Irrigation of grapevines with saline water at different growth stages: Effects on leaf,wood and juice composition

Background and Aims: This study reports on the effects that timing of saline irrigation has on leaf and wood tissue concentrations of Na⁺ and Cl^– and on juice composition. Methods and Results: Colombard vines on Ramsey rootstock were drip irrigated with saline water during any one of four annual growth stages: pre‐flowering, berry formation, berry ripening and postharvest. At other times, vines were irrigated with non‐saline water as was the control. Salts were annually flushed from the rootzone. Over six seasons, saline irrigation caused five‐ and sevenfold rises, respectively, in the leaf and juice Na⁺ concentrations and two‐ and fourfold rises in respective Cl^‐ concentrations. Saline irrigation raised juice pH and this was associated with a rise in juice Na⁺. Normalising responses for inter‐treatment differences in the seasonal salt load to isolate the effects of timing showed that juice Cl^‐ concentration was most sensitive to saline irrigation during berry formation and juice malate concentration most sensitive to saline irrigation pre‐flowering. Conclusion: Cl^‐ uptake was greatest when saline irrigation was applied early in organ formation, whereas Na⁺ uptake reflected seasonal salt load in irrigation water. Significance of the Study: In vines on the chloride excluding rootstock Ramsey, yield loss under saline irrigation was associated with high concentrations of sodium in the leaf.