Influence of reduced irrigation on beneficial invertebrates in vineyards

Abstract

An important aspect of increasing the sustainability of agricultural production in dry continents such as Australia is decreasing water use. In this study full irrigation is compared with partial rootzone drying, a method that uses targeted controlled watering to reduce water use while maintaining production in vineyards. The impact of the 2 irrigation methods on invertebrates with potential to influence productivity (pests, predators, parasitoids and soil macroinvertebrates) in a vineyard in south-eastern Australia is also investigated. Invertebrates were sampled at ground level and in the canopy using 3 methods: pitfall traps and 2 types of sticky trap. Earthworms were sampled by hand sort..