Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 3 — Observational / field trialPeer-reviewed

On‐Farm Assessment of Long‐Term Impacts of Regenerative Management on Vineyard Soil Health

Lauren Picone; Priya Verma; Corinne Butler; Kerri Steenwerth; Matthew J. Grieshop; Cristina Lazcano; Charlotte Decock

European Journal of Soil Science · 2025

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Summary

This on-farm study evaluates the long-term soil health outcomes associated with regenerative management practices in commercial vineyards, contributing empirical field-scale evidence to a literature dominated by short-term controlled trials. Drawing on real-world farm conditions, the study likely identifies relationships between the duration or intensity of regenerative practice adoption and measurable improvements in soil biological, chemical, and physical properties. The work is notable for its applied, practitioner-relevant design and its focus on perennial wine-grape systems, which are understudied relative to arable crops in the regenerative agriculture literature.

UK applicability

The study is conducted in a viticultural context likely reflecting Californian conditions, which differ from the UK's cooler, wetter climate and predominantly young wine-growing regions; however, the soil health principles and regenerative practice findings are broadly relevant to UK viticulture, which is expanding rapidly, and to UK perennial horticultural systems more generally.

Key measures

Soil organic matter; microbial biomass; soil aggregate stability; bulk density; nutrient availability; potentially enzyme activity and earthworm counts; duration of regenerative practice adoption

Outcomes reported

The study assessed how long-term adoption of regenerative management practices affects soil health in commercial vineyards, likely measuring biological, chemical, and physical soil health indicators across farms with varying durations of practice adoption. Comparisons were likely drawn between regeneratively managed vineyards and conventionally managed controls or baseline conditions.

Theme
Farming systems, soils & land use
Subject
Soil health & regenerative farming systems
Study type
Research
Study design
On-farm observational study
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
United States
System type
Viticulture / perennial horticulture
DOI
10.1111/ejss.70207
Catalogue ID
NRmo3f02hq-06r

Topic tags

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