title: Importance of soil and vineyard management in the determination of grapevine mineral composition.
abstract: The spatial variability of the mineral composition of grapevines in production vineyards along the east Adriatic coast was determined and compared between conventional and sustainable vineyard management. Cluster analysis shows a high level of spatial variability even within the individual locations. Factor analysis reveals three factors with strong loading for the macronutrients K and P and the micronutrient Mn, which explain 67% of the total variance in the mineral composition. Here, 26% to 34% of the variance of these three elements can be explained by abiotic and biotic soil parameters, with soil concentrations of K, Fe and Cu, organic matter content, and vesicular colonisation showing the strongest effects on the mineral composition of the grapevines. In addition, analysis of the mineral composition data shows significant differences between differently managed vineyards, with increased bioaccumulation of P and K in sustainable vineyards, while Zn bioaccumulation was increased in conventional vineyards. Our data confirm the importance of soil and vineyard management in the concept of terroir, and demonstrate the effects of sustainable management practices on the mineral nutrition of grapevines that result from modified nutrient availability related to changes in the abiotic and biotic characteristics of the soil.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: matevz.likar@bf.uni-lj.si.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Likar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vogel-Mikuš
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Potisek
authors.affiliation: Institute for Adriatic Crops and Karst Reclamation, Put Duilova 11, 21000 Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hančević
authors.affiliation: Institute for Adriatic Crops and Karst Reclamation, Put Duilova 11, 21000 Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Radić
authors.affiliation: Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nečemer
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Regvar
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D005308:Fertilizers; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000032:analysis; D008903:Minerals / Q000032:analysis*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D027843:Vitis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers; D018977:Micronutrients; D008903:Minerals; D012987:Soil
keywords: Agricultural practice; Grapevine; Mineral composition; Production vineyards