Viticulture
Establishment
A vineyard’s establishment requires prior planning involving the selection of the grape and rootstock varieties and certain factors of the training system, namely vine architecture and planting layout. All choices should be made with quality production as the primary objective, while accounting for the costs of establishing and, subsequently, maintaining the vineyard. While the choice of grape variety and rootstock is determined by the characteristics of the site (soil and climate) and the final product (DOC Vinho Verde, PGI Minho), the choice of training system is closely linked to the operational requirements of the future vineyard, particularly regarding mechanization and labor requirements. Experience suggests that it is preferable to incur higher establishment costs (from site preparation to the number and dimensions of posts and wires) in order to reduce subsequent maintenance costs.
Vine Health
The environmental conditions of this region, particularly the high humidity throughout much of the growing season combined with high temperatures, mean that its vineyards are particularly prone to disease and pests. In addition to this, when vines are grown using inappropriate vine architecture and in fertile soils that enhance plant vigor, this can often result in very dense, poorly drained vegetation, where numerous harmful fungi and insects tend to thrive.
The vine’s susceptibility to different diseases and pests depends, among other factors, on its phenological stage of development, from budbreak through ripening.
This susceptibility to disease has led to the use of indiscriminate treatment methods with varying levels of intensity that are not consistent with an economic and ecological approach to production. That is why it is so important, given the high costs of producing wine in this region, to invest more solidly in judicious protection of the vines. Law 26/2013, of 11 April, was introduced to address decision-making and the application of plant protection products, which, since January 1, 2014, has had to adhere to the principles of integrated pest management. Hence, it is necessary to understand the pest’s biology and the optimal conditions for its development, to assess the risk and the damage caused, and to study the cultural, chemical, or biological methods that can adequately control it while maintaining the ecological balance.
Certain organisms, commonly known as natural enemies, are beneficial natural enemies of a wide range of other harmful species. The primary aim of integrated pest management is to preserve these as a natural means of controlling certain pests, thereby reducing the use of pesticides that may lead to biological imbalance when used indiscriminately. Integrated pest management involves three highly important aspects: risk assessment, the economic threshold, and the choice of control methods. Any decision on the use of a treatment is made in line with the risk assessment, and chemical control is only used when other measures are insufficient or when economic thresholds are exceeded. When chemical treatment is opted for, considerations that come into play when choosing the particular product include not only its effectiveness, persistence and cost, but also any side effects it may have for humans, natural enemies and the environment in general.