WineVit Conference 2021 Highlights
All those who filter are not lost
Presented by Tom Collins
Assistant professor of the WSU wine science program Tom Collins served as the session manager for the Filtration session at the 2021 WineVit Conference. Rather than presenting new research, Collins provided an overview to the audience about filtration techniques that can treat wines with aroma issues.
WSU alumni Will Wiles, now at Columbia Crest Winery, led conference participants through a tasting of regional wines. “The session was developed to provide a good review of wine filtration for an audience of winemakers, cellar workers, and small winery operators,” said Collins.
Washington and Rootstocks: The Vineyard Conversation of the 2020s
Presented by Michelle Moyer
WSU associate professor and Extension viticulturist Michelle Moyer presented her research on regional vineyard pests and the damage they can cause. “Long term studies on grapevine rootstock performance are important in providing information growers need to make the long-lasting decision of what will work best for their vineyard and production goals,” she said.
Grapevines are perennial crops, and a lot can happen over the 30 to 60 year lifespan of a vineyard. Moyer said long term studies provide perspective on what to expect from rootstocks when under pressure from soil-borne pests.
Risk Management – Learning from growing seasons and harvests
Presented by Tom Collins
For his second session at the WineVit Conference, assistant professor Tom Collins’ presentation provided historical context for research related to smoke exposures in vineyards. He updated the viewing audience on the new proposal to the USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) program, along with an update on funding from Congress allotted for smoke exposure research.
Collins wrapped up his presentation with an update on his research projects of 2020, including the development of an ad hoc sensor network for monitoring smoke density in commercial vineyards during the wildfire smoke events of September 2020, and discussed research to evaluate the impact of ash from wildfires on grape and wine quality.
Evolution of winegrape trellising and its modern application
Presented by Bhaskar Bondada and Michelle Moyer
Wine grapes are lianas, a type of woody climbing vine that require support when they grow in order to reach light, which is why they are often found climbing trees when they grow in the wild.
Grown naturally, grapevines are difficult to manage, and not conducive to producing high quality grapes for winemaking. Bhaskar Bondada, associate professor of the Viticulture & Enology Program, presented his ongoing work with trellis systems to the WineVit 2021 conference attendees, and said research over the decades has shown that commercial vineyards provide the best growing conditions to maximize grape yield and fruit quality.
When grapes are grown commercially, they are typically trellised and trained to grow in a way that maximizes their fruit potential. “Although trellis systems improve fruit quality, outcomes can also depend on the wine grape cultivar and the location of the vineyard,” he said.
Professional Category Poster Awards:
1st Prize: Michelle Moyer
Michelle M. Moyer, Bernadette Gagnier, Maria Mireles, and Inga Zasada
Rootstocks for Vineyard Nematode Management
2nd Prize: Lynn Mills
Lynn Mills and Markus Keller
The WSU Cold Hardiness Program: Providing Grape Growers with Critical Temperatures and a Cold Damage Prediction Model
3rd Prize: Noma Chingandu
Nomatter Chingandu, Sridhar Jarugula, Adilakshmi Movva, and Naidu Rayapati
Safeguarding registered nurseries from systemic pathogens to maintain ‘clean’ planting stock
Graduate Student Poster Awards:
1st Prize: Bernadette Gagnier
Bernadette Gagnier, Inga Zasada, Michelle Moyer
Alternative Strategies for Nematode Management
2nd Prize: Arunabha Mitra
Arunabha Mitra, Sridhar Jarugula, and Naidu A. Rayapati
Molecular Biology of Grapevine leafroll-associated viruses
3rd-Prize: Geraldine Diverres
Geraldine Diverres, Sushma Thapa, C. Kang, Manoj Karkee, Qin Zhang, Markus Keller
Tailoring smart irrigation strategies for white wine grapes in eastern Washington
Graduate Student Oral Presentation
1st – Prize: Arun Mitra
Arunabha Mitra, Sridhar Jarugula, and Naidu A. Rayapati
Molecular Biology of Grapevine leafroll-associated viruses
