Rethinking vineyard ground management to counter soil tillage erosion

Tillage erosion is a relevant process of soil redistribution in sloping arable land, but little research has analysed the effect of shallow tillage on soil erosion in vineyards. The goal of this study was to quantify the soil tillage effect on soil translocation and erosion at the territorial level in a large vineyard area in Sicily. The soil loss and soil erosion tolerance limits were compared to identify the vineyards with a high risk of soil degradation. An alternative management scenario to traditional tillage was proposed to evaluate the effectiveness of the best management practices on soil conservation. The experimental trials were conducted in 14 vineyards with different slopes and soil characteristics. Soil translocation after shallow tillage was determined using coloured sand as the tracer. Regression results between the slope and mean translocation distance (T) were used to estimate tillage erosion (Qplot) in 2840 vineyard plots within a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) area, considering the number of inter-rows and the length of each plot. After a single tillage operation in the downslope direction, the mean translocation distance ranged from 0.22 m to 0.45 m in the slope of 4% and 32%, respectively. At the plot level (Mg yr−1 per plot), the size and shape of the field must be considered, and the number of inter-rows was the predominant factor in tillage erosion estimation in vineyards. When comparing tillage erosion of each inter-row and soil erosion tolerance, the findings showed that 94% of the analysed plots had a high tillage erosion risk. Therefore, more attention should be paid to tillage operations in terms of type and intensity. The plots with high erosion risk decreased to 74% when best management practices with a cover crop in the entire PDO area were adopted. This study highlights the contribution of high tillage erosion to overall soil erosion losses, suggesting specific attention should be paid to more sustainable practices in soil management.