted vines is kept free from vegetation: during the three year establishment period it is removed by hoe, later it is controlled with herbicides (either as a strip along vine rows or around individual vines). The topsoil between the vine rows is ripped every few years with an implement pulled by a small caterpillar tractor. The green cover vegetation is cut, chopped and left as mulch several times using special mulching machines. These operations are not carried out over the whole field at once: alternate rows are left untouched to ensure that some vegetation remains to maintain biodiversity. When these rows redevelop their green cover, the others are then treated. This is effectively a minimum tillage system, building up organic matter in the soil. Cutting and mulching, in addition to ripping, serves to circulate nutrients. Mineral fertilizer and herbicides are applied once a year around the vines. Experiments with the technology started in the 1970s, but green cover has now become standard practice.
Supportive measures include not removing crop residues (from vineyards) which are chopped later - simultaneously with the cover crop (grass) - to protect the soil surface, and irrigation in dry years.

2.3 Photos de la Technologie

2.5 Pays/ région/ lieux où la Technologie a été appliquée et qui sont couverts par cette évaluation

2.6 Date de mise en œuvre de la Technologie

Si l'année précise est inconnue, indiquez la date approximative: :

• il y a moins de 10 ans (récemment)

2.7 Introduction de la Technologie

Spécifiez comment la Technologie a été introduite: :

• par le biais de projets/ d'interventions extérieures

Commentaires (type de projet, etc.) :

The development of green cover in vineyards was (also on the international level) essentially promoted and supported by the Federal Research Station for fruit-growing, viticulture and horticulture in Wädenswil (Canton of Zürich)

3.2 Type(s) actuel(s) d'utilisation des terres, là où la Technologie est appliquée

Commentaires:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): The main problem was decreasing soil fertility, especially through soil erosion by water, caused by lack of soil cover and intensive cultivation. There were associated negative offsite effects including sand/sediment deposition and contamination of groundwater by nutrients. This became a serious problem from the 1960s when the traditional labour-intensive methods were superseded by a mechanised-industrial agricultural system.

Type of cropping system and major crops comments: a vine plantation is established for a period of 20-40 years (lifetime of a vine). Some farmers make one year of fallow between the destruction of the old and the establishment of a new plantation.

3.3 Informations complémentaires sur l'utilisation des terres

Commentaires:

Water supply: rainfed, mixed rainfed - irrigated

Nombre de période de croissance par an: :

• 1

Précisez:

Longest growing period in days: 210Longest growing period from month to month: Apr - Oct

3.4 Groupe de GDT auquel appartient la Technologie

• Amélioration de la couverture végétale/ du sol
• mesures en travers de la pente

3.5 Diffusion de la Technologie

Commentaires:

The technology is applied in all wine growing regions of Switzerland, but under different conditions. The technology described (SWI01) is based on a case study of one region

3.6 Mesures de GDT constituant la Technologie

Commentaires:

Main measures: agronomic measures, vegetative measures

Specification of other agronomic measures: minimum tillage: cutting & mulching, ripping

Specification of other vegetative measures: cover cropping

Type of agronomic measures: mulching, manure / compost / residues, mineral (inorganic) fertilizers, breaking compacted topsoil

Type of vegetative measures: scattered / dispersed

3.7 Principaux types de dégradation des terres traités par la Technologie

Commentaires:

Main type of degradation addressed: Wt: loss of topsoil / surface erosion, Wo: offsite degradation effects, Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content, Cp: soil pollution

Secondary types of degradation addressed: Pc: compaction, Pk: sealing and crusting

Main causes of degradation: other human induced causes (specify) (agricultural causes: fast changing basic conditions of viticulture in the last 100 years), education, access to knowledge and support services (lack of knowledge), fast changing basic conditions of viticulture (economy, laws)

3.8 Prévention, réduction de la dégradation ou réhabilitation des terres dégradées

Spécifiez l'objectif de la Technologie au regard de la dégradation des terres:

• réduire la dégradation des terres

Commentaires:

Main goals: mitigation / reduction of land degradation

4.1 Dessin technique de la Technologie

4.2 Spécification/ explications techniques du dessin technique

Technical drawing of green cover on parcel with vine rows oriented up and down the slope. A = distance between vine rows (130-220 cm), B = zone of application of herbicides (10-40 cm).

Location: Twann, Lake of Biel. Canton of Berne

Date: June 2003

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: moderate

Technical knowledge required for land users: moderate

Main technical functions: control of raindrop splash, control of dispersed runoff: retain / trap, improvement of ground cover, improvement of soil structure

Secondary technical functions: increase of surface roughness, increase in organic matter, increase of infiltration, increase / maintain water stored in soil, increase in soil fertility

Mulching
Material/ species: cut or chopped cover vegetation
Remarks: dispersed over the whole surface; if possible cutting/chopping only every second row (alternating)

Agronomic measure: removing less vegetation cover
Material/ species: cut or chopped cover vegetation, vine leaves and cut branches
Remarks: between vine rows

Manure / compost / residues
Material/ species: compost
Remarks: only sporadically (every 5-10 year or less)

Mineral (inorganic) fertilizers
Material/ species: nitrogen
Quantity/ density: 0-50 kg/ha
Remarks: normally rather little nitrogen

Agronomic measure: mineral (inorganic) fertilizers: potassium
Quantity/ density: 0-20 kg

Agronomic measure: mineral (inorganic) fertilizers: magnesium
Quantity/ density: 0-25 kg

Agronomic measure: mineral (inorganic) fertilizers: phosphorus
Quantity/ density: 0-20 kg

Breaking compacted topsoil
Remarks: if possible: only every second row (alternating)

Scattered / dispersed
Vegetative material: G : grass

Grass species: different grass species, taraxacum, veronica, legumes, calystegia, geranium...

4.3 Informations générales sur le calcul des intrants et des coûts

autre/ monnaie nationale (précisez):

Swiss Franc

Indiquer le taux de change du dollars en monnaie locale (si pertinent): 1 USD= :

0,75

4.4 Activités de mise en place/ d'établissement

	Activité	Type de mesures	Calendrier
1.	Allow natural cover to establish.	Végétale	winter/spring, usually at the same time as a new plantation is established
2.	Weeding around base of vines to reduce competition, 2–4 times during	Végétale	during season (Mai – October), 2 - 4 times, when necessary.

4.5 Coûts et intrants nécessaires à la mise en place

	Spécifiez les intrants	Unité	Quantité	Coûts par unité	Coût total par intrant	% des coût supporté par les exploitants des terres
Main d'œuvre	Labour	ha	1,0	13800,0	13800,0	100,0
Equipements	Machine use	ha	1,0	1000,0	1000,0	100,0
Equipements	Tools	ha	1,0			100,0
Matériel végétal	Seeds of natural vegetation	ha	1,0			100,0
Engrais et biocides	Fertilizer	ha	1,0	200,0	200,0	100,0
Engrais et biocides	Biocides	ha	1,0			100,0
Engrais et biocides	Compost/manure	ha	1,0			100,0
Coût total de mise en place de la Technologie					15000,0

Commentaires:

Duration of establishment phase: 36 month(s)

4.6 Activités d'entretien/ récurrentes

	Activité	Type de mesures	Calendrier/ fréquence
1.	cuting and not removing vine leaves and branches	Agronomique	winter / annual
2.	Apply mineral fertilizer to the vines (particularly K, N, P, Mg)	Agronomique	April/May / annual
3.	Cut cover vegetation with a portable motor scythe or mower with	Agronomique	during cropping season (first time April/May) / each row 2-4 times during cropping season
4.	cuting and not removing vine leaves and branches	Agronomique	during cropping season / several times during cropping season
5.	Minimum tillage (rip topsoil) of alternating inter-rows with machine	Agronomique	April/May / each row every 4-8 years
6.	Application of herbicides (glyphosates)	Végétale	beginning of season (May), if necessary second time in Aug./Sept /once (if necessary twice) during s
7.	Cut/chop vine leaves and wood for mulching	Agronomique	during growing season, 2-4 times

4.7 Coûts et intrants nécessaires aux activités d'entretien/ récurrentes (par an)

	Spécifiez les intrants	Unité	Quantité	Coûts par unité	Coût total par intrant	% des coût supporté par les exploitants des terres
Main d'œuvre	Labour	ha	1,0	1500,0	1500,0	100,0
Equipements	Machine use	ha	1,0	650,0	650,0	100,0
Equipements	Tools	ha	1,0			100,0
Engrais et biocides	Fertilizer	ha	1,0	60,0	60,0	100,0
Engrais et biocides	Biocides	ha	1,0	90,0	90,0	100,0
Engrais et biocides	Compost/manure	ha	1,0			100,0
Coût total d'entretien de la Technologie					2300,0

Commentaires:

Machinery/ tools: e.g.: hoe, mower with tracked vehicle or portable motor scythe, spading machine with tracked vehicle; knapsack sprayer or biocide tank transported by

Costs are calculated on the basis of vine rows being oriented up and down the slope, a distance between rows of
1.3-2.2 m and 6,500 vines per ha on a slope of <60%. Establishment costs have been estimated and are representative of the situation when green cover is encouraged to establish at the same time as new vines are planted (normal practice). This means that the estimated costs include all the annual agronomic and vegetative inputs within the first 3 years during the establishment phase. If green cover is implemented more than 3 years after planting new vines, establishment costs are much reduced, because the vines are bigger, competition with the green cover is less, and the vines are not so sensitive to herbicides, which permits the replacement of labour intensive manual weeding by application of herbicides. Maintenance costs are based on one typical winegrower in the region. Initial investments in machinery and costs directly attributable to ‘plant capital’ (the vines) are not included.

4.8 Facteurs les plus importants affectant les coûts

Décrivez les facteurs les plus importants affectant les coûts :

Labour is the major cost component, since wage levels are very high in Switzerland.

5.1 Climat

5.2 Topographie

Commentaires et précisions supplémentaires sur la topographie:

Altitudinal zones: 501-1000 m a.s.l. (For climatic reasons vines grow hardly above 600 m a.s.l. in Switzerland )
Landforms: Hill slopes (most of them southeastward sloping hills (part of the Jura mountain range) )

5.3 Sols

Si disponible, joignez une description complète du sol ou précisez les informations disponibles, par ex., type de sol, pH/ acidité du sol, capacité d'échange cationique, azote, salinité, etc.

Soil depth on average: Deep (81-120cm) (Soil depth is very irregular, at some places limestone rocks appear at the surface, at other places soil can be quite deep).
Soil fertility is medium (Vines are normally grown on rather marginal spots. Compared to the general productivity these soils have a medium fertility. (If measured at the vine itself, soil fertility is sufficient/high).
Topsoil organic matter is medium (1-3%) (without / before SWC (green cover)
Soil drainage/infiltration is mostly good, at some points medium (at some spots medium (depressions; when high percentage of clay).
Soil water storage capacity is medium (without / before SWC (green cover)), high (without / before SWC (green cover)) or low (without / before SWC (green cover). Depressions; when high percentage of clay)

5.6 Caractéristiques des exploitants des terres appliquant la Technologie

Indiquez toute autre caractéristique pertinente des exploitants des terres:

Population density: 200-500 persons/km2
Annual population growth: 0.5% - 1%
100% of the land users are average wealthy.
Off-farm income specification: This is representative for the full time winegrowers. The majority of winegrowers do winegrowing beside a regular off-farm job (partly 10-50% of income with salary from off-farm work) as a hobby. Nearly all winegrowers have implementeted the SWC technology. Probably there is no difference in hobby-winegrowers and full-time-winegrowers concernring implementation of the SWC technology.
Level of mechanization is manual labour (most of the work in the vineyard is done by hand (especially harvest)) or mechanised (some of the activities are carried out with fuel driven equipment. But mechanisation is moderate since big and heavy machines cannot been applied in these vineyards)
Market orientation is: Commercial/market (in the region of the lake of Biel the majority of grapes are pressed to wine an then and sold directly from the farm's wine cellar)

5.7 Superficie moyenne des terres détenues ou louées par les exploitants appliquant la Technologie

5.8 Propriété foncière, droits d’utilisation des terres et de l'eau

Propriété foncière:

• individu, avec titre de propriété

Droits d’utilisation des terres:

• loué
• individuel

6.1 Impacts sur site que la Technologie a montrés

Impacts socio-économiques

Production

Revenus et coûts

Autres impacts socio-économiques

Impacts socioculturels

Impacts écologiques

Sols

Biodiversité: végétale, animale

Autres impacts écologiques

6.2 Impacts hors site que la Technologie a montrés

6.4 Analyse coûts-bénéfices

Quels sont les bénéfices comparativement aux coûts de mise en place (du point de vue des exploitants des terres)?

Quels sont les bénéfices comparativement aux coûts d'entretien récurrents (du point de vue des exploitants des terres)?

6.5 Adoption de la Technologie

Parmi tous ceux qui ont adopté la Technologie, combien d'entre eux l'ont fait spontanément, à savoir sans recevoir aucune incitation matérielle ou aucun paiement?

• 90-100%

Commentaires:

10% of land user families have adopted the Technology with external material support

Comments on acceptance with external material support: estimates

90% of land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support

Comments on spontaneous adoption: estimates

There is a strong trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

Comments on adoption trend: Nearly all of the land users have adopted green cover independently of the direct incentives received for growing vines. The spontaneous spread of green cover occurred before these incentives were tied to ‘ecological production’. Note: Swiss agriculture in general is highly subsidised (see approach).

6.7 Points forts/ avantages/ possibilités de la Technologie

Points forts/ avantages/ possibilités du point de vue de l'exploitant des terres
Personal satisfaction/challenge for ecologically and economically sustainable viniculture How can they be sustained / enhanced? Promote ecologically sustainable agriculture.
Increased exchange of knowledge and contacts in winegrowers’ associations How can they be sustained / enhanced? Sustain/strengthen farmers’ institutions.
Improved knowledge/awareness regarding SWC/erosion: among winegrowers, but perhaps also to some extent among consumers (through ecological marketing) or walkers passing by.

Points forts/ avantages/ possibilités du point de vue du compilateur ou d'une autre personne ressource clé
Prevention of erosion How can they be sustained / enhanced? Maintain green cover
Improvement of soil quality (fertility, organic matter, moisture retention, soil structure) How can they be sustained / enhanced? Ensure that cover vegetation doesn’t compete with the vines; improve soil properties by applying mentioned agronomic measures.
Contribution to a better balanced and more stable ecosystem (with living space for a wider range of organisms) How can they be sustained / enhanced? Specific management of cover crops (alternating treatment of inter-rows; find solutions to replace application of herbicide).
In the long-term economically beneficial because of cutting costs of restoration of soils and fertility loss after heavy erosion events.
Possibilities of farm income increase through marketing wine under the ‘vinatura’ label, certifying ecologically produced wine.

6.8 Faiblesses/ inconvénients/ risques de la Technologie et moyens de les surmonter

Faiblesses/ inconvénients/ risques du point de vue du compilateur ou d'une autre personne ressource clé	Comment peuvent-ils être surmontés?
General competition of water and nutrients depending on climate, soil depth and species of cover vegetation	Eliminate/reduce competitive effect of cover vegetation by cutting/mulching vegetation or ripping/ploughing soil.
Application of herbicides around vines because of undesirable vegetation in proximity of vine	Find alternative solutions, or minimise application of herbicides.