A field investigation on the soil management practices in a productive vineyard considering C sequestration and water resistance of soil structure

Optimal soil structure is linked to soil organic matter (SOM). Different soil management practice alternates SOM but the storing C to soil structure formation in vineyard soils is not sufficiently studied. In addition, understanding the impact of soil management practices in vineyard on changes in SOM and soil structure is crucial for sustainable viticulture. In this study conducted in a productive vineyard near Nitra city, Slovakia, we investigated the dynamics of individual size-fractions of water-stable aggregates (WSA) as results of changes in soil organic matter (SOM) under different soil management practices. Five distinct management practices – Intensive tillage system (T); Intensive tillage system with poultry manure (T + M); Strip grass (G); Fertilization in lower rates of NPK (NPK 1) to grass strips; and Fertilization in higher level of NPK (NPK 2) to grass strips were adopted to to be tested. The results have shown that the highest content of soil organic carbon (SOC) 20.3 ± 3.68 g kg⁻¹, labile carbon (C_L) 2.71 ± 0.78 g kg⁻¹, and the most favor soil structure were identified in NPK 1, however, the most effectively improved soil structure and C sequestration (SOC: 19.9 ± 3.88 g kg⁻¹; C_L: 2.53 ± 0.83 g kg⁻¹) was under G treatment. SOC had a more significant influence on the content of water-stable aggregates than C_L. Intense changes in SOM took place in larger size-fractions of water-stable macroaggregates (WSAma) above 2 mm, while smaller WSAma below 2 mm and water-stable microaggregates were more stable.