Azote Vaud 2024 – 2026
On the initiative of the Bovard Foundation and the Directorate-General for Agriculture, Viticulture and Veterinary Affairs of the Canton of Vaud, a network of eleven plots planted mainly with Chasselas has been established for a three-year period, from 2024 to 2026. The project involves the participation of winegrowers from Lavaux and La Côte. It aims to address several issues related to the management of grass cover and fertilisation in vineyards. Initial results show the significant influence of soil management on the nitrogen nutrition of vines.
The importance of nitrogen nutrition in vines
With a view to more sustainable production, many winegrowers have significantly reduced the amount of fertiliser applied to their vines. They have also stopped tilling the soil in favour of grass cover, which, because it too requires water and nutrients, can sometimes compete with the vines. White grape varieties such as Chasselas are particularly sensitive to nitrogen deficiency in the must at harvest. Wines lacking in nitrogen often have less intensity and complexity on the nose. They are thinner, more astringent or bitter on the palate, and may also age prematurely.
An experimental project has been launched on the initiative and with the financial support of the Bovard Foundation. Its aim is to test several cultivation techniques, restore nutritional balance in the vineyard and prevent future nitrogen deficiencies. A network of plots has been selected in the vineyards of Lavaux and La Côte, with the participation of dedicated winegrowers. Eleven plots have been selected, with an identical experimental protocol, over a three-year period from 2024 to 2026. The study focused on the effects of cavaillon maintenance (the strip of soil between the vines) and fertilisation.
The primary aim of the research avenues is to reduce competition through soil management choices (spontaneous grass growth, green manure) or weed control measures (chemical/mechanical weed control, partial grass cover, maintenance of the cavaillon). The research avenues also focus on the choice of fertiliser and the time of year for application (type of nitrogen, foliar or soil application, location).