Since the plotswere located intwo different soil typeswithinthe
experimental sites, it is important tomeasure the soilwater content
characteristics of each location. The ‘SB’ and ‘RI’ were grown on an
eroded site, while the ‘KA’ and ‘LE’ were on a plot with deeper soil,
but treated and control vines of all cultivarswere grownwithin the
same plot. The values of soilwater content by ‘SB’ and ‘RI’ gradually
decreased from bud-break to the “pea size berry” stage in 2004
(Table 1). The cultivars showed the lowest values on this soil by the
pea size berry stage in both years. The year 2004was a rather rainy
vintage, but there was a period with moderate drought stress in
July,which alsomarked a decline of the soilwater content between
phenological stages of flowering and pea size berry. During this
period, the soil water content decreased by 28% in ‘SB’ and ‘RI’ and
by 16% in ‘KA’ and ‘LE’ between the stages of anthesis and pea size
berry. Data of soil water content established the fact that we could
find moderate drought stress only at the site of ‘SB’ and ‘RI’.