Impact of viticultural practices on the soil biological quality: a review of international knowledge

Worldwide wine production represents 7.5 million hectares for an economic market worth 31 billion euros (2019). Winegrowing is therefore a strategic sector of the agricultural economy for the main wine-producing countries. In France, the wine industry represents 750,000 hectares, or 10% of the world's wine-growing area. With 17% of the world's production and 13 billion euros in export sales, France is the second largest producer after Italy (19%) and the leading exporter. This sector is the main outlet for French exports, but also one of the main consumers of phytosanitary products and mechanization.

Winegrowing, like the agricultural world in general, is currently facing two major developments: climate change and the agro-ecological transition. Partly caused by the intensification of industrial, agricultural and urban activities, climate change is an additional constraint to be taken into account when managing wine production. Climate is a major local determinant of berry quality and health pressure caused by pests (mildew, Esca, etc.). Agro-ecological transition aims to make post-war agriculture, which had become intensive, more sustainable, by combining agronomic and ecological levers. The aim of this transition is to meet a range of challenges, including food self-sufficiency, economic profitability, changing societal expectations, health and environmental quality, heritage preservation and technical innovation.

Adapting to climate change and adopting the agro-ecological transition are thus two essential conditions for ensuring the economic and environmental sustainability of the wine industry's production. As a support for production, a major reservoir of biodiversity and a driving force in the regulation of water, air and nutrient resources, soil is a fundamental link in the value chain for achieving these objectives. Soil quality and proper soil management are key levers in the drive towards sustainable viticulture. Soil quality is determined by its chemical, physical, pedological, agronomic and biological components. The first four components have historically been measured and interpreted as "terroir" effects or agronomic levers, but the biological quality of winegrowing soils suffers from a lack of knowledge. These shortcomings hinder the understanding, interpretation and integration of soil biology as a lever for action in innovative systems, and it often remains neglected.

While viticulture is regularly criticized for the intensity of its treatments and the maintenance it requires to maintain plants over the long term, the question of the impact of viticultural practices needs to be rationalized. In order to go beyond experimentation, the results of which are context-dependent, we have compiled a synthesis of knowledge from academic...