REVINE
Regenerative agricultural approaches to improve ecosystem services in Mediterranean vineyards
Who we are
Key actors represented in the project consortium are: researchers (from CREA-Italy, ENEA-Italy, Cyprus University of Technology, Associação para a Investigação e Desenvolvimento de Ciências-Portugal, Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária-Portugal, Agricultural University of Athens, Agricultural Research Center-Egypt, Regional Centre of Agriculture Research of Sidi Bouzid-Tunisia, Burgundy School of Business-France); private companies (Società agricola D’Alessandro and Azienda Agricola San Marco in Italy, Vasiliko Oinopoieio Kyperoundas and Vlassides Winery in Cyprus);
farmers associations (Consorzio per le Nuove Varietà di Uva da Tavola in Italy, Associação de viticultores do concelho de Palmela in Portugal, Tyrnavos Coop Winery and Distillery in Greece).
Research project
Our aims
Improve the biodiversity in vineyard
Regenerative agriculture ameliorates soil structure and microbial biodiversity that, in turn, leads to crop resilience against biotic and abiotic stressful factors. Moreover, enrichment of beneficial microbes in the rhizosphere, such as PGPR and PGPF[1], are known to trigger the plant immunity inducing the priming state[2]. REVINE intends to improve the biodiversity in the vineyards by using multiple approaches, including: i) screening of tolerant grapevine genotypes; ii) consociation of the grapevine with profitable cover crops; iii) the use of cultivation practices able to enhance soil biodiversity and the beneficial rhizosphere microorganisms.
[1]Chitarra et al., (2016). Plant Phys. 171.2: 1009-1023.
[2]Alagna et al., (2020). Priming-Mediated Stress and Cross-Stress Tolerance in Crop Plants. Academic Press: 35-56.
Improve the fertility and water availability of soil
REVINE, by means of Regenerative Agriculture, intends to rebuild soil organic matter and restore[1] degraded soil biodiversity[2], resulting in both carbon drawdown and water cycle improvement, by using biofertilizers and amendments (fermented manure, compost and biochar). In particular, biochar is a carbon-rich substrate that has multiple effects and can be used as soil amendment. It increases soil water-holding capacity and nutrient-availability for plants, thus positively affecting plant growth and preventing water stress[3]. Moreover, by improving soil’s physical and chemical properties, biochar modifies microbial habitats and fosters the presence of plant beneficial microbes[4]. Biofertilizers and amendments will be produced from crop residues. In this way, REVINE intends to valorize agricultural waste and to increase farmers income, promoting the circular economy.
[1]Varjani et al., (2019). J. Environ. Manage. 232: 505–513.
[2]Nerva et al., (2019). Soil Biol. Biochem. 135: 60-70.
[3]Tayyab B. (2018). Appl. Ecol. Env. Res. 16(3): 2565-2583.
[4]Egamberdieva et al., (2016). Front. Microbiol. 7: 209.
