Cover crops under the vines: a viable alternative for weed management in Mediterranean vineyards

Abstract

A Trifolium fragiferum (strawberry clover) cover crop was used as an alternative for weed control under the vines in an irrigated vineyard located in a semiarid area of Northern Spain. The cover crop allowed a satisfactory and cost-effective management of weeds, without causing relevant changes in yield and grape and wine characteristics. After 4 years of study, we demonstrated that the use of a cover crop under the vines can be an economically profitable alternative to herbicide or intra-row mechanical tillage.