EFFECTIVENESS OF ORGANIC MATTER AGAINST GRAPE STEMS NECROSIS

          Bunch stem necrosis is a physiological disorder of grapevine due to several interacting nutritional and climatic factors. In some growing conditions, the disease causes heavy yield losses on susceptible cultivars. A three-year field trial was carried out in a vineyard cv Trebbiano toscano in order to evaluate the effect on the disorder appearance of increasing organic matter in soil.
          Ploughing under horse bean (Vicia faba minor L.) in the vineyard reduced dramatically the severity of grape stem necrosis as compared to the untreated check.