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W i n e s & V i n e s A U G U s T 2 0 1 4 75 N E W S O F G R A P E S A N D W I N E S I N E A S T E R N N O R T H A M E R I C A Wine Grapes and Water-Use Efficiency Symposium at ASEV meeting addresses how to make the most of irrigation water A ustin, Texas—With droughts in Texas and water-quality issues elsewhere, a symposium about water use efficiency drew approximately 125 people June 24 at the 65th annual conference of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture in Austin. When water of marginal quality is used for irrigation, the level of soil salinity can increase, said Donald L. Suarez, laboratory director at the USDA Agriculture Research Service Salinity Lab in Riverside, Calif. Suarez presented a study evaluat- ing the effectiveness of leaching to control root-zone salinity by drip or sprinkler irrigation. He found there was a "winter irrigation window" when the plants were dormant and the soil was wet, and leaching at that time had a "major impact on spring salinity lev- els, even in years of average to low rainfall." Frequent drought conditions in Australia have created increased interest in reclaim- ing winery wastewater, according to Michael McCarthy, principal viticulture scientist at the South Australian Research & Develop- ment Institute. Winery wastewater brings concerns of salinity, potassium and pH levels as well as the variability in the total chemical make-up of the water. Various grape cultivars require different amounts of water to survive, and Mark Greenspan of Advanced Viticulture in Windsor, Calif., said irrigation should be initiated as late as possible based on soil moisture. The first assessment of the plant's water status should be the visual indicators; vari- ous technological tools also can test water status. Greenspan determined that where a soil water content probe is placed influences the data recorded, and a probe should be placed between 1 and 4 inches from the drip of the emitter (and not directly under the emitter). Feedback of the relative water content at different depths can be plotted, and the shape of the resulting curve shows when the water is being absorbed. —Linda Jones McKee winesandvines.com Learn more: Search keywords "ASEV water." Excellent for spraying: VINEYARDS, vegetables, orchards, nurseries, Christmas trees, mosquitoes, cattle, chicken houses, etc. Low Maintenance High Performance Motor Models available S a l es C om pa n y – Mist Sprayers – References available in your area American Made We offer a complete line of low volume mist blowers. For free brochure contact: Swihart Sales Co. 7240 County Road AA, Quinter, KS 67752 785-754-3513 or 800-864-4595 www.swihart-sales.com Case By Case Wine and Grape Supplier Your Source for World Class Wine Grapes and Bulk Wines Serving wineries nationwide on a Case By Case basis East and West Coast varieties available: R Winegrapes R Bulk Wine R Juice R Shiners Jim, Owner Northern California Office (707) 671-4126 • jim@casebycasebrokers.com Tom, Domestic and International Sales Southeast Office (864) 401-2297 • tom@casebycasebrokers.com www.casebycasebrokers.com I N T H E N E W S p 7 5 FA C E S & F O R U M S p 7 8 A S E V p 7 9 Leaching during the 'winter irrigation window' has a 'major impact' on salinity levels.