Nutrient uptake and translocation efficiency of rootstocks and their relationship with ‘BRS Magna’ grapevine productivity

The selection of appropriate rootstocks is crucial for sustainable and nutrient-efficient grape production. This study evaluated the efficiency of different rootstocks for the ‘BRS Magna’ cultivar in nutrient uptake, translocation, and conversion into grape yield under clayey soil and humid subtropical climate conditions. The experiment was conducted during 2020/21 to 2022/23 growing cycles in Pato Branco, Paraná, Brazil, using a randomized block design with four replicates and ten treatments (ten different rootstocks grafted onto ‘BRS Magna’). Soil fertility, nutrient content in leaves and fruits, vegetative growth, and productivity were assessed over three growing cycles. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance, Scott-Knott cluster test, Spearman’s correlations, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and Ward.D2 hierarchical clustering. The rootstock ‘IAC 572 Jales’ exhibited the highest efficiency in nutrient uptake, translocation, and conversion into yield, whereas ‘420-A’ and ‘101-14 MGT’ showed limited performance and are not recommended under similar edaphoclimatic conditions. These findings underscore the necessity of considering rootstock-specific effects when establishing vineyards and defining critical foliar nutrient thresholds and fertilization strategies for optimal and sustainable grape production.