Perennial Systems: Orchard and Vineyard Floor Management

Woody perennial crops are a major component of the Nova Scotia agricultural sector. Two notable commodities within this group are the apple and grape industries. The aim of this activity is to assess the impact of laneway management on carbon sequestration and GHG emissions in orchards and vineyards. Practices being evaluated are enrichment of legume species in orchard laneways, mowing and mulching practices in orchards, and alternating the tillage of laneways in vineyards.  The goal is to evaluate if these BMPs help to mitigate GHG emissions and improve carbon sequestration, as well as enhance overall soil health and biodiversity, sustain good crop productivity, and help to combat pests and disease. Tweaks will be made to the practice based on feedback from participants to help improve the practice and make it more suitable to Nova Scotia farms. 

Hear from one of our producers on why they wanted to participate in this BMP:

discussion with industry and scientists at AAFC for the legume enrichment of the vegetated laneways in the orchards. Additionally, in mid-summer 2024 and 2025, the AAFC team incorporated tissue samples into their data analysis to evaluate crop health. In 2025, fruit yields were quantified as the apple trees reached the production stage in all orchards. 

In vineyards, some growers till alternating rows or laneways every other year to help water management, reduce soil compaction, and to allow the soil to warm up more quickly in the spring. This leaves the soil bare and at risk of erosion and results in lost carbon due to the disturbance. AAFC researchers are assessing the impact of this practice on soil carbon, GHG emissions, and crop health and productivity then comparing this management to no-till laneway management. The hope is that this will protect the soil and improve carbon stocks.  

Growers regularly prune their orchards and vineyards throughout the year and leave those clippings in the laneways. During early spring 2023, 2024, and 2025, the AAFC team collected the prunings to estimate the biomass weight and determine the carbon content within the plant. The remaining branches were placed on the ground, chipped and added into the laneways to assess the carbon and nitrogen contributions to the soil during decomposition. 

Demonstrating that these practices do not have negative impacts on perennial crops will be essential to increase grower adoption. Crop productivity, fruit quality, and instances of disease are all being monitored. Insect traps are being used to monitor pest activity. Biodiversity on the landscape and surrounding areas is also being assessed to see how these practices impact the larger ecosystem. Using soil samples, the team is also analyzing the microbial communities and properties within the soil to assess how these BMPs impact the overall soil health.  

Due to a polar vortex in February 2023, there was some frost damage to the vines, and as a result no fruit was collected and the quality of the fruit could not be monitored. Legumes were re-seeded in June 2025 at the orchard sites, however prolonged dry conditions during the growing season were not ideal for good germination and continuous growth.  Mowing was also limited in 2025 due to the drought.  Crop productivity was also impacted by the drought.