State University - and Enology Extension News Spring 2019 Washington State Allocates $1M for Research Projects By Melissa Hansen, Research Program Director, Washington State Wine Commission

The Washington State Grape and Wine Research Program will award approximately $1 million in INDUSTRY INPUT DRIVES RESEARCH research grants this fiscal year (July The annual 2019 Washington Wine Research Survey is drawing 2019 - June 2020). This is the third to a close and your voice matters! year in a row the program has hit Feedback from grape growers and help shape the million-dollar milestone, thanks the research priority list that drives the Washington grape to strong financial support from and wine research program and guides research funding the Auction of Washington recommendations of the Wine Research Advisory Committee, and the Washington State Wine a subcomittee of the Washington State Wine Commission. The Commission. Committee annually reviews the priority list to ensure it stays current with industry issues, challenges and research needs. The Washington State Wine The survey will close April 22. Take the survey here: https:// Commission approved the www.surveymonkey.com/r/WAwine2019 funding recommendations of its subcommittee, the Wine Research Advisory Committee, to award 18 developed for the Oregon and Grapevines under heat stress grants through the Washington Washington wine industries, will be and deficit irrigation. Help growers State Grape and Wine Research shared during a webinar in June. optimize management and Program. irrigation practices for different A new mechanization project will varieties to mitigate decrease of The research program’s funding be launched this year to develop acidity in wines from heat waves has grown about 20 percent in the a smartphone application to help last five years, covering a diverse growers estimate crop load. This Insecticide resistanece - range of and project received seed money last Grape mealybug. Learn if grape issues. Vineyard projects deal with year to learn if the app was feasible. mealybug (insect that transmits a new leaffolder moth that can grapevine leafroll disease) is defoliate Washington grapevines, New Research Projects developing resistance to insecticide powdery mildew fungicide imidacloprid; also learn if buffalo resistance, grapevine diseases and Soil sustainability. Optimize treehopper (possible vector of insects that transmit the diseases, the impact of mycorrhizal fungi grapevine red blotch disease) is nematodes, crown gall, irrigation inoculations on wine grape susceptible to imidacloprid. management and vine heat stress. production in Washington and Winery research projects include learn if commercially-available The state research program, controlling wine spoilage, impact mycorrhizal inoculants are a competitive grant program of pH on wine microbial ecology, effective in Washington . administered by Washington State tannin management, potential Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are University, has a unique funding impacts on grapes and wine from soil borne microorganisms that partnership unlike any in the nation. smoke exposure, and sensory could help reduce vineyard inputs The program combines public, characteristics of wine. by improving nutrient and water private and industry monies to uptake by roots. support viticulture and enology Mechanization Projects research at WSU. The four entities Smoke exposure. First three years that fund the statewide program Mechanization to address labor of study completed; focus now is are: the Wine Commission; State shortages is also a top research to develop analytical methods for wine liter tax (1/4 cent per liter of concern. Work to develop a precise smoke-exposed fruit and mitigate all wine sold); WSU’s Agriculture mechanical solution for shoot smoke taint in wine. Research Center; and the Auction thinning is on track and the two-year of Washington Wines, an annual project will be completed by June Fruit freeze exposure. Identify the event held to raise awareness 2020. A one-year mechanization causal agents for atypical aromas about Washington wine. economics project, funded last in wines made year by the Wine Commission from grapes exposed to freezing The Wine Commission dedicates and Oregon’s Erath Foundation, is temperatures before and about 25 percent of its $5 million nearly complete. Information on the investigate strategies to mitigate budget to fund research projects costs and payback of mechanizing, potential problems. continued on page 10

9 Washington State University - Viticulture and Enology Extension News Spring 2019 Washington State Wine Allocates $1M for Research Projects By Melissa Hansen, Research Program Director, Washington State Wine Commission and pay its WSU Wine Science 2019-2020 Center construction pledge. The Washington State Grape and Wine Research Program Funded Projects statewide research is industry driven and guided, with the research results accessible to WSU Project Title all involved in the Washington Researcher Bold denotes new project. wine industry—from large to Effect of Mycorrhizal Inoculants on Grapevine Growth and Nutrient Cheeke, Tanya small growers and wineries. Uptake Past research outcomes have Assessment of Smoke Exposure Grape Risk and Mitigation of Collins, Tom benefited all in the industry, from Smoke-Affected Wines reduced pesticide applications Edwards, Charles Microbiology and Chemistry of WA Wines and conserved irrigation water Management of Phenolic Compounds in Vineyard and Winery, Mechan- to control of wine spoilage and Harbertson, Jim improved overall wine quality. ical Pruning, and Grape Maturity Evaluation of Cabernet Sauvignon Grapes Exposed to Freeze and Harbertson, Jim To learn more about the Potential Wine Impact Washington wine industry’s Harbertson, Jim Research research program and access James, David Leaf-folders: Identifying the Threat and Solutions previous research reports, visit: Karkee, Manoj Smartphone-based Crop Estimation Tool Influence of Cultivar, Environment and Management on Grape Keller, Markus www.washingtonwine.org/ Components and Quality research/reports . Grape Ripening Under a Double Whammy of Heat Stress and Keller, Markus Water Deficit Contact me if you have any Impact and Management of Plant-Parasitic Nematodes in Washington questions about the survey or Moyer, Michelle Wine Grape Vineyards research program at: Monitoring and Mapping Grape Powdery Mildew Fungicide Resistance Moyer, Michelle and Crown Gall Incidence [email protected]. Piao, Hailan Impact of pH on Wine Microbial Ecology and Wine Quality Rayapati, Naidu Epidemiology and Management of Viral Diseases in WA Vineyards Ross, Carolyn Sensory Characteristics and Consumer Acceptance of WA Wines Salazar, Melba Influence of Climate Variability on Grapevine Phenology Monitoring Mealybugs for Potential Imidicloprid Resistance and Walsh, Doug Buffalo Treehoppers for Imidicloprid Susceptibility Zhang, Qin Precise Mechanical Solution for Vineyard Shoot Thinning Sour Rot continued from page 8 collaboration with growers in two said for treating Botrytis bunch rot flies. We know now that they are different parts of Missouri showed on grapes, as there are a number the key to controlling this disease. that there was no significant of labeled fungicides with different For anyone who has sour rot in their difference between two sprays and modes of action, and it is crucial to vineyard, catching the symptoms five sprays applied after symptom alternate within the season. early appears to be very important, development. In other words, if as spread can occur rapidly. As with sour rot symptoms were present, We know a lot more about sour research previously conducted on more sprays did not necessarily rot now than we did six years ago, Botrytis, we are exploring opening equal better control. We do know when I started this research, but up the canopy and encouraging that applying an antimicrobial alone we have a lot more work to do. Our airflow within the fruit zone. For all does not offer much (if any) control new research is focused on IPM their differences, we continue to of sour rot, so if you are spraying for strategies and understanding more look to Botrytis management for sour rot, please be sure to alternate about the environmental conditions ideas on how to manage sour rot, insecticides from different IRAC that lead to sour rot, so that we can in the hopes that we can reduce the groups. The same thing can be better target the Drosophila fruit incidence of both simultaneously.

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