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J A N U AN EYW N E W S U E R S Headlines NEWS BYTES Cal Poly FORMS Memorial Fund S tudents and alumni of California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Calif., have donated $50,000 to esKeith Patterson Grapevine Nurseries Face Supply Challenge Viruses complicate business for suppliers of vines in California Y ountville, Calif.—Nurseries already had been dealing with leafroll virus, spread by the vine mealybug, when red blotch (formerly red blotchassociated virus) started sweeping through vineyards in Napa Valley. At a forum organized by the Napa Valley The presence of red blotch is causing Grapegrowers, a panel of representatives trouble for nurseries that supply grapevines. from leading nurseries discussed the diseases. Foundation Plant Services, the source of Dan Martinez of Martinez Orchards in certified vine stock for nurseries to grow, Winters, Calif., said that red blotch made has tested its stock and found very few the nursery change its testing processes. vines infected with red blotch, but it can't "Red blotch isn't defined yet, so CDFA supply large quantities of vines tested by can't certify that vines are free of it now. the important 2010 protocol yet. And once We're not sure what testing is best. We've nurseries get the sample vines, it takes a gotten different results on the same vine number of years before they have sufficient from different labs." plants and then dormant cuttings for sale. Unfortunately, clean material isn't The nurseries report that they have enough. Dan Martinez of Martinez Orcertified rootstocks now, and the virus chards said, "You can start clean, but doesn't seem to be turning up in root- there's no guarantee after that." stock, but without certified scion wood, "The vine mealybug is a game changer," they can't produce grafted vines said Sunridge's Maniaci, for for sale. "All the nurseries got winesandvines.com many suspect it can spread red Learn more: rootstock from FPS at the same Search keywords blotch. "Some vines that tested "Grapevine supply." time last year," said Steve Maclean for leafroll II exhibited it niaci of Sunridge Nurseries. when planted. We haven't seen Maniaci explained that the California any in rootstock blocks, but see some in Department of Food and Agriculture man- scion blocks," he said. ages the certification program supported Steve Huffman of Vintage Nurseries said by assessments on vines. "If you want to his company planted a new block in northplant vines to grow more plants (an in- ern Kern County, and it's surrounded by crease block), they must be inspected by the orchards without any vineyards for miles. CDFA, and the plants have to come from "We've seen red blotch from source vinethe FPS and be managed properly." One yards on the Central Coast surrounded by requirement is to plant in land that hasn't other vineyards." been used for vines for at least 10 years. —Paul Franson 14 W in es & V i ne s J U NE 2 0 13 tablish a memorial fund in honor of the late Keith Patterson, who was a professor of viticulture from 1997 to 2013 and the faculty advi- sor for the campus Vines to Wines club. The Patterson Memorial Fund will be used to provide long-term support for wine and viticulture at Cal Poly. For more information or to donate to the Patterson Memorial Fund, email wvit@calpoly.edu. Bacchus invests in Madrigal M adrigal Vineyards in Napa Valley received an infusion of equity growth capital from Bacchus Capital Management LLC. "We are fortunate to have found each other and look forward to a long and successful partnership," said winery president Chris Madrigal. In addition to the investment, Bacchus brings in Ed Sbragia as consulting winemaker, and Scott Cousins will assume the role of chief operating officer. Oregon incentives for sprayers T he Oregon office of the National Resources Conservation Service secured $75,000 in grant funds to help growers upgrade to more efficient sprayer machines that collect and reuse spray drift. Growers could be eligible to receive a $5,000 payment winesandvines.com to purchase a highefficiency sprayer Learn more: Search keyword "Oregon sprayer." or a 50% retrofit grant that's typically about $500. Oregon State University researchers estimate improved sprayers could save growers more than $120 per acre during spray season.