International Commission on Irrigation & Drainage Commission Interationale des Irrigation et du Drainage



Irrigation in Viticulture

Irrigation in viticulture is the process of applying extra water in the cultivation of grape vines. The amount of available water affects photosynthesis and hence growth, as well as the development of grape berries. While climate and humidity play important roles, a typical grape vine needs 25-35 inches (635-890 mm) of water a year, occurring during the spring and summer months of the growing season, to avoid stress. A vine that does not receive the necessary amount of water will have its growth altered in a number of ways.

 

Several methods of irrigation can be used in viticulture depending on the amount of control and water management desired. Historically, surface irrigation was the most common means using the gravity of a slope to release a flood of water across the vineyard. This method provided very little control and often had the adverse effect of over-watering the vine. In furrow irrigation system, small channels run through the vineyard providing irrigation. This provides slightly more control since the initial amount of water entering the channels could be regulated; however the amount that each vine received is sporadic.

 

Irrigation involves the installation of a series of sprinkler units throughout the vineyard, often spaced as several rows about 65 feet (20m) apart. The sprinklers can be set on an electronic timer and release predetermined amount of water for a set period of time. While this provides more control and uses less water than flood irrigation, like furrow irrigation the amount that each individual wine receives can be sporadic.

 

Drip irrigation system provides the most control over water management, though expensive to install. This system involved long plastic water supply lines that run down each row of vines in the vineyard with each individual grape vine having its own individual dripper. With this system, a viticulturist can control the precise amount of water that each grapevine gets down to the drop. An adaption of this system, potentially useful in areas where irrigation may be banned, is underground sub-irrigation where precise measurement of water is delivered directly to the root system.

Related items you may like

Irrigation

Sources of Irrigation

Application of Irrigation water

Purpose of Irrigation

Instruments and implements of Irrigation

Irrigation Management

Irrigation and environment

Capacity Development

Dictionary - Irrigation in Viticulture Terms

Sign up for newsletter

Follow us