Addressing environmental degradation and fostering agricultural sustainability are critical challenges of the twenty-first century. Agroecological practices such as organic and biodynamic farming are vital for transforming agriculture and enhancing ecosystem services by avoiding synthetic inputs. While often criticized for lower yields, little is known about how these systems adapt and perform over extended periods under varying climatic conditions, particularly for perennial crops such as grapevines. This represents a major knowledge gap, as understanding their long-term adaptive capacity is essential for designing resilient and sustainable production systems under climate change. This 18-year field trial in Geisenheim, Germany, addresses this gap by assessing the long-term effects of organic, biodynamic, and integrated management on Vitis vinifera cv. Riesling. It represents the only long-term study on perennial crops to systematically compare these systems’ impact on agronomic parameters, plant performance, and grape quality, observing their evolution post-conversion and response to climatic variability. Initially, organic (−17

This study investigated the translocation and persistence of inorganic phosphonate in container-grown vines of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Riesling after foliar and soil applications over two consecutive years. Phosphonate concentrations were monitored in leaves, petioles, grape canes, shoot tips, inflorescences, and berries during the season, applying an identical total amount of 3 or 4 sprays of 0.54 or 0.4% (w/v, aq) phosphonate, respectively. The overall uptake of inorganic phosphonate into the leaves was either identical (year 1) or substantially lower (year 2) when spraying 3 times (0.54%) instead of 4 times (0.4%) as expressed by the area under the concentration vs time curve. Residues found in leaves at the end of the vegetation period were also lower when spraying 3 times. Across both years, residues in berries were also significantly lower when applying the 0.54% phosphonate solution (20.2-30.9 mg/kg) 3 times as compared with the 4× application of 0.4% phosphonate (38.5-40.6 mg/kg). Soil applications resulted in a comparably low overall uptake but still yielding measurable residues in berries (6.0 ± 1.2 mg/kg). Further data on grape cane, shoot tips, and inflorescences supported the hypothesis that phosphonate residues in the plant and, ultimately, in the berries and the resulting products might be significantly reduced when spraying 3 times (0.54%) instead of 4 times (0.4%).

Organic farming practices are considered a promising solution for reducing environmental burdens related to intensive agricultural management practices. However, organic viticulture often results in lower yields. This study seeks to conduct a comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) of integrated and organic viticulture practices using data from a long-term experiment in Germany. By directly comparing management systems within the same vineyard, environmental variations attributed to geographic disparities are excluded from the analysis making this study unique in its use of consistent, long-term data. The LCA is conducted in alignment with the ISO standards 14040 and 14044 and applying the indicators and methods defined in the Product Environmental Footprint standard of the European Union using the software openLCA. To assess the environmental impacts relative to yield variations two functional units were chosen - “area” and “mass”. The results reveal that organic viticulture generally performs better on an area basis across most environmental categories, except for freshwater ecotoxicity, eutrophication, and mineral and metal resource use. However, lower yields in organic farming result in higher impacts per kilogram of grapes produced. The use of copper fungicides merges as a significant drawback due to its ecotoxicity, highlighting the need for strategies to reduce copper inputs and increase yields to improve the sustainability of organic viticulture. Additionally, the environmental impact of trellis production is identified as a critical hotspot for both production systems, suggesting that prolonging the lifespan of trellis materials or using less impactful alternatives could significantly reduce the overall environmental footprint. In conclusion, while organic viticulture offers certain environmental benefits, challenges related to yield and copper use must be addressed to enhance its sustainability. Future research should also consider integrating biodiversity and ecosystem services into LCA methodologies, as these factors could alter the comparative outcomes of organic and integrated management systems.

In the European Union, organic viticulture faces enormous challenges in controlling grapevine downy mildew since the ban on inorganic phosphonates or phosphonic acid in 2013. However, inorganic phosphonate is still detected in organic wines, although the responsible winegrowers often pledge that they had not sprayed phosphonate-containing products in their vineyards. Among several hypotheses on the origin, the emergence of phosphonate from the soil, e.g., due to preceding applications or from contaminated groundwater, is in dis-cussion. This study investigates whether an analytical differentiation of the origin of phosphonate in the plant or the final product might be feasible by examining leaf and petiole tissue. A total of 908 leaf and petiole samples of various grapevine cultivars were collected from a container vine experiment as well as from four experimental vineyard sites in Germany, on which phosphonate was either sprayed onto the plants as part of crop protection (all experiments), applied to the soil (container experiment only) or present as residue from previous applications (vineyard experiments). Phosphonate concentrations in leaves and petioles depended strongly on whether plants had been sprayed or had taken up phosphonate from the soil. Therefore, an index was created and tested using independent datasets from different geographical locations, based on the concentrations found in leaves and petioles. Index accuracy was at 99.1% correct classifications when distinguishing phosphonate origin from the soil versus that from foliar spraying. Furthermore, phosphonate uptake from the soil was shown to allow considerable phosphonate concentrations in the berries and musts, rendering associations of phosphonate resi-dues in wines with accusations of an actual foliar application highly questionable. In brief, our data and index might provide an approach for identifying the source of phosphonate contamination in the grapevine plant and, if suitable sample material is available, also the related products.

Organic and biodynamic management practices in viticulture have been sharply increasing worldwide for almost two decades and are seen as one possibility for environmentally friendly production. Consumers often presume that the quality of organically grown crops is different or higher compared to conventionally grown crops.In the current study, wine grape quality under integrated, organic and biodynamic viticulture was assessed in a long-term field trial in Geisenheim, Germany, starting seven years after conversion. Treatments substantially differed in their amino acid concentration in juice, flavonol content and their composition of hydroxycinnamic acids. Organic and biodynamic treatments showed significantly higher concentrations of all amino acids in juice and a significantly higher concentration of flavonols in berry skins. Major drivers of these changes are reductions of yield and pruning weight under organic and biodynamic management on the one hand and increased light exposure of bunches in the respective treatments on the other hand.Linking amino acid composition in juice, grape skin flavonoid and hydroxycinnamate concentration to canopy structure, vigour and yield enables growers to actively control and manipulate wine grape quality in the different management systems.

AbstractThere is growing interest in the application of sustainable agricultural methods to minimize the environmental impact of farming and thus aiding quantification of the actual benefit that such approaches may confer. We applied DNA metabarcoding with the aim of exploring how the diversity of fungi and arthropods were affected by different agricultural management systems (integrated, organic, biodynamic) at the experimental vineyard of Geisenheim (Rheingau, Germany). Data were generated for the bloom and harvest periods in 2017, using environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding analysis of both soil and vane trap samples. Our data revealed four principal results. (a) Overall richness of vane trap samples was unaffected by the management systems, likely due to the relatively small scale of the plots compared to the ranges of taxa such as the arthropods caught. In contrast, however, the richness of soil‐living taxa appeared to be negatively affected by conventional treatments, especially at harvest. (b) Analysis of similarity revealed that the species composition was significantly differentiated by management systems for both fungal and other taxa in both sample types. (c) Taxonomic analysis of fungi revealed that the management system drove differentiation in the abundance patterns for wine‐related fungi. Overall, our study reiterates the potential of eDNA techniques as a tool for assessing how biodiversity is affected by different agricultural management regimes, and we hope such approaches will be adopted in future research aimed at guiding vineyard management decisions.

The image-forming methods copper chloride crystallization, capillary dynamolysis and circular chromatography are presented as an instrument for assessing wine quality. Wine quality of samples from a long-term field trial comparing integrated, organic and biodynamic management were investigated by using image-forming methods and sensory analysis. Concerning the image-forming methods copper chloride crystallization, capillary dynamolysis and circular chromatography, the images of encoded samples were (i) grouped into pairs with similar image features; (ii) characterized based on reference images (e. g. high–low resistance to degradation); (iii) ranked (according to the characterization), and (iv) assigned to the different production methods (classified). Wine samples from organic and biodynamic management needed less wine per sample for a similar expression of structural characteristics than wine samples from integrated cultivation. Organic and biodynamic samples also show structures that indicate less degeneration than integrated samples. Due to these properties, nine coded wine samples from 2010 could be (i) grouped, (ii) characterized, (iii) ranked and (iv) classified without errors, i.e., assigned to the cultivation methods of integrated, organic and biodynamic agriculture. In sensory analysis, the wine derived from biodynamic management had the highest aroma intensity. In the other parameters the differences were not significant. Analysis with the image-forming methods copper chloride crystallization, capillary dynamolysis and circular chromatography complements sensory analysis for a more complete description of the characteristic properties of wines originating from different management systems. If further studies confirm these results, the image-forming methods copper chloride crystallization, capillary dynamolysis and circular chromatography may be developed as a complementary tool to sensory and chemical analysis in assessing wine quality.

Aim: The image forming methods biocrystallisation, capillary dynamolysis and circular chromatography are introduced as a complementary tool for grape quality assessment. These methods were used to investigate grape juice samples from a long-term field trial comparing integrated, organic and biodynamic viticultural practices.Methods and results: Characteristic changes in structures created by the reaction of metal salts with grape juice were evaluated using biocrystallisation, circular chromatography and capillary dynamolysis image forming methods. In particular, this study tested the effects of cultivation method, aging time and juice concentration on structure formation.To assess grape quality, the images of the encoded grape juice samples were: i) grouped into pairs with similar image features, ii) characterised based on reference images (e.g., high versus low resistance to degradation, or the amount of substance necessary for structure formation), iii) ranked according to structures associated with grape quality, and iv) assigned to the different production methods (classification). In order for similar structural features in the image forming methods to be expressed, all samples of grape juice harvested from integrated production over four years required higher juice concentrations than samples from organic and biodynamic origin. This was interpreted as the latter two production systems having higher structure formation efficacy. Furthermore, juices produced from the integrated management system exhibited more structures, indicative of a lower resistance to aging. In three out of four harvest years, the biodynamic samples exhibited the highest structure forming efficacy and resistance to aging.Conclusion: These findings are consistent with enhanced form maintenance and thus higher internal product quality of biodynamic and organic grapes compared to grapes from integrated farming.Significance and impact of the study: Image forming methods may serve as a valuable tool for grape juice and wine quality assessment to complement compound-specific chemical analyses.

Vineyard soils show an increased risk of degradation due to being intensively cultivated. The preservation of soil integrity and fertility is a key concept of organic and biodynamic farming. However, both systems are also subject to criticism due to their higher amount of plant protection products used and their increased traffic intensity compared to integrated viticulture, both detrimental to soil quality. The aim of this study was therefore to assess long-term effects of these three management systems on chemical and physical soil quality parameters. For this purpose, topsoil samples were taken in a long-term field trial vineyard at different positions and examined for bulk density, available water capacity (AWC), soil organic carbon (SOC), N, pH, and for total and bioavailable copper (Cu) concentrations. Biodynamic plots had a lower bulk density and higher SOC concentration than the integrated ones, which is probably due to the species-rich cover crop mixture used in the inter-row. However, organic and biodynamic farming showed an accumulation of copper in the under-vine area and in the tractor track, which is problematic for soil fertility in the long-term. Therefore, alternatives for copper in plant protection are necessary to ensure sustainable soil quality through organic and biodynamic viticulture.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of integrated (INT), organic (ORG) and biodynamic (BD) management systems with similar C- and N-inputs on soil microbiology in a viticultural long-term field trial. Methods and results: Within the systems comparison, soil samples were taken 10 years after conversion, throughout the growing season. To gather information about microbial community structure, the activity of five soil enzymes was measured, and phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) and neutral lipids fatty acids (NLFA) profiles were analysed accompanied by comprehensive soil analysis. pH associated with BD was significantly higher compared to INT soil. Copper and N-min values in INT were significantly lower compared to the organic systems. BD and ORG were characterised by a higher b-D-glucosidase and urease activity and a higher abundance of fungi and bacteria. INT had larger quantities of mycorrhizae indicator NLFAs. Significance and impact: Results from this study contribute to a better understanding of the microbial community structure and nutrient cycling under organic and biodynamic viticulture.

Demand for organically grown crops has increased exponentially in the last few decades. Particularly in the wine sector, organic and biodynamic management systems are gaining more and more importance, with some of the most prestigious wineries converting to organic or biodynamic viticulture. The purpose of this study was to review evidence comparing effects of conventional, organic, and biodynamic viticulture on soil properties, biodiversity, vine growth and yield, disease incidence, grape composition, sensory characteristics, and wine quality. Only studies with representative field replicates or studies with a representative number of samples were included. Soil nutrient cycling was enhanced under organic viticulture, especially after conversion was completed. Cover crop mixtures used, compost application, and the absence of herbicides might be factors that account for higher biological activity in organically and biodynamically managed soils. Seventeen out of 24 studies observed a clear increase in biodiversity under organic viticulture on different trophic levels. Plant protection regime and cover crop mixtures mainly determine higher biodiversity in organic and biodynamic viticulture. Organic and biodynamic treatments showed 21% lower growth and 18% lower yield compared to conventional viticulture. The decrease of growth and yield under organic and biodynamic viticulture was not correlated to the growth or yield level under conventional viticulture. A decrease in soil moisture content and physiological performance (assimilation rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance) under organic and biodynamic viticulture is likely to be responsible for the lower growth and yield in the respective management systems. Juice total soluble solids concentration did not differ among the different management systems. No overall differences in berry composition or juice and wine quality among management systems could be observed. By describing different hypotheses concerning the effects of organic and biodynamic viticulture, this review and meta-analysis provides helpful guidance for defining further research in organic agriculture on perennial, but also on annual, crops.

Aim: The effects of integrated, organic and biodynamic management on soil quality and the growth and morphological development of Riesling grapevines were assessed during the first 4 years of a long-term field trial in Geisenheim, Germany. The overall aim was to understand the effects of these different viticultural practices on soil quality and plant morphology as the basis for product quality. Methods and results: As indicators of soil quality, earthworm abundance and the activity of selected enzymes were assessed. The vegetative and reproductive development of the grapevines, as well as their susceptibility to fungal diseases in the field, wood and grape composition, and grape yield, were investigated. Individual variables were subjected to analysis of variance. Additionally, all variables were subjected to multivariate principal component analysis. Compared with plots under integrated management, plots under the two biological treatments were characterized by higher soil quality and lower vegetative growth and grape yield, and therefore higher exposure of grapes and lower grape cluster compactness, and, probably as a result of these morphological differences, lower incidence of acetic acid rot. Principal component analysis clearly differentiated the three treatments, and showed that biodynamic management had more pronounced effects than organic management in terms of enhanced soil fertility and reduction of vegetative growth. Conclusions: In the present study, organic and especially biodynamic management resulted in a morphology favouring production of high-quality grapes. The treatments differed in terms of fertilization and plant protection methods as well as choice of cover crops. Therefore, further research is necessary with respect to root growth and the nitrogen and water uptake dynamics of vines and cover crops. The differences between grapes produced under organic and biodynamic management emphasize the need for more research on the mode of action of biodynamic preparations. Significance and impact of the study: In recent years, both winegrowers and consumers have expressed steadily growing interest in organic and especially biodynamic wine production. The present study contributes to a better understanding of the effects on grapevine growth and morphological development of shifting to these methods as a way to increase product quality.

An active and diverse soil biota is important for maintaining crop productivity and quality, and preservation of these traits is a major goal of sustainable farming. This study aimed at unravelling the impact of different management practices on soil fungal and bacterial biodiversity in vineyards as a model for permanent crops. Species diversity was assessed using an amplicon sequencing approach in a long-term field experiment in the Rheingau wine region of Germany where integrated, organic and biodynamic management practices had been in place for 10 years. Fungal community composition under integrated management differed significantly from organic and biodynamic management, whereas fungal species richness remained unaffected. Soil under integrated management had a significantly reduced bacterial species richness compared to organic, but community composition was similar to organically and biodynamically managed soils. Highest fungal richness was obtained under cover crop between rows in topsoil, arising from cover cropping and organic carbon supply.

In this study, the effects on grape juice quality resulting from the conversion of vineyard plots from integrated to organic and biodynamic management vs. integrated management were assessed using image forming methods. In addition, grape yield, Botrytis infection and the chemical composition of wood prunings and grapes were assessed. The images of replicate, encoded samples representing five different treatments were: (i) grouped into pairs displaying similar image features, (ii) characterised with respect to the quality domains 'strength of form expression' and 'resistance to deterioration' and (iii) ranked according to the quality characterisation. Based on the image analyses, all samples pairs were correctly grouped, i.e. the five production methods were precisely separated. The treatments were characterised as follows: (i) Integrated (INT): weakest form expression, most advanced deterioration; (ii) Conversion to Biodynamic without horn silica (BD0): strongest form expression, advanced deterioration; (iii) Conversion to Organic (ORG): weak form expression, low deterioration; (iv) Conversion to Biodynamic with 3 x horn silica (BD3): medium form expression, low deterioration; (v) Conversion to Biodynamic with 4 x horn silica (BD4): strong form expression, low deterioration. Principal component analysis (PCA) of field assessment and chemical analysis data revealed that the two treatments with the strongest form expression, BD0 and BD4, were characterised by high vigour, as indicated by high prune weight and primary amino nitrogen (NOPA). With respect to the resistance to deterioration, as depicted by image forming methods, no parallels were found with PCA.

The main objective of this study was to determine growth, yield and fruit quality of grapevines under organic and biodynamic management in relation to integrated viticultural practices. Furthermore, the mechanisms for the observed changes in growth, yield and fruit quality were investigated by determining nutrient status, physiological performance of the plants and disease incidence on bunches in three consecutive growing seasons. A field trial (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Riesling) was set up at Hochschule Geisenheim University, Germany. The integrated treatment was managed according to the code of good practice. Organic and biodynamic plots were managed according to Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 and Regulation (EC) No 889/2008 and according to ECOVIN- and Demeter-Standards, respectively. The growth and yield of the grapevines differed strongly among the different management systems, whereas fruit quality was not affected by the management system. The organic and the biodynamic treatments showed significantly lower growth and yield in comparison to the integrated treatment. The physiological performance was significantly lower in the organic and the biodynamic systems, which may account for differences in growth and cluster weight and might therefore induce lower yields of the respective treatments. Soil management and fertilization strategy could be responsible factors for these changes. Yields of the organic and the biodynamic treatments partially decreased due to higher disease incidence of downy mildew. The organic and the biodynamic plant protection strategies that exclude the use of synthetic fungicides are likely to induce higher disease incidence and might partially account for differences in the nutrient status of vines under organic and biodynamic management. Use of the biodynamic preparations had little influence on vine growth and yield. Due to the investigation of important parameters that induce changes especially in growth and yield of grapevines under organic and biodynamic management the study can potentially provide guidance for defining more effective farming systems.

In 2006 wurde ein weinbaulicher Feldversuch zum Vergleich verschiedener Bewirtschaftungssysteme (integriert, biologisch-organisch, biologisch-dynamisch) an der Hochschule Geisenheim University in Geisenheim, Rheingau, etabliert. Ertrag, Schnittholzgewicht und Zuckergehalt der Moste unterschied sich signifikant zwischen den Bewirtschaftungssystemen in einem Untersuchungszeitraum von 7 Jahren (2006-2012). Die integrierte Variante zeigte ein signifikant hoheres Schnittholzgewicht, einen signifikant hoheren Ertrag und signifikant niedrigeren Zuckergehalt des Mostes im Vergleich zu den beiden biologischen Systemen. Zwischen der biologisch-organischen und der biologisch-dynamischen Variante wurde kein Unterschied beobachtet. Weiter unterschieden sich die Bewirtschaftungssysteme weder im Gesamtsauregehalt noch im pH der Moste. Grunde fur das unterschiedliche Wachstum, den unterschiedlichen Ertrag und der unterschiedlichen Mostqualitat wie z.B. die Nahrstoff- und Wasserverfugbarkeit und die Haufigkeit auftretender Krankheiten in den unterschiedlichen Varianten mussen diskutiert werden. Ein Ruckgang von Schnittholzgewicht und Ertrag unter okologischer im Vergleich zu integrierter Bewirtschaftung wurde bereits in vorhergehenden Studien belegt. Allerdings sind die hier vorgestellten Untersuchungsergebnisse der erste Anhaltspunkt fur veranderte Zuckergehalte im Most und somit fur veranderte Produktqualitat durch unterschiedliche Bewirtschaftungssysteme im Weinbau.

Leaf area index (LAI) and canopy structure are important parameters affecting grape quality and yield of grapevines. Two different experimental protocols as well as the average LAI value of the different protocols for indirect estimation of LAI by gap fraction analysis in VSP-trained grapevines (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Riesling) were tested in this study using plant area index (PAI). Measurements were performed using a plant canopy analyzer. Directly measured LAI and estimated PAI were compared. Protocol SFC (sensor facing the canopy) gave accurate estimates of LAI by measuring PAI along a diagonal transect including eight vines on each side. The correlation between directly measured LAI and estimated PAI was very high (R-2 = 0.93) and the root mean square error was lowest of the methods tested here (RMSE = 0.21). Eight measurements below the canopy were enough to accurately estimate LAI. By applying the empirical calibration equation, the measurements provide accurate LAI estimates. Nevertheless, local calibration is required. The method presented provides a useful tool for rapid and precise LAI estimation in VSP training systems and for supporting canopy or management decisions based on LAI.