Vol. 7, Issue 6, Part A (2025)

Mulching and salicylic acid (SA) application have emerged as widely adopted viticultural strategies for improving soil chemical properties, nutrient uptake, and overall physiological performance of grapevines cultivated under diverse agro-ecological conditions. However, the combined influence of different mulch types and SA concentrations on the chemical composition of both soils and plant tissues remains insufficiently characterized. This research examines the chemical changes occurring in vineyard soils and grapevine tissues when exposed to organic mulches and exogenous SA treatments, focusing particularly on nutrient dynamics, metabolic adjustments, and stress-responsive biochemical pathways. Mulches such as straw, wood chips, coconut fiber, and decomposed organic residues are known to reduce water loss, improve soil organic carbon, enhance microbial activity, and stabilize soil pH, thereby creating a favourable rhizospheric environment for nutrient availability. Simultaneously, SA plays a central role in modulating antioxidative defence mechanisms, nitrogen assimilation, and hormonal regulation of physiological processes, contributing to enhanced chlorophyll retention, improved root activity, and altered phenolic composition in vegetative tissues. The research identifies how integrated mulching-SA regimes modify soil nutrient profiles including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients and subsequently influence tissue mineral accumulation and biochemical attributes such as total phenols, flavonoids, proline, and enzymatic antioxidants. Results indicate that synergistic interactions between mulch-mediated soil improvements and SA-enhanced metabolic activity significantly affect nutrient uptake efficiency, internal nutrient partitioning, and stress mitigation responses. The findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of how environmentally benign management strategies shape vineyard soil chemistry and plant biochemical outcomes, enabling growers to adopt optimized cultural practices. This research also underscores the potential for integrating mulching and SA as sustainable viticultural interventions that enhance plant health while promoting soil fertility and long-term vineyard resilience.