Grants and Contracts Details
Description
Kentucky growers have planted extensive acreages for wine grape production over the
last eight years. Roughly 37 percent of the vines planted are European (vinifera) cultivars that
sustain extensive damage in very cold winters. The percentage of vinifera vines planted in
Kentucky is comparatively higher than that in any of the surrounding states. Additionally,
vinifera grapevines are particularly prone to crown gall, a bacterial disease that infects the vines
through wounds, severely weakening and often killing the vines. Many Kentucky growers are
planting grapes for the first time; and since this is a relatively new commercial crop many
cultural questions have arisen. There is little historical Kentucky grape research and
consequently there is a strong need for cultural studies to provide sound grower
recommendations. The following three projects were initiated in 2002 in anticipation of this
research funding.
Study I compares survival, yield and fruit quality between the vertical shoot positioning
(VSP) and fan training systems for winegrapes. Most Kentucky growers are training their
vinifera vines to a VSP system with two trunks. The fan system, which contains up to six trunks,
has the potential to out perform the VSP system, because multiple winter injured and/or crowngalled
trunks may be removed with little or no loss in yield.
Studies 2 and 3 were initiated in response to a request by northern Kentucky Agricultural
and Natural Resource Extension Agents to answer grower questions concerning planting grapes
on Eden shale soil. This soil type is a shallow heavy clay relatively infertile soil common in this
area. Residents have noted that once a forested area is cleared, regrowth is predominately wild
grapeVllles.
Status | Finished |
---|---|
Effective start/end date | 3/15/06 → 6/30/08 |
Fingerprint
Explore the research topics touched on by this project. These labels are generated based on the underlying awards/grants. Together they form a unique fingerprint.