Diversity of conversion strategies for organic vineyards

Abstract

An increasing number of vineyards are converting to organic farming due to concerns about the environmental impacts of agriculture. How difficult this shift is depends on farms' biophysical and economic situations as well as on their specific dynamics. Methods to analyze, assess, and support transition strategies are needed. In this context, the hypothesis can be made that the efficiency-substitution-redesign approach, which is used for describing the level, intensity, and speed of changes made by vineyards, could be used to classify transition strategies. On-farm interviews and surveys were conducted at vineyards in conversion to organic farming in two French winegrowing regions: Languedoc and Bordeaux. The agronomic changes made to various grape production technical operations during the conversion period were described and assessed by using the efficiency-substitution-redesign approach. Potential economic consequences of conversion were measured by looking at farms' accounting records. Considering the high number of variables taken into account in the detailed analysis of each operation for the conversion to organic farming, the efficiency-substitution-redesign approach was successfully used to classify transition strategies according to the type of changes made. The results showed that change intensity varied between farms with no clear correlation between the type of changes and economic consequences. Farm trajectories were then correlated to the speed and intensity of changes with quantitative transition indicators. Here, a quantitative application of the efficiency-substitution-redesign approach was used for the first time to assess and classify organic farming conversion strategies according to a scale of change intensity and speed of changes. These results are essential to enhance understanding of what happens during conversion to organic farming and to better support winegrowers' trajectories.

Effect of Conversion to Organic Farming on Pest and Disease Control in French Vineyards

“…The differences we observed between conventional farming, the first two years of conversion to OF, and the third year of conversion were in keeping with the observation made by Merot et al [9] on the progress of the winegrowers' ability to manage grape protection against the major pests and diseases. There was no significant effect of the conversion stage on grape berry moth infestation (either incidence or severity).…”

“…There was no significant effect of the conversion stage on grape berry moth infestation (either incidence or severity). To control this pest, shifting from conventional to conversion to OF often came down to just substituting one or more products, with similar mode(s) of action or similar logical ground(s) for decision making [9]. For the major cryptogamic diseases, the shift to organic production can be based on additional changes in phytosanitary product choice.…”

“…Conversion to OF in the European Union is a relatively short period of three years for orchards and vineyards that ends in certification. Conversion to OF generally involves a transitional management approach because farmers must adjust technical operations and align them with the certification requirements from the beginning of the first year of conversion [8,9]. They have to find the best way to manage their cropping system in accordance with these requirements, while achieving acceptable and sustainable performances [9].…”

“…Conversion to OF generally involves a transitional management approach because farmers must adjust technical operations and align them with the certification requirements from the beginning of the first year of conversion [8,9]. They have to find the best way to manage their cropping system in accordance with these requirements, while achieving acceptable and sustainable performances [9]. During conversion, pest and disease management is often considered to be a key technical issue that can potentially lead to significant yield losses [10].…”

“…First, the pesticide dose is reduced [11][12][13]; second, pesticides with synthetic active ingredients are replaced with nonchemically synthesized products (copper, sulfur, or biocontrol, as allowed in Council Regulation (EC) No. 834/2007); third, more prophylactic measures are implemented when possible (i.e., any action taken to reduce the pathogen inoculum amount or prevent disease spreading) or resistant cultivars are used [9,14]. This implies that the agroecological transition for vineyard pest and disease management requires winegrowers to have more information about the agrosystem functioning, as well as training and advice from extension services [15][16][17].…”