New Earthworm Soil Test Reveals Vineyard Soil Health in New Zealand
A new earthworm soil test is offering insights into the biological health of New Zealand vineyards.
Hill Labs Blenheim Site Manager Vanessa Burrows says traditional methods for the count are labour-intensive, requiring growers to take a spade-square of soil to the depth of the spade, then break it up and manually count the earthworm population.
Supporting Sustainable Vineyard Management
The Earthworm eDNA test instead uses molecular technology to identify the presence of A. calignosa - New Zealand's most prominent earthworm species - and "contributes to building a holistic understanding of soil health", Vanessa says.
"Winegrowers have been particularly interested in this test, using it as another tool in the toolbox to understand their soil health."
eDNA testing can complement or enhance traditional monitoring methods, she adds.
"Earthworms are a crucial component of soil biology... and abundant earthworm populations are widely recognised as an indicator of healthy soil."
Hill Labs Showcases Soil Testing Innovation at WinePro
The eDNA is one of the services "from vine to vintage", that Hills Labs will be showcasing at WinePro, with opportunity to explain the science, build trust, and gather direct feedback from the industry on how the services are performing, "including any needs for new testing or changes to food limits and standards".
New products and technologies, such as eDNA testing, can be easier to understand when customers can discuss real-world applications in person, Vanessa says.
