Alterations of chemical attributes in soils under different years of Vitis vinifera L. cultivation

Among the problems related to over fertilization in vineyards is the indiscriminate use of N, P and K and Cu- and Zn-based pesticides, which result which may lead to degradation of soil chemical attributes and in nutritional imbalance to plants. This study aimed to evaluate changes in chemical attributes of soils with different years of cultivation of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Pinot Noir. Soils with different cultivation periods (4, 9 and 16 years) and at different depths (0-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-40, 40-50 and 50-60 cm) were analyzed. The following soil chemical attributes were evaluated: pH (H2O), H+Al, OM, available phosphorus and potassium, exchangeable calcium, magnesium and aluminum, manganese, copper, zinc and boron, besides cation exchange capacity (CEC), base saturation and aluminum saturation. The experimental design was randomized blocks in split plots, considering three times after planting (4, 9 and 16 years) and six depths (0-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-40, 40-50 and 50-60 cm), with three replicates. Soil chemical attributes were subjected to analysis of variance and means were compared by Tukey test (p<0.05). There was significant variation in the macro and micronutrient contents in relation to both the areas and the depths. Areas with 9 and 16 years had higher macronutrients and micronutrients contents, mainly in the first 10 cm depth, due to the successive uses during the years of vineyard management after the planting of the vines.