Impact of Fertilizer Application Methods on the Productivity and Quality of the 'Bordô' Grape Cultivar

Abstract

The search for alternatives to improve technical efficiency and profitability in grape cultivation has driven the adoption of new water and nutrient management strategies. In this context, this work aimed to evaluate the effects of different forms of soluble fertilizer application, via soil and via water, on the productivity and quality of 'Bordô' grape cultivars. The research was carried out on a property located in Travessão Divisa, in the interior of the municipality of Nova Pádua, RS, in a vineyard established 16 years ago. The experiment was conducted in plots due to the treatments' specificity, with three treatments and 15 repetitions. The treatments consisted of a control (T1) without fertilization, fertilization with soluble sources applied to the soil (T2), and fertilization with soluble sources applied via water (T3). The fertilizer doses followed the producer's standard, namely 65.5 kg·ha⁻¹ of N, 65 kg·ha⁻¹ of K₂O, 7.4 kg·ha⁻¹ of S, 57 kg·ha⁻¹ of Ca, and 6 kg·ha⁻¹ of Mg. Fertilizer application was equal in treatments T2 and T3; however, in T2, fertilizers were applied in a single dose. During the experiment, chlorophyll and foliar nutrient levels were evaluated, and at the end, crop productivity, production parameters, and bunch quality were assessed. The results demonstrated that fertilization with soluble sources added via soil or irrigation water favored the absorption of Ca and P, and reduced the absorption of B. Application via irrigation water favored N absorption, while application via soil favored K absorption; the treatments did not influence the absorption of other nutrients. Both fertilization methods increased the productivity of the 'Bordô' grapevine and improved most of the fruit quality parameters evaluated. However, the application of fertilizers via water was superior in the parameters number of bunches, bunch and berry diameter, and must pH. Thus, the application of soluble fertilizers via soil and via water is an effective strategy for the nutritional management of the crop under the edaphoclimatic conditions of the experiment. However, the application of split fertilization via water stands out in relation to application via soil, indicating its potential as an agronomic practice for increasing the productivity and quality of the 'Bordô' grapevine.