Copper uptake in an organic vineyard treated with different soil amendments

Organic vineyards, particularly those in UNESCO World Heritage Sites like the Wachau Cultural Landscape, face copper contamination due to long-term use of copper-based fungicides. This study found that while white clover absorbs more copper than grass, earthworms do not show significant differences in uptake across treatments. Among soil amendments tested—compost and biochar—biochar most effectively reduced copper bioavailability, though this did not translate to measurable differences in plant or earthworm copper content between treated and untreated plots. The research used atomic absorption spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) to quantify and map copper distribution within organisms, providing insights into potential remediation strategies for copper-contaminated vineyard soils.

Németh, T. Z. (2018). Copper uptake in an organic vineyard treated with different soil amendments. :None. https://doi.org/10.25365/THESIS.53723