New Vineyard Will Advance WSU Viticulture Research
October 13, 2009 Washington State University viticulture researchers have received contributions from the wine and grape industry to fund a new 8-acre research vineyard to be planted this spring near the Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Prosser.
“Currently, our research vineyards are small and scattered across the research center,” says professor of viticulture Markus Keller. “They’re older vineyards, so don’t reflect current practices. The new vineyard will allow us to better serve the industry in a number of important research areas.”
Once established, the vineyard will accommodate field trials with Washington’s “big four” varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Riesling. Planned research projects will commence after the vines reach at least four years of age and include advanced deficit irrigation strategies, canopy, and crop load management, as well as projects testing mechanized or automated precision-viticulture practices.
“The new research vineyard will greatly enhance WSU’s ability to address the industry’s research needs,” says Vicky Scharlau, executive director of the Washington Wine Industry Foundation. “Not to mention, allowing researchers to be more efficient and produce the output we need to compete globally. Research is our future and the industry was all too happy to assist WSU by funding this vineyard.”
For more information, go to http://experts.wsu.edu.
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