Effects of Soil Parent Material and Climate on the Performance of Vitis vinifera L. cvs. Sauvignon blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon - Part I. Soil Analysis, Soil Water Status, Root System Characteristics, Leaf Water Potential, Cane Mass and Yield

In the Helderberg area of the Western Cape, South Africa, soil parent material may vary between graniteand shale over relatively short distances. However, little information is available concerning the possibleeffects of different soil parent materials on grapevine performance. A five-year investigation (2004/05 to2008/09) was therefore carried out. Two Sauvignon blanc and two Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard blockswere selected at four localities. Soils derived mainly from granite and shale were identified in each vineyardblock. Climate and soil parameters, root distribution, grapevine water status, cane mass and yield wereevaluated at all localities. Shale-derived soils contained significantly greater amounts of fine sand, butless coarse sand, than granite-derived soils. These differences resulted in water-holding capacities thatwere generally higher in the shale-derived soils. Shale-derived soils contained higher concentrations oftotal potassium (K), but the levels of water-soluble K were generally greater in the granitic soils. Rootsystem development could not be related directly to soil parent material. However, in most cases fine rootdensity in the granite-derived soils tended to be higher, while the cane mass and yield of grapevines in thesame soils also tended to be higher, at least at two of the four localities. The effect of soil parent materialon grapevine water constraints seemed more prominent during the drier seasons, namely 2004/05 and2005/06, compared to the wet and coolest seasons, 2007/08 and 2008/09