Effects of different types of shelter on physiology and growth of Sangiovese vines during the first year after planting

In the early stages of planting, the shelter can provide for young vines protection against damage of various kinds. Despite their widespread use, few surveys have been devoted to the study of innovative shelter types and the possible influence of these protections on the physiology and development of plants. In the present experiment, which took place in 2017 in a Tuscan winery, the effects of vine protections by the company OSO (Prato) on single leaf gas exchanges and on the shoot growth in the first year of planting were studied. Three types of shelters with a circular section (completely perforated, partially perforated and closed) have been compared with the traditional full-wall shelters with square section. During the growing season, sprout growth measures, leaf area, leaf gas exchanges and water potential were carried out on the young vines. At the end of the season, shoots were sampled to measure the dry matter accumulated during the season. Among the shelters taken into consideration, it emerges that the completely perforated type guarantees the best development, with differences that are almost always significant for most of the measured parameters with traditional shelters. On the contrary, the closed typology has led to a reduction in growth, in gas exchanges and in water potential. In conclusion, the type completely perforated could constitute a valid alternative to the traditional one because, besides being a useful means for the protection of the vine, it could benefit the development of the root system in the early stages of growth.