Vineyard soils are particularly poor in organic matter, which is a critical weakness when facing climate change.

Bringing compost to a vineyard, associated to an improved soil management (grass bands, no-till tecnics, shredding...) should answer to more than one climatic constraint :

• increasing the soil available water capacity : an additionnal 1% carbon retained in the soil could increase by 20% the amount of water available for the vine
• securing the amount of nutrients available for the plant
• improving the soil structure and the vine's rooting, which means offering a better resilience to climatic hazards
• directly and indirectly retaining more carbon
• recycling organic wastes from plant and/or urban activities
• Increasing the humification index and microbial biomass 

In order to conduct such improvements actions, there is a wide choice of compost types, different levels of application and burying strategies.

Author : Marc Nougier (SupAgro)

References:

http://itab.asso.fr/downloads/Fiches-techniques_viti/viti%20Amendement%20Viti.pdf

https://www.arec.vaes.vt.edu/content/dam/arec_vaes_vt_edu/alson-h-smith/grapes/viticulture/extension/growers/documents/compost-application.pdf

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236848439_Compost_Application_in_the_Vineyard_and_Its_Influence_on_Soil_Characteristics_Vegetative_and_Productive_Behaviour_of_Grapevine