Climatic Analysis, Soil Site Suitability Evaluation and Soil Organic Carbon Stock Studies on Major Grape-Growing Soils in the Southern Karnataka, India

ABSTRACT

Climate and soils are most influencing factors to affect vine growth and productivity. Studying of prevailing climate over the years in a region provides sufficient information related to management practices to be incorporated in vineyards. Evaluating suitability of vineyard soils under different climatic conditions serves as yardstick to analyze the performance. Ten soil profiles (Eastern and southern dry zone) were excavated from six sub-division for which climatic analysis, site suitability and Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) stock studies were carried out using water balance diagram, FAO (1976) and by estimation of easily oxidizable organic carbon, respectively. In almost all regions studied, soil moisture enhancement starts at the end of May or June, peaking in either September or October. Bangalore North (Rajanukunte) soils were highly suited for grapes cultivation with few limitations. Bangalore North (GKVK Farm) was moderately suited with slight to moderate slope limitations and available nitrogen content. Moderate Suitability was observed in the rest of the profiles studied with slight to moderate limitations of either SOC or available nitrogen or both. Magadi (Southern dry zone) soils were moderately suitable with slight to moderate limitations of graveliness, available nitrogen, organic carbon and Exchangeable sodium percentage. The SOC stock content in these soils ranged from low at Bangalore North (Rajanukunte) (3.96 kg m⁻³) to medium in status in Bangalore North (GKVK farm) (6.22 kg m⁻³). Sustainable performance of vineyards in terms of yield can be achieved in these sub-division by managing the constraints in soils such as nitrogen and organic carbon status.

KEYWORDS:

• Climate analysis
• Eastern and Southern dry zone soils of Karnataka
• soil organic carbon stock
• soil site suitability
• vineyards

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

All data are available on in this publication.