Ohio Grape-Wine Electronic Newsletter

Editor: Imed Dami, PhD
Assistant Professor and Extension Viticulture Specialist
Department of Horticulture and Crop Science
Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center
1680 Madison Avenue
Wooster, OH 44691-4096
Phone: (330)-263-3882
Fax: (330)-263-3887
E-mail: dami.1@osu.edu
www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/grapeweb/


3 August 2007
 
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Content:
Petiole Collection and Analysis

  Ohio Grape and Wine Day
  Vintage Ohio
  OSU South Center Field Day
  Cluster Thinning
  Veraison Status

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Petiole Collection and Analysis
by Imed Dami, HCS-OARDC

Fertilizer needs can be determined by 3 ways: observing visual symptoms, using soil tests, and using tissue (petiole) analysis. Because each method had advantages and limitations, all 3 should be checked on a regular basis. Petiole analysis is one of the best tools available to monitor the nutrient status of your grape varieties. Tissue analysis serves two purposes: determine the nutrient status of the vine; and identify a suspected nutrient deficiency observed in the vineyard.  By using tissue analysis, growers have a better handle on their fertilizer program and usually end up cutting costs since fertilizers are applied only as needed.  Here are answers to commonly asked questions about petiole analysis:
 
Why petiole test if I did the soil test?
 
Soil testing is important, before planting and for established vineyards, to determine soil pH and monitor the overall balance of major nutrients. However, there is a poor relationship between soil and plant nutrient levels. Simply put, a soil may be high on a nutrient, but the same nutrient is deficient in the vine; or the vine may show sufficient level of another nutrient while the soil test indicates a deficiency. For these reasons, petiole tests are generally more useful and more reliable for judging nutrient status of the plant than soil tests. 
 
When should I do the test?
 
“Trouble-shooting”: If you observe leaf symptoms and suspect a nutrient deficiency, collect petiole samples from vines showing leaf symptoms and from vines without symptoms (healthy or normal). The two samples are sent and analyzed separately for comparison purposes. This will allow you to diagnose whether or not the problem is related to nutrient status of the vine. In case of trouble-shooting, samples are collected anytime leaf symptoms “show up” during the growing season.
 
“Routine assessment”: In our region, veraison (Mid July – Mid August) is the ideal time for petiole sampling for several reasons. Veraison sampling gives a better measure of Potassium (K). Potassium levels are especially critical for wine grapes since they are correlated with wine quality (high fruit K leads to high pH and thus unstable wines); there is less vineyard activity (if there is such a thing!) near veraison and more time for petiole sampling; most important is the standard optimum level of each nutrient is determined at veraison. It is recommended collecting petioles about 10 weeks after bloom but before harvest.
 
What are the most common nutrient deficiencies in Ohio vineyards?
 
Nitrogen (N), Potassium (K), and magnesium (Mg) are the most common nutrient deficiencies I have observed either visually or by petiole analysis.  Other nutrient problems occur occasionally and include boron (B), zinc (Zn), and iron (Fe).
Which vines should I sample?

• If you grow more than one variety, sample each variety separately.
• It is not necessary to sample non-bearing vines (1^st and 2^nd year of establishment), unless you observe foliar symptoms.
• Begin tissue analysis when vines are producing (usually 3^rd year) and repeat every year until yields are stable and yearly fertilizer needs are determined. 
• For mature vines, tissue analysis is done every 2 to 3 years. Don’t forget that once in a while (3 to 5 years) you should take a soil test as well to monitor pH changes and correct as needed.  Remember that nutrient availability in the soil is pH dependent. Also, the combination of soil and plant analysis provides an excellent assessment of fertility status.

 What should I sample?
 
Collect a representative sample of 60 to 80 leaf petioles (more for small-sized petiole, less for large-sized petioles); one or two petioles per vine for each variety. A petiole is the stem that attaches the leaf blade to the shoot. Take petioles from mature, fully expanded leaves located 5 to 7 leaves from the shoot tip.  Detach each petiole from the leaf blade immediately. Place petioles in a paper bag not a plastic Ziploc bag. Label each sample and keep your own record of the following: varieties sampled, vineyard block where the samples are collected, sampling date, and conditions of vineyard. Prior to shipping, allow samples to dry for a day in a warm, dry, well-ventilated place.
 
Where do I send the samples?
 
The following is a list of labs that perform tissue analysis for a fee. Petiole analysis is usually performed for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, manganese, iron, zinc, boron, and copper.  Laboratory results will show that each nutrient is “adequate”, “deficient” or “excessive”. Adequate or normal nutrient ranges are shown in the following table.
 

 
Grape Tissue Analysis Labs
 
A & L Great Lakes Lab, Inc.
3505 Conestoga Drive  
Fort Wayne, IN 46808  
(219) 483-4759 
 
Agricultural Analytical Services
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA 16802
(814) 863-6124
 
Brookside Farm Lab
308 South Main Street
New Knoxville, OH 45871
(419) 753-2448
  
STARLAB

OSU/OARDC
Natural Resources
Kevin Jewell
1680 Madison Ave
Wooster, Ohio 44691
330-263-3683                    

 http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/starlab/                
Suggested “Normal” Ranges of Nutrients from Grape Leaf Petioles*
 
Nitrogen (N)
0.9 – 1.3 %
Phosphorus (P)
0.16 – 0.29 %
Potassium (K)
1.5 – 2.5 %
Calcium (Ca)
1.2 – 1.8 %
Magnesium (Mg)
0.26 – 0.45 %
Manganese (Mn)
31 – 150 ppm
Iron (Fe)
31 – 50 ppm
Copper (Cu)
5 – 15 ppm
Boron (B)
25 – 50 ppm
Zinc (Zn)
30 – 50 ppm
*Values are based on petioles taken between July 15 and August 15.
Source: Midwest Grape Production Guide, 2005.
 
Take Home Message
 
Be proactive not reactive: Do not wait until you see visual symptoms to correct a nutritional problem. If you see it, the problem already exists and the damage has already been done on growth, yield, and fruit quality. The goal of fertilization is to prevent nutrient deficiencies from occurring in the first place.
 


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Ohio Grape and Wine Day and Twilight Tour
NEWS RELEASE
“Northeast Twilight Grape Tour to be held on August 16, 2007”
FROM: David L. Marrison, Ag & NR Extension Educator
The Ohio State University
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 3, 2007
 
OSU Extension is pleased to announce the Ohio Grape & Wine Day and the Ashtabula County Twilight Grape Tour will be held on Thursday, August 16, 2007.   If you are involved in the grape industry, you will not want to miss this information-packed day.
 The Ohio Grape and Wine Day is held bi-annually at the Ohio Agricultural Research & Development Center (OARDC) Ashtabula Agricultural Research Station located at 2625 South Ridge Road East in Kingsville, Ohio.   This event will be held from 2:00-4:30 pm.  Researchers from OARDC will be on hand to highlight the grape research being conducted at this location. Some of the topics that will be discussed at this event include: Cabernet Franc training systems and clonal evaluation studies, insect and disease management update, Traminette rootstock evaluation, South Centers Viticulture update, and new research projects at the Ashtabula Research Station. A tour of the research vineyards and a wine tasting of experimental cultivars will follow.  For more information about this event, call the OARDC Ashtabula Research Station at 440-224-0273.
      Immediately following the Ohio Grape & Wine Day, attendees are encouraged to participate in the very popular Grape Twilight Tour.  This year’s event will be hosted by Ferrante Winery & Ristorante located at 5585 State Route 307 in Harpersfield from 5:00-8:30 pm.  During the tour participants will tour the new winery expansion, a 19 acre block of wine grapes, and learn about wind machine technology. 
            At the conclusion of the tour, participants will be treated to dinner featuring Chicken Tuscany and Penne Oilia accompanied by bread and a house salad with Cabernet Vinaigrette dressing.  Cheescake drizzled with raspberry melba will be the featured dessert.  Dinner will be $15.00 per person. 
            Pre-registration for the twilight tour is required. This should be a marvelous evening topped off by a great dinner and fantastic fellowship!!! Pre-registration is required and must be made by Thursday, August9.   You can reserve your spot for this super twilight tour by calling the Ashtabula County Extension office at 440-576-9008
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Vintage Ohio - Lake Farmpark, Lake County

Presented by OWPA

 

Come and join the wine enthusiasts enjoy some of Ohio's finest wines.  Vintage Ohio has over 30 wineries participating in this two day extravaganza.  The festival will be held August 3rd & 4th between the hours of 1-10 PM.
 Please go to the website: www.OhioWines.Org or call 800-227-6972 for more detailed information.


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OSU South Centers at Piketon Horticulture Field Day

by Randi Espinoza

Attend Ohio State University’s Horticulture Field Day on Thursday, Aug. 9, to discover the latest research on a variety of fruits, vegetables, flowers and more. Held at the OSU South Centers at Piketon, the event will give visitors helpful tips and useful knowledge to enhance their commercial berry, vegetable and nursery crops.

“This is an important educational event for anyone who grows or wants to grow berry, nursery or flower crops for farm profit,” said Brad Bergefurd, a horticulturist wth OSU Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC).

Sponsored by OARDC and OSU Extension, the program is open to the public with no need to pre-register. Cost is $5 per person. Field research trial tours will be held from 5-7 p.m. with time for questions afterward. Dinner will be served from 7-8 p.m.

Research trials to be highlighted include pumpkin, seedless watermelon, fresh-market tomato, fresh-market bell pepper, summer squash, primocane-bearing brambles and strawberry plug plant production. Other information to be discussed includes edible landscaping, ornamental corn, annual bedding plant and ornamental grass evaluations.

“This year’s field day features the establishment of our new wine grape trial,” said Shawn Wright, an OSU Extension and OARDC horticulturist. “Also we will introduce our new small-fruit specialist, Dr. Maurus Brown, who will be heading up the newly established wine grape research and Extension program at the South Centers.”

Invited speaker Greg Biggus, an independent flowering-plant propagator and Jackson County farm owner, will speak on “Flower Products from Farm to Global Marketplace” and will share his experiences working with the South Centers, Ohio State’s Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, and OSU Extension to develop a new perennial plant release from his farm.

Ohio State’s South Centers are located off state Route 32 at 1864 Shyville Rd. in Piketon.

 

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Cluster thinning follow up from O-GEN 6 JULY 2007
by David Scurlock

We recommend that you try to have 5 shoots per foot of canopy and that you thin to 2 clusters per shoot.  This is a general rule and will not cover every variety but, any variety that has a small cluster weight of 0.3 pounds per cluster and less will not follow this rule.  Varieties such as Concord, Baco, Foch, Riesling, Pinot's and Vignoles are small cluster varieties and will most generally not need to be cluster thinned.  Large cluster varieties such as Seyval, Vidal, Chancellor and Chambourcin can be 0.5 pounds per cluster and higher and will need to be cluster thinned.
 
For more information on canopy management and cluster thinning, please refer to Midwest Grape Production Guide, Chapter - Crop Control and Canopy Management - chapter: http://ohioline.osu.edu/b919/0009.html

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Wooster Veraison Ratings Chart
by Anton Prajitna

Vineyards at the OARDC are rated as to their stage of development.  Below is a chart that gives the
most current rating and for each variety sampled.  This is a visual test for the red varieties looking for a color change
in the berries and a berry softening sampling for the white varieties.  As you can see we have accumulated 1650 degree
days of heat units this year to date.  Almost half of the varieties tested have shown no signs of veraison.