Operative Team – FEADER 2022 (2022/023B)
The GREENSOILVIN project emerged as a response to the need to find sustainable alternatives to conventional chemical fertilization in viticulture. In the context of the Rías Baixas and Monterrei appellations, this initiative aimed to evaluate the agronomic, environmental, and oenological impact of new vineyard management strategies based on the use of cover crops (mainly legumes and cereals) as green manure. The project was based on the hypothesis that such natural fertilization could reduce dependence on synthetic inputs, improve soil health, and produce wines with differentiated profiles, thus responding to the sector’s sustainability demands.
The main goal was to compare the effects of three fertilization strategies: (1) 100% chemical fertilization, (2) 50% chemical fertilization combined with cover crop seeding, and (3) only cover crop without chemical fertilizers. These strategies were applied in various plots and training systems (vertical trellis, pergola, slope), assessing their influence on soil fertility, microbial biodiversity, vineyard health and yield, and the sensory quality of the wines made from each treatment.
Results show that cover crops, especially under mulching systems, provided soil fertility comparable to chemical fertilizers in just one growing cycle, while also improving soil microbial biodiversity. At the vineyard level, a positive trend in yield and a better vegetative balance (Ravaz index) were observed in the combined treatments. Wines from the cover crop-only treatment showed more complex and voluminous sensory profiles, while those with chemical fertilization were more direct and fresh. The mixed treatments resulted in balanced wines, suggesting they may offer a suitable technical compromise between sustainability and oenological consistency.
The project began in June 2022 and concluded in November 2024, with a total budget of €179,993.21 (100% subsidized), in which Paco & Lola participated with a budget of €27,924.81. Paco & Lola was the project leader, with Viñedos Altos de Torona SL, Bodegas Martín Códax SAU, and the University of Vigo – Ourense Campus also taking part.
