Procedure : Maintenance of a plant cover, natural or seeded, on the inter row and possibly the row
Phytosanitary interests :
The maintenance of a vegetal carpet on the inter row makes it possible to limit the use of herbicides.
Vegetation cover can also play the role of competing vegetation for the vine to limit its vigor and thus its susceptibility to diseases.
No direct effect on diseases
Induced effect: limits the development of diseases by limiting vigor (powdery mildew, gray and acid rots, mildew)
Interests of the technique :
Adapt the quantity and quality of the harvest in relation to production objectives and soil water constraints
Level production from one year to the next
Induced effects :
Increase the quality potential of the harvest
Save on herbicides and pesticides (prophylactic effects by reduced vigor)
Improvement of the physical properties of the soil:
decompactant effect of root tissue, increased structural stability, porosity and permeability of the soil
better bearing capacity for machines: rapid intervention
Improve the biological properties of the soil: source of organic matter (burial of the canopy?), Increase biological soil life
Limit the development of mildew because: limitation of vigor, increase in evaporation in wet areas and "screen" effect which prevents primary contamination by splashing
Increase the sites for the auxiliaries according to the species of the cover in most cases, limit runoff and erosion phenomena (depending on the width of the grassy strip)
Limit product runoff
Promote biodiversity according to the species of cover (but some permanent grasslands sown can be poor in terms of biodiversity)