Wineries
Field trials in Italy examine the effects of biochar and compost treatments on vineyards. La Braccesca Estate in Montepulciano and Poggio Torselli in San Casciano focus on biochar’s impact, while Tebano in Faenza explores biochar-compost blends. Labers near Merano investigates biochar’s climate change mitigation potential in sandy loam soil.
La Braccesca, Marchesi Antinori, Montepulciano
(Siena, 43.1659083N, 11.9523669E)
The field trial is located on the vineyard at La Braccesca Estate (Marchesi Antinori srl, www.antinori.it)
near Montepulciano. The vineyard (Vitis vinifera L.) was planted in 1995 (cv. Merlot, clone 181;
rootstock 3309 Couderc) and the trellis system is a single curtain with plant-row spacing of 0.8 m and 2.5
m, respectively. Rows orientation is East–West, inter-rows are partially covered with spontaneous grass,
and tilled with a chisel plow in the March–June period. The vineyard is not irrigated and it is fertilized
with an inorganic fertilizer (15.0.26) twice per year (in November and April) at a rate of 120 kg ha−1. Soil
is acid, shallow and sandy-clay-loam textured (USDA, 2005), and is highly compacted below 0.4 m depth.
Biochar was applied on the inter-row of the vineyard in 2009 at a rate of 30 t/ha (B treatment); a further
application at the same rate was made on some of the plots in 2010 (BB treatment). The experimental
layout is composed of two biochar treatments (B and BB) and a control (C) in five replicates (15 plots in
total with a surface of 225 m 2 each. The field trial is managed by the La Braccesca Estate Company and
the CNR IBE partner.
Poggio Torselli, San Casciano in Val di Pesa
(Firenze, 43.6684736N, 11.1958114,17E)
The Poggio Torselli field trial is located in a commercial vineyard of Chianti Classico production area. A
randomized plot experiment, with two treatments (biochar and control) and three replicates was setup
in 2018. The six plots have a surface area of 190 m 2 including 4 vineyard rows and 3 inter-rows each. The
treatments are: a single biochar applied using a chisel plow tiller to 0.3 m depth at a rate of 21 ton/ha
(B) and a control (C). Biochar was applied in the inter-row space of the vineyard and incorporated into
the soil. The soil is a clay loam with a pH value of 7.9. The soil is a clay loam with a pH value of 7.9, and
the vineyard is not irrigated. The Poggio Torselli field experiment is managed by the Poggio Torselli
company and the CNR-IBE partner. The experiment was terminated in May 2024.
Tebano, Faenza
(Ravenna, 44,2917024N,11,7806531E)
The Tebano field trial is managed by the Research Center for Crop Production and University (CRPV) of
Bologna partner CRPV and the UNIBO partner. It was set up in a new vineyard planted in march 2019
(cv. Sauvignon) and hosts a complex combination of biochar and sludge-based compost treatments.
Biochar was applied at 22 t/ha, the blend of mature compost and biochar, with a ratio of 10:3, was
applied at a dose of 13 t/ha, the same for the blend of fresh compost and biochar, and the mature
compost was applied at a dose of 10 t/ha. For each of treatments, 5 have been identified randomized
parcels of 15 plants each for a total extension of approximately 40m 2 (2.6m x 15m). soil amendments
were applied opening a small trench at each row at depth of 25-30 cm. The treatments are repeated
every year, with applications close to the vineyard row and then incorporated into the soil using a rotary
harrow at 0.15 m depth. The soil is a sandy clay loam with a pH value of 7.5. The field trial allows to
assess the effects of soil conditioning on water holding capacity, soil structure and workability, and
responses of vine plants in terms of nutritional status, productivity and organoleptic properties, and of
the produced wine. The trials is also providing information on weathering of biochar in soil, its
decomposition and aging, and changes in the organic C stock. The field trial is managed by the CRPV and
the UNIBO partner.
Labers, Merano
(Bolzano, Alto Adige, 46.6673528N, 11.1964183E)
The farm is located in Labers, 600 m a.s.l., the vine cultivar is Müller Thurgau or SO4 rootstock, at
planting density of 5.500 plants/ha. The soil is sandy loam, (64% sand), rich in skeleton, with a pH value
of 6.5. Soil was amended with biochar in 2017, with fully randomized blocks of the following treatments:
N (control), B1 (Biochar 25 t/ha), B2 (Biochar 50 t/ha), C (Compost 45 t/ha), BC1 (Biochar (25 t/ha) +
compost (45 t/ha), BC2 Biochar (50 t/ha) + compost (45 t/ha). The used biochar was obtained from
conifer wood at 500 °C. Isotopic mass balance and quantification of aromatic polycarboxylic acids have
been determined as molecular carbon markers of carbon stability in soil showing no significant
degradation of biochar in soil, and measurements of greenhouse gas emissions (CO 2 , CH 4 , N 2 O) have
shown a significant reduction in N 2 O emissions in biochar amended soils, showing potential for long-
term climate change mitigation. The field trial is managed by the Laimburg Research Centre and the
UNIBZ partner.