NNY Ag Development Program

Northern New York Agriculture

Organic Grapevine Management

Northern NY Agricultural Development Program Small Grants Project Report 2006

Organic Grapevine Management

Project Leader(s):
Anita Deming, Executive Director, Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Essex County, Westport NY, 518-962–4810 ext 409, ald6@cornell.edu
Rob McDowell, Lake Champlain Grape Growers Association Chairman, Plattsburgh NY, 518-561-6434, redwine@charter.net

Collaborator(s):
Mike Davis – Research Associate, Cornell University E.V. Baker Agricultural Research Farm Manager, Willsboro, NY
Steve Lerch – Research Support Specialist 2, NYS Experiment Station, Geneva, NY

Farmer participants:

  • Rob McDowell, Lake Champlain Grape Growers Association, Clinton County
  • Kathryn and Will Reinhart – Lake Champlain Grape Growers Association, Essex County

Background:
The Lake Champlain Grape Growers Association wanted to minimize pesticide usage while protecting their investment in vines. They are meeting with Vermont farmers who were growing grapes organically. They are working with Mike Davis at the Cornell University E.V. Baker Agricultural Research Farm Manager, Willsboro, NY. Mike has considerable experience growing organic grains and vegetables.

They wanted to test several organic compounds for effectiveness in grapes to control powdery mildew, downy mildew, black rot, and phomopsis. They decided to try Milstop – a potassium bicarbonate, Champion – a copper hydroxide, SMS Stylet oil, Bordeaux Mixture – Copper sulfate, Milk, and Compost Tea. We were unable to use the compost tea, as we were unable to identify a protocol that could be recommended by any NY advisor.

They ended up using JMS Stylet Oil, Champion WP Wetted Powder (Copper Hydroxide), Baking Soda (potassium bicarbonate), whey (from Sam Hendren), and a Control.

2006 was a heavy disease pressure year for black rot, downy and powdery mildew due to high rainfall and humidity. However, the variety that we chose for the trial, Frontenac, was partially resistant to mildew pressure.

Methods:

  • Started with 4 year old Frontenac vines (which have some innate resistance to mildew but not black rot)
  • Set up a random spray protocol with 5 reps with the help of Mike Davis.
  • Kevin Iungerman, Regional Fruit specialist, trained Rob McDowell in identification of pests and provided Integrated Pest Management disease identification worksheets for future reference.
  • Spray applications
  1. Used separate sprayers for each application. Sprayed each rep separately then moved to next spray application
  2. Followed label instructions for mixing, rates and spraying for Stylet Oil and Champion.
  3. Used generic Organic recommendations from NOFA of 5 pounds per acre of Baking Soda on grapes
  4. Used an Australian web site recommendations for whey application
  5. All sprays were contact based and not systemic. Since it rained so much the sprays were washed off
  6. Used “New Film” (pinolene) as a spreader sticker to keep spray on the plant for Champion and Baking Soda applications.
  • Sprayed on
  1. First spray was post bloom which was late. There should have been a pre-bloom and a bloom spray. We had trouble getting started.
  2. Then we sprayed 7 to 10 days after that five separate times until veraison (color change). However, some sprays were put on under wet conditions as it never stopped raining.
  3. There was one spray after veraison.
  4. The vines were sprayed on 7/5, 7/12, 7/27, 8/8, and 8/24.
  5. The mildew pressure subsided as the weather conditions dried up. The black rot pressure was not increasing either so sprays were stopped.
  • The reps were scouted and infestation of Powdery Mildew, Downy Mildew, and Black Rot were scored on a 0 to 4 basis (None, Some -, Some, More, More +).

Results:

  • The crop in terms of quantity was excellent.
  • The black rot did impact the quality, however, Rob McDowell was able to pick infested berries out and find good clusters for wine making from all replications including the control.
  1. Powdery Mildew was ranked “Some -” on all blocks including the control. However it was ranked “Some” in nearby Lemberger and Cab Franc.
  2. Downy Mildew was ranked “Some -” all blocks including the control. However, it was ranked “More +” on nearby Leon Millot.
  3. Black Rot was ranked “Some” and “More” on all blocks except those with Champion WP which ranked “Some-” indicating a beneficial impact from this application.
  4. Phomopsis was never positively identified on this farm.
  • The entire crop of Leon Millot was lost on one farm due to downy mildew so the pressure was high. The Saint Croix was reasonably untouched.

Conclusions/Outcomes/Impacts:

  • Need to start early with controls, before bloom to keep pest and disease pressure from ever building up.
  • Selecting resistant varieties is as important as reducing pesticide usage.
  • IPM/Sustainable growing methods are superior to organic grape production at this time. We need training on sustainable IPM spraying.
  • True organic testing is very expensive and requires trained researchers and professors multiple replications.
  • Black rot is hard to control effectively organically.

Outreach:

  • Results were sent out on the cce_cold_country_viticulture-L list serve.
  • Discussions of spray alternatives were held at the Cold season workshops in Willsboro.
  • 22 farmers attended workshops on the Cold Season varieties and Rob discussed his project and organic alternatives.
  • Class is planned for April of 2007 on IPM for grape pest control.

Acknowledgments:
Northern NY Agricultural Development Program Small Grants Program
Cornell E. V. Baker Research Farm Willsboro for land and work, especially by Farm Manager Mike Davis
Lake Champlain Grape Growers Association for work done and organizing meetings.

For More Information:
Anita Deming, Executive Director, Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Essex County, Westport NY, 518-962–4810 ext 409, ald6@cornell.edu
Rob McDowell, Lake Champlain Grape Growers Association Chairman, Plattsburgh NY, 518-561-6434, redwine@charter.net