Vineyard management strategies, including vineyard floor management and crop level management, can be used to influence vine vigor and fruit composition. Two studies were conducted to evaluate the impact of these practices on Pinot Noir in Oregon's Willamette Valley. Managing crop levels is common in cool climate vineyard production though...
There is limited information available on production of trailing blackberry, particularly certified organic plantings, which are of interest to growers as there is increased consumer demand and a price premium over conventionally-produced fruit. Various production strategies were evaluated for their effect on yield, biomass production, carbon (C), and nutrient concentrations...
Nitrogen (N) is the most important nutrient to manage in the overall wine production system, since N has a large influence on vine productivity and fruit quality in the vineyard and also on fermentation kinetics and fermentation-derived aromas in the winery. Previous studies investigated the influence of either vineyard N...
Seeds from 30 species of grasses and forbs native to Pacific Northwest prairies were tested for physical and physiological dormancy. The physical dormancy was determined by mechanically and chemically scarifying seeds. Physiological dormancy was evaluated with cold stratification before germination. Experiments were analyzed individually with ANOVA analysis, and by seed...
Native plants provide many ecosystem services while also having great beauty and are a valuable component of the landscape. As use of these plants in habitat restoration, agricultural insectary plantings, and home landscapes increases so does demand for information on the basic biology of a group of species that have...
Vertically shoot positioned (VSP) training systems are common in Oregon's Willamette Valley, where deep fertile soils and high regional precipitation task growers with curbing vegetative vigor within this system. Management strategies, such as canopy hedging and cluster-zone leaf removal, are used to improve microclimate within the canopy and around the...
Winter provides many opportunities for viticulture and enology programming across Oregon, the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The vines, although dormant, need pruning and the winery operations continue. This month, we’ve decided to focus on important considerations in both the vineyard and winery. An article on pruning operations by Dr. Patty...
Rising human populations and climate change are putting increasing demands on our already-limited freshwater sources. In response to these concerns, homeowners and municipalities have been encouraged to replace turfgrass – a plant with relatively high irrigation needs – with drought-tolerant plants that do not require frequent irrigation. However, the many...
In recent years, many studies have focused on the molecular and biochemical mechanisms regulating the development of wine grapes. The course of grape berry development is directed by genetic design and is mediated by phytohormones, which regulate grape berry growth and development by orchestrating a complex network of interacting genes,...