THE NOVEL APPROACH OF FARMING.

THE NOVEL APPROACH OF FARMING.

Evaluation of performance of ferti-activator Sanbio PLANTA on the productivity of grapes variety ´Riesling´ in Germany

Naumburg, Germany (November 21, 2014) – With nearly 45 percent of the world’s acreage, Germany is a top Riesling producer. Of all the grapes of Germany, the most noble is the Riesling — a variety that can do well even in stony soil and can subsist on a minimum of moisture.

It is also frost-resistant and a very dependable bearer of high-quality grapes which have an acidity level that gives the wine a racy freshness and contributes to its long life. To reach its full potential, Riesling needs extra days of sun; ripening is very late, indeed the Riesling grapes are the ones to be picked at the end of the harvest.

Riesling produces elegant wines of rich character with an incomparable fragrance and taste, often reminiscent of peaches, or (when the wine is still young) of apples. In 1996, the vineyard area planted with Riesling topped that of Müller-Thurgau. Therefore, today it is known as Germany’s premier grape variety in terms of area.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of ferti-activator Sanbio PLANTA on productivity of grapes variety ´Riesling´.


1.  Background

Vines have been cultivated since AD 998 on the hillsides lining the Saale and the Unstrut rivers which lend their name to the small, but growing, Saale-Unstrut region. It is among the northernmost of Europe’s traditional wine regions. Due to this and the cooler climate, the weather is more variable than in the regions in the west. As such, many of the vines are planted on labor-intensive stone terraces that help temper the climate. Yields are low and Spätlese or Auslese can be produced only in exceptionally warm years. The wines are labelled as varietals and, with the exception of extremely rare dessert wines, all wines are vinified dry and have a refreshing acidity.

This study was executed in cooperation with the winery Bernard Pawis, located in Zweiplitz, Saale-Unstrut region, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.

Winery Pawis is one of the most successfully wineries in Germany and achieved:

  • Award “Winemaker of the Year 2014” issued by “Falstaff Wein Trophy”
  • Inclusion into “List of 100 best German wineries” issued by the “Handelsblatt”
  • Inclusion into Vine Guide “Gault & Millau 2013”
  • Member of Association of German Top Quality Wine Estates „Verband der Deutschen Prädikatsweingüter“ (VDP)
  • Numerous wards.


1.  Materials and methods

Table 1. Basic data

Season 2014
Location Germany, State Saxony-Anhalt, Naumburg, Naumburger Sonneck

Picture 1: Left: Untreated vineyard (Control), Right: Treated vineyard (PLANTA)
Direction South-Southwest
Angle 10° – 30°
Organization Winery Bernard Pawis
Crop Grapevine
Variety Riesling
Trial field 1 block system
Soil quality Lime gravel with loessic loam, transition to weathered red sandstone and keuper
Climate Continental, with warm, dry summers and cold winters
Rainfall Annual 729mm (resp. 92% of long-term average 789mm)
Test product Sanbio PLANTA, manufactured by SANBOS GmbH, Germany
Dosage 2 kg/ha, 500 l water/ha
No. of applications 1
Date of application 24/03/2014, BBCH 13-15
Date of harvest 02/10/2014
Scoring Weight / Yield

Table 2. Product presentation of Sanbio PLANTA

Product name Composition Description Application
Sanbio PLANTA Activated blend of natural seaweed, nutrients, trace elements, selectively and adapted highly effective natural bacterial cultures and mycorrhiza fungi, activated by SANBIO  Biocatalytical Stimulation Technology Fertilizer and biological activator (certified in France, Germany, EC, USA)Stimulation of plant growth and immunityBetter protection against fungal diseases and biotic and abiotic stressBetter control of factors favorable to plant growthBetter germination and growth of vegetation and development of roots and shootsColonization of roots by beneficial microorganismsBetter mobilization and assimilation of nutrientsEarly flowering and maturationIncreased production and improved quality Dosage: 1.5 kg / ha in 200-500 l of water   No. of application: 1-2   Mode of application: Soil application   Stage of application: 3-5 leaf stage  

2.   Results

2.1  Yield

Table 3. Productive performance

Treatment   Control PLANTA
No of vine plants per area   2527 2077
Weight per area kg 3200 2950
Weight per vine plant kg 1.266 1.42

Figure 1. Yield calculated as weight of grapes per vine (kg/vine)

The yield calculated as weight of grapes per vine was increased by 0.154 kg/vine, resp. +12.1% at the treated plot compared to untreated control lot.

2.2  Pictures

Picture 2. Vineyard with both plots

Picture 3. Experimental field (treated with Sanbio PLANTA)

3.  Conclusion

To summarize, the present study shows significantly positive effects of ferti-activator Sanbio PLANTA on productive performance of vinegrapes.

The positive effects at glance:

  • Higher harvest of +12.1%.