TECHNICAL CLASSIFICATION OF MACHINES THAT TILL THE SOIL BETWEEN ROWS OF VINEYARDS

Abstract

The approach was to review, adapt and combine a range of subsoil improvement techniques previously developed in the broad acre farming context and combine them into a more efficient purpose-designed machine suited to the smaller low power vineyard tractor. The influence of ripper technology and capacity on the subsoil constraints of vineyards was considered for the quality of soil loosening, its influence on compaction and vine response. Consideration was then turned to the timing of sub soiling and vineyard interred management of subsoil compaction in vineyards. Factors such as the amount of soil loosening, soil disturbance, re-settling and compaction were investigated.