Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/658375
80 WINES&VINES April 2016 WINE INDUSTRY NEWS WINE EAST F risco, Texas— Speaking dur- ing the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association annual conference Feb. 19 in Frisco, Noel Garcia, vice president of operations for the Texas Plant and Soil Lab, outlined common roadblocks vineyard managers run into when trying to increase soil health. Texas vineyards face mala- dies including powdery mildew, Pierce's disease and frost damage, and maintaining soil health is one way growers can fight back—and increase yields and quality. During a session titled "Plant Testing and Vineyard Nutrition Re- quirements," Garcia noted that "plants are very susceptible to pests and disease pressure due to unbal- anced nutrition." Even in places where soil testing reveals high lev- els of calcium and magnesium, grapevines could still be deficient in these elements if alkaline in the soil prohibits their absorption. Gar- cia recommends growers use plant analysis (not just soil testing) to identify such problems. Soil tests predict nutrient avail- ability, while plant analysis assesses nutrient uptake. "Just because you have plenty of potassium doesn't mean that is available to the plant," Garcia reported. Potassium is impor- tant for sugar production and overall vine health. "You can increase water efficiency by over 80%" by getting potassium levels right. Leaf analysis reveals what min- erals and micronutrients have been used by the plant, while peti- ole analysis reports on what will be available to the plant during the next one to three weeks. A petiole test reveals the "hidden hunger" in a vine, Garcia said. Nutrient needs early in the sea- son are very low but increase sharply at the reproductive stage. Nitrogen, for example, is not used much in the first 30-40 days of growth, but it is needed after fruit set to control excessive canopy growth, which can lead to pow- dery and downy mildew. In Texas, Garcia summarized, "You want to eliminate as much stress as possible," and eliminat- ing nutrient deficiencies is the first step. —Kate Lavin Wine East Covering Eastern North America Increasing Yields and Quality Through Inputs in Texas Natural Corks Champagne Corks Twinline Corks Bartops VISION Synthetic Corks G-Cap® Screw Caps Sales Representatives: Chris & Liz Stamp info@lakewoodcork.com lakewoodcork.com 4024 State Route 14 Watkins Glen, NY 14891 607-535-9252 607-535-6656 Fax PIONEER INNOVATOR PARTNER GIVE US A CALL, OR JUST STOP BY You will always be able to speak to a knowledgeable and friendly person who can help. 7AM-5PM, Mon.-Fri. 7AM-noon, Sat. P.O. Box 540, Route 116 8 Ashfi eld Road, Conway, MA 01341 The electronically controlled FELCOtronic 820-HP offers incomparable power and precision. See our website or catalog, or stop by our showroom to see our wide range of hand tools and grape pruning and harvesting equipment. YEARS s i nce 195 4 800-634-5557 www.oescoinc.com scan this code to visit our website OESCO, Inc: Equipment, Supplies & Service All Year Long Prune & Harvest with Ease NUTRIENT DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS Nutrient Position Chlorosis Leaf Margin Necrosis? Color and Leaf Shape N All leaves Yes No Yellowing of leaves and leaf veins P Older leaves No No Purplish patches K Older leaves Yes Yes Yellow patches Mg Older leaves Yes No Yellow stripping Ca Young leaves Yes No Yellow leaves S Young leaves Yes No Yellow leaves Mn, Fe Young leaves Yes No Interveinal chlorosis B, Zn, Cu, Mo Young leaves - - Deformed leaves