Science of sustainable viticulture special session
The “Science of Sustainable Viticulture” was center stage at a special all-day session of the American Society of Enology and Viticulture’s (ASEV) 2003 annual meeting in Reno, Nev. in June. More than 250 people jammed the session, organized by Deborah Golino, director of UC Davis’ Foundation Plant Services program.
Golino introduced the session with comments on its importance and origins. Jenny Broome, SAREP associate director, presented information on “Sustainable Viticulture Programs around the World.” Broome covered both the research and the programmatic initiatives taking place in California, Oregon and other parts of the northwest United States, and in Switzerland, South Africa, and Australia. She also covered worldwide organic and biodynamic production. Charles Francis, agronomy professor from the University of Nebraska, provided an “Overview of the Discipline of Sustainable Agriculture.”
Other speakers selected for their disciplinary focus and expertise related to key components of sustainable viticulture research spoke throughout the day. They included Kent Daane, UC Berkeley Division of Insect Biology, Center for Biological Control, who presented his research on “Developing Insect-IPM Systems for Sustainable Viticulture: Increasing Vegetational Diversity to Suppress Leafhopper Pests.” Chris Penfold, Weed Science, University of Adelaide, Australia, spoke on “Weed Management in Viticulture.” John Reganold, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State, Pullman, spoke on “Healthy Soils for a Sustainable Viticulture.” Lucius Tamm, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture, Frick, Switzerland, gave a presentation on “Crop Protection Strategies of European Organic Viticulture.” Andrew Walker, geneticist and breeder, UC Davis, talked about “The Role of Breeding in Sustainable Viticulture.”
Cliff Ohmart, director of IPM/research at the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission, chaired a panel of practioners and program coordinators in a session entitled “Bringing It to the Vineyard and Winery.” He also made a presentation on the topic. Kris O’Conner, executive director, Central Coast Vineyard Team, discussed “Grower Participation in Developing a Sustainable Viticulture System: The Positive Points System as a Management Tool.” John Williams, Frog’s Leap Winery, Napa Valley, spoke about “Organic Wine Production and Wine Quality,” while Glenn McGourty, UC Cooperative Extension viticulture advisor, Mendocino and Lake counties, spoke on “Vineyard Water Quality Planning and Clean Water Laws. Ann Thrupp of Fetzer Vineyards, spoke on “Growing Organic Winegrapes Sustainably.”
The day ended with “Research Presentations From Selected Abstracts.” Kendra Baumgartner, USDA-Agricultural Research Service sustainable viticulturist, organized and chaired this session, and presented her research on “Effects of Vineyard Floor Management on Mycorrhizal Fungi in a Central Coast California Vineyard.” Chuck Ingels, UC Cooperative Extension, Sacramento County, presented SAREP-funded research on “The Effects of Cover Crops on a Northern California Vineyard Ecosystem.” Goro Okamato, of Okayama University, Japan, talked about the “Effect of Fertilizer Application Levels on Anthocyanoplast Development in Pione Grape Skin under a Root-Zone Restricted Condition.” Valerie P. Saxton, of Lincoln University of New Zealand, presented data on “Bird Foraging Behavior in Vineyards.” The final speaker was Michael Sipiora of Huneeus Vintners, Rutherford, who spoke on “Canopy Developmental Stages for Cordon-Trained Spur-Pruned Grapevines.” Participants expressed the hope that additional sessions will be organized at future ASEV meetings as well as at the annual Unified Winegrape Symposium held in Sacramento. All PowerPoint presentations are being made available on the SAREP Web site at www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/production/viticulture/asev2003.htm.
The planning committee that organized the sustainable viticulture session included Kendra Baumgartner, USDA-ARS sustainable viticulturist; Janet C. “Jenny” Broome, associate director, UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP); Deborah Golino, Extension plant pathologist, UCD; Randle G. Johnson, vice president, The Hess Collection, Napa; Mitchell Klug, Robert Mondavi Winery, director of Napa Valley winegrowing operations, founding member of Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group; Cliff Ohmart, director, IPM/research, Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission; Dennis Martin, Fetzer Winery, director of winemaking, ASEV past President; and Glenn McGourty, viticulture advisor, UC Cooperative Extension Mendocino and Lake counties.
