Long-term application of the organic and inorganic pesticides in vineyards: environmental record of past use

Viticulture represents an important agricultural practice in many countries and the long-term use of pesticides resulted in the increase of the levels of these pollutants in soils and other environmental compartments. Many... [ view full abstract ]

Viticulture represents an important agricultural practice in many countries and the long-term use of pesticides resulted in the increase of the levels of these pollutants in soils and other environmental compartments. Many pesticides have been progressively banned, but in numerous cases, these molecules are stable and may persist in soils and sediments. Areas such as the Douro region (Portugal), with vineyards frequently located on steep slopes of narrow valleys, can be particularly sensitive to pollutants migration. A research project (DVINE) has been carried out in order to evaluate the impact of viticulture activity on the quality of soils and adjacent aquatic systems, and to reconstruct the recent history of viticulture practices. The strategy included the collection and analysis of composite soil samples from different terraces in three areas according to vineyards age: < 15 years, between 15 and 50 years, and > 50 years. A retro-observation approach based on dam sediment records was also conducted to reconstruct the long-term pesticide use, compared with the historical introduction, and banning of these organic and inorganic pesticides in local vineyards.
The results showed that vineyard age influences the concentration of Cu and organic pesticides in soils. The old and new vineyard reveals the presence of DDT that was banned for decades, showing that abandoned practices could still have impacts in new vineyard plantations. Sediment record showed that the decrease of contamination in more recent sediments could be related to Portuguese and European policies changes.