A new systemic approach for promoting soil and plant health in Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis orchards to face kiwifruit vine decline syndrome (KVDS)

Italy, the third largest producer of kiwifruit in the world, lost 30% of its production in recent years because of the spread of the kiwifruit vine decline syndrome (KVDS). Although the etiology of KVDS is still not clear, it is often associated with water excess and stagnation. We hypothesize that soil compaction or soil structure disruption associated with hypoxia and hyper oxidation could have a priming effect in the emergence of KVDS. To investigate the causal factors and potential solutions to counter KVDS, a multi-disciplinary experimental trial was undertaken in a kiwifruit orchard (Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis ‘Zesy002’) affected by KVDS in Latina (central Italy). After a first phase of fundamental agronomic practices, such as water drainage and precision irrigation (relevant to remove excess water and reduce the water table), nature-based solutions were applied: decompacting crops for increasing water permeability, organic amendments’ application. Also, following a deep study on the root physiology, a root pruning approach was been tested for improving root regeneration. The adoption of sustainable agronomic practices ameliorated the general physiological status of the plants (+46.1% of healthy plants measured at the end of the three-year trial). The results of this project demonstrated that a sustainable and agroecological approach to kiwifruit orchard management can represent a technically feasible solution to halt the spread of KVDS by recreating the natural environmental conditions where kiwifruit plants thrive. A holistic approach was applied to face KVDS, considering plants as an integrated system with soil and atmosphere.