Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
  • A01G13/00—Protecting plants
  • A01G13/02—Protective coverings for plants; Coverings for the ground; Devices for laying-out or removing coverings
  • A01G13/0256—Ground coverings
  • A01G13/0281—Protective ground coverings for individual plants, e.g. for plants in pots

Definitions

• the invention relates to an improved method and device for cultivating agricultural (fruit or vegetable), forest or ornamental plants. They are particularly suitable for growing vines.
• the invention also aims to modify the environment or the microclimates of the plant but uses different means, based on the following observation.
• stress is used here in its broadest sense. Thus, by “stress” is meant the response or physiological reaction of the plant to an intentional, non-lethal, modification of its environment.
• the subject of the invention is an improved process for cultivating plants, consisting in increasing the quantity of solar radiation received by the plant during a given period, so as to increase the level of "radiative and thermal stress" of the plant, during said period and / or to modulate its productivity.
• the method according to the invention therefore acts on the radiative and thermal microclimates, to modulate the state of "stress", the productivity of the plant and the quality of its fruits.
• the method according to the invention makes it possible to reinforce the level of "stress” borne by the plant and its berries or flowers during a given period.
• "stress” has repercussions on certain biochemical characteristics of the musts and, favorably, on the quality of the wine.
• the method consists in modifying the optical and radiative characteristics of the ground surface.
• This is in particular obtained by coating, at least partially, the planted soil with a material reflecting solar radiation, for example, in a proportion of between approximately 60 and 100%.
• the reflective material can also be placed around each plant, to form a flat or slightly frustoconical crown, or even along the rows of the plant at a given angle relative to the ground. This angle can in particular be chosen as a function of the orientation of the planting ground, of the direction of the rows and / or of the general direction of the solar radiation and of the prevailing winds.
• the material can also have one of the following characteristics: - the said material is in the form of strips, placed under the plants,
• the material is in the form of relatively rigid reflective panels.
• the invention also relates to an improved device for cultivating plants, in particular implemented in the preceding method, in association or not with another cultural method (irrigation, treatments, etc.).
• the device consists of a reflector of solar radiation, said radiation being reflected in a proportion of between approximately 60 and 100%.
• This device can in particular take the form of strips of a material reflecting solar radiation, said strips being placed under the plants.
• It can also be in the form of panels or trellis of material reflecting solar radiation, said panels being placed around each plant or along the rows of plants.
• the material used also preferably has the following characteristics, taken individually or in combination:
• the material can be produced in different forms, for example, an aluminum film or a reflective metallized film or a lattice of reflective fibers.
• This material can be composite, in particular a film or a lattice of the preceding type applied to a support made of a synthetic material (plastic, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyester, etc ...) or natural (vegetable fiber).
• the material used in the device according to the invention can also be produced in the form of a support as described above, on which a metallization layer is sprayed or else a suitable reflective coating or coating.
• This material can also take the form of an aggregate spread on the ground, a mulch or a synthetic or natural felt, coated with a reflective material.
• the first (situation A) is constituted by an aluminized film, reflecting more than 90% of the solar radiation, and covering the ground under the stumps of the first series, on approximately 60 cm on each side of the row. The ground is therefore only partially covered by the aluminized film.
• This consists of an aluminum sheet fixed on a layer of expanded polystyrene of about 2 mm.
• the second (situation N) consists of a black polyethylene film, absorbing about 95% of the radiation, and installed in the same way.
• the response of these two situations, in the range of solar rays, is compared to that obtained for the bare ground control situation (situation T).
• FIG. 1 The reflectance corresponding to each situation is illustrated in Figure 1: Situation A (—X—), situation T (—o—) and situation N (— ⁇ —).
• the coating of situation N is conventionally used in vegetable production to maintain a certain humidity in the soil and to avoid weeds. It is also used in the cultivation of the vine, to start planting.
• the "stressful" effects of the different situations were measured in situ, from the installation of the coverings to the harvest, by different physical methods including the main ones were surface radiothermometry for leaves and clusters, internal thermometry of clusters using thermistors. These measurements were distributed both on organs in the shade and on organs exposed to the sun.
• FIG. 1 represents the reflectance in each of the situations A, T and N as a function of the wavelength
• FIG. 2 represents the cumulative sum of the temperature differences between the temperature of the clusters in the shade (Tgo) and the air temperature (Ta) near the clusters, as a function of time
• FIG. 3 represents, as a function of time, the concentration of total sugars, during maturation
• - FIG. 4 represents, as a function of time, the concentration of total free amino acids, during maturation
• - Figure 5 shows, as a function of time, the concentration of total carotenoids during maturation.
• FIGS. 1 to 5 the three situations A, T and N are represented with the following symbols: (- -) for A, (—o—) for T and (— ⁇ —) for N.
• the date of the various measurements is indicated on the abscissa for each of the figures.
• the mention VC allows to locate the date of the classic veraison.
• FIG. 6 is a histogram showing the average yield per vine for the years 1992 to 1994 for each of the situations A, N and T,
• FIG. 7 is a histogram showing the average number of clusters per vine, in 1994, for each of situations A, N and T.
• FIG. 8 is a view in partial section, illustrating a first embodiment of the device according to the invention, placed in a vine,
• FIG. 9 is a top view of the row of vines, the section of which has been shown in FIG. 8,
• FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view, illustrating a second embodiment of the device according to the invention, placed around a vine
• FIG 11 is a top view of the strain which has shown in section in Figure 10
• Figure 12 is a partial sectional view illustrating a third embodiment of the device according to the invention, placed in a vineyard
• the temperature of the clusters and leaves is higher than in the T situation, around 2 ° to 2.5 ° C.
• situation A where the amount of solar radiation received has been increased or an artificial solarization of the strains has been caused, is the one which induces the highest sugar level in the berries at the time of the harvest.
• the result is found throughout the maturation period, as shown in Figure 3.
• situation N we can practically observe an additional potential alcoholic degree for the grapes of situation A.
• situation A also affects the concentration of total free amino acids, since it is increased compared to situations T and N, throughout the maturation period.
• Figure 5 shows the effects of Situation A on total carotenoids.
• the analyzes were carried out in March 93 for the wines 92 and in October 93, after malolactic fermentation, for the wines 93.
• the main results are presented in Table 3.
• the analysis of the polyphenolic composition of the wines 93 was resumed from 'in detail in March 94.
• the main results are shown in Table 4.
• the qualitative composition in tannins assessed from the various indices, some of which have been mentioned in the table, does not appear to have changed significantly in the solarized situation. compared to the control situation T. However from a quantitative point of view, there would be + 18% anthocyanins and + 26% tannins in the case of the solarized situation A, compared to the control situation T (against + 6 % and + 12%, in the case of situation N).
• the invention consists of a method and a device making it possible to increase the concentration of polyphenolic compounds and this, whatever the grape variety. This result can be extended to other fruit productions where these molecules are present.
• Tastings of the various wines obtained by minivinifications were regularly carried out.
• the results corresponding to the descriptors classic sensory have been grouped in table 5.
• the average values obtained by Student-Newman-Keuls test at 5%, are classified in the table, by decreasing notes from high below.
• the same brace groups values that are not significantly different.
• Table 5 shows that the wines obtained by enhanced solarization (situation A) are distinguished from those obtained by the other situations T and N. An astringency and higher aromatic characteristics were noted for the wines of situation A, which is good in agreement with the results of biochemical analyzes. 5. - Impact on the productivity of the vine
• FIGS 6 and 7 show that the solarized situation A tends to increase the yield and productivity of the vine.
• the method and the device according to the invention will find particular application for the cultivation of the vine in northern zones, such as Alsace or Champagne, where the radiative conditions can be considered as limiting.
• the device used in situation A reflects more than 90% of the solar radiation. However, we can estimate that a device reflecting about 60% of the radiation would already allow obtaining interesting results. on the quality of the wine obtained. This is why a reflectance range of around 60 to 100% can be chosen.
• the device used in situation A is placed directly on the ground. Such a device is illustrated in Figures 8 and 9. It consists of strips 1, 2 of a reflective material, placed on the ground 3 on each side of the row of vines 4, and substantially parallel to the latter. These bands can be relatively flexible. This device is put in place after planting the vine.
• a device of this type can consist of strips of reflective material, of width substantially double that of strips 1 and 2. This device, not illustrated, is installed on the ground before planting the vine, the plants are preferably placed in the central part of the strips.
• optical and radiative properties can be modified by placing the device differently, in particular around each plant or along the rows of plants.
• FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate a device constituted by a strip or panel 5, having the shape of a rim or a crown, placed around a vine base 6.
• the crown 5 is slightly frustoconical, as illustrated in the figures. This arrangement ensures better focusing of the radiation reflected towards the vine.
• the crown 5 can then be placed on a support 7 disposed on the ground and be relatively rigid.
• the device 8 according to the invention comprises an inclined panel 10, placed on one side of each row of vines 4 and forming an angle ⁇ with respect to the ground 3.
• This inclined panel will be preferably made of a relatively rigid material.
• the arrows in Figure 12 indicate the general direction of the sun's rays, which direction determines the orientation of the panels. Indeed, the angle ⁇ is chosen so that the inclined panel 10 reflects part of the solar radiation towards the row of vines 4.
• the inclined panel 10 can be alone, but it can also be associated with a panel 9, substantially planar and placed on the ground. This panel 9 is then located between the row of vines 4 and the inclined panel 10.
• This alternative embodiment is more particularly intended for use in a greenhouse or in very northern regions where the sun is relatively low, whatever the time of day.
• the device is then preferably oriented in the east-west direction.
• the angle which the device makes with respect to the surface of the soil is chosen to optimize the optical and radiative properties, taking into account in particular the orientation of the planting ground.
• the width of the bands which were used in the above-mentioned experiment is also not limiting. This can be defined, as appropriate, in each case.
• the optical properties of the material used in the process and the device according to the invention are essential. It is also desirable that this material has certain mechanical properties. It is first of all advantageous when this material is in the form of strips that it can be presented in rolls and that its installation can be carried out by means of existing machines.
• the device according to the invention can be kept in place for several years or even be removed and then reused, if it is relatively expensive. It is then necessary for the reflecting surface to oxidize weakly. We can also consider a device used only one year. It is therefore interesting that the constituent material is biodegradable.
• the device is permeable to water (trellis, aggregates) and to air so as not to disturb the infiltration of rain and the growth of plants.
• the period during which the method and the device according to the invention are used is not limited to the summer period, as in the experiment set out above. We can especially consider using them during bud break and flowering periods.
• the device must be put in place at the start of flowering or at the end of flowering, and kept until the harvest.
• flowering ends in mid-June. Installed at the beginning of flowering, the device can be useful to increase the yield.
• Figures 13 and 14 illustrate two successive bands of frequencies of the clarity parameter (L *): 25-30 and 30-35.
• the method and the device according to the invention have the advantages already recognized for the mulching systems currently used in agriculture or in horticulture (in particular black polyethylene film, various polyester films) for their thermal, water and biological effects in the first layers of the soil. . It is possible to envisage associating the process according to the invention with other processes, for example a particular irrigation, a determined mode of conduct, unconventional for a given grape variety, or else a treatment with a phytoactive molecule, acting on the physiology vegetable.
• the method and the device according to the invention are of interest for the protection of the environment, because they can lead to a lower use of weedkillers, phytosanitary and other pesticides, insofar as they limit the growth of the between the rows and where they can also have an effect on the behavior of parasites and agents responsible for plant diseases.
• the device according to the invention makes it possible to significantly reduce the rate of rot at the time of the harvest.
• the gain observed during the harvest is 5% on the Pinoticanier grape variety in Champagne and 10% on the Gewurtztraminer grape variety in Alsace.
• the device therefore makes it possible to significantly reduce the use of phytosanitary and other pesticides. This can also interest producers of so-called “organic” fruit.

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Toxicology (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Cultivation Of Plants (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9478711

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (3)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 1995
  • 1995-05-04 FR FR9505359A patent/FR2733665B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1996
  • 1996-05-06 EP EP96919872A patent/EP0957673A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1996-05-06 AU AU58247/96A patent/AU5824796A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1996-05-06 WO PCT/FR1996/000685 patent/WO1996034521A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events