All about the root system of grapes

To grow a healthy grape bush, it is necessary to create conditions for the development of the plant's root system, because it is she who regulates the processes of budding, flowering and ripening of fruits. In the article, we will talk about the structure of the roots of grapes, the peculiarities of the development of the root system, depending on the seasonality, and also find out what is the reaction of the underground part of the grape bush to environmental stresses and technological methods.

The root system of grapes is quite powerful, its structure allows the plant to adapt to almost any soil... Even on riverine sandy and rocky areas, the vine will take root and will develop.

In addition to delivering useful minerals and trace elements to the upper part of the plant, grape roots provide the process of photosynthesis, the combination of carbohydrates, the synthesis of alkaloids, amino acids, fats, and so on. Through the roots, the vine also gets rid of heavy compounds and unnecessary substances. The condition of the upper zone of grapes, as well as the quantity and quality of the harvest, depends on the capacity and strength of the underground part. The formation of the crown of the roots occurs in the first year of planting the cuttings: during these 12 months, permanent powerful rhizomes and thin skeletal parts are formed.

Usually, grapes have a sprawling root system, which is characterized by strong branching, which allows the culture to adapt to almost any soil. Swamp, salt and rocky areas only slow down the growth of grapes, and in the rest of the spaces the rhizomes perfectly adapt due to their special structure.

The roots of the vine differ depending on the variety of the crop; the branching of the bush also affects the power of the root system. Experienced growers distinguish the following parts of the root system.

• "Hair". These are thin root tubes of small size, which extend from the main roots by 3-5 mm. Through them, the plant feeds on minerals and moisture.
• Growth cone. It is a kind of root cover for the apex of the roots. It protects the rhizomes from deformation, especially in dense soil.
• Lateral roots. Branches formed by internodes and nodal parts of cuttings. These "tentacles" help the grapes to gain a foothold in the ground.
• Superficial roots. They are formed at the level of 5-15 cm from the surface and are non-permanent parts. They appear and disappear depending on weather conditions and soil moisture.
• Korneshtamb... The main part of the root system is a kind of trunk underground. The diverging lateral parts of the root system depart from it.

The size of the roots of grapes directly depends on the structure of the soil and the territory in which the culture grows:

• in a region with a cool climate the root system will not go deeply and will be located on the top layer of the soil (at a depth of 20 to 40 cm);
• in a region with a warm climate this figure will be from 60 cm to 1 m 20 cm;
• in areas with sandy soils the root system will go deep into a distance from 1 m 50 cm to 3 m 70 cm to search for moisture;
• on rocky places rhizomes are placed to a depth of 3 meters (sometimes the maximum length of grape roots on such soils can reach up to 1.5 km).

For a normal harvest, the roots must go down at least 1-1.5 m from the top. The root system is the most vulnerable part of the grape. It can quickly die or rot due to excessive moisture or lack of water, from the cold or from the fat content of the soil.

The roots of grapes grow from the beginning of budding until the moment when the fruits ripen. The higher the yield, the less new root shoots appear. In the southern regions, on warm soils, the roots of certain types of grapes can grow even in winter.

The stocks accumulated by the rhizomes from the moment of ripening of the grapes contribute to the blooming of buds in the spring and the development of young shoots. While at rest, the xylem vessels in the root system actively absorb nitrogen and starch. The roots are enriched with useful elements as the leaves age. When the crying (flow of xylem juice) of the vine from the cut wounds appears, this means that the plant has come out of a state of dormancy and is ready for active development.

The fact is that in spring the soil warms up, and metabolic activity begins in the root tissues. The accumulated starch and proteins are converted into amino acids and sugars, releasing xylem. Under osmotic pressure, nutrients rise to the shoots, thereby stimulating the budding process. But in the spring, the growth of the root system lags behind the growth of the shoots, because all the efforts of the rhizome are directed to budding, flowering, the growth and development of young growths. As soon as a green mass begins to appear on the bush, the roots accelerate in their growth.

The root biomass of grapes consists mainly of large permanent structural roots, thin roots are short-lived (their vitality is 4-5 weeks) and are often replaced.

Experienced growers from their observations came to the conclusion that young grape seedlings initially grow a lot of roots, but after the shoots have ripened and pruned, the growth of the root system stops. But scientists have come to the conclusion that grape roots are not afraid of grass, although the plant itself does not like weeds... For the growth of roots, it is important for this plant to have water, oxygen and a sufficient amount of nutrients, and from other crops, including weeds, the roots can simply go deeper so as not to compete.

Natural disasters, for example, severe frost, as well as human mechanical actions (hard pruning, pinching of a green shoot) can limit the growth of roots. But a small shortage of water (moderate drought) is not so terrible for grape roots than an excess of moisture. The vine does not like moisture, especially since it is more difficult to extract oxygen and nutrients from a swampy composition than from a coarser soil base. In the latter, the grape root system feels more confident.

As for the nutrition of grapes, it is better to have an excess of nutrients than a lack of them. In the first version, the root system accumulates reserves in case of their shortage, in the second, only the underground part develops, and the aboveground one withers, which causes a decrease in yield.

The physiology of grapes is such that the main roots live longer, and most of the new roots constantly die... This is not due to care, but to the characteristics of this plant. But this does not mean that the rules of care can be ignored. Timely feeding of grapes with moisture, nutrients brings a good harvest, so you shouldn't focus only on the physiology of the plant and hope for the weather: no one has canceled agrotechnical measures.