Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/66135
CO VER S T OR Y "The solution to the virus problem is to plant clean material. Start clean and stay clean." — Dr. Deborah Golino, FPS, UC Davis Diminished crop load It is well known that leafroll diminishes crop load, but there are currently no specific statistics as to how much is reduced tonnage- wise. Dr. Deborah Golino, director of Foundation Plant Services at the University of California, Davis, referred to a 5%-35% reduction range depending on the strain of virus and cultivar. "The severity of the leafroll virus depends on cultivar, and the only way severity can be diagnosed is empirically. There are a lot of knowl- edge gaps with this virus." Golino said. "The solution to the virus problem is to plant clean material. Start clean and stay clean." Those looking to manage vine vigor and fruit load with the leafroll virus can find it backfiring on them. Not only can leafroll make vines susceptible to other infections, the reduced crop load can be economically stressful. Golino cautioned, "Though the "I believe the virus slows down sugar accumulation, which fits right in to the style I love" — Cathy Corison, Corison Winery economic input is the same, you're getting less back over the years, so growers have to look at the financial impact. The di- minished crop load doesn't necessarily translate to higher quality. This disease can trick you." Cathy Corison is owner and winemaker at 1,500-case Corison Winery in St. Helena, Calif. She admits that though the crop yield from her 8-acre leafroll-affected Kronos Vineyard located on benchland between Rutherford and St. Helena is meager, "I think of the leafroll in my old St. George rootstock veterans as my secret weapon. As long as I attend to the nutrition of my organic Kronos Vineyard, I believe the virus slows down sugar accumulation, which fits right in to the style I love—powerful Cabernet Sauvignon that is also elegant. My 40-year-old girls eek out 1.25 tons per acre, and that's a 15-year average!" QualityStainless_Apr05 3/9/05 11:12 AM Page 1 Quality - Value - Experience Quality Stainless Tanks • Professionally crafted • Perfomance guaranteed • Custom designs & features • Quick & competitive pricing • Repairs & modifications • Special application tanks • Stainless winery equipment • Tanks in stock for immediate shipping from 500 to 10,000 gallon capacity Quality Stainless Tanks 510 Caletti Avenue • Windsor, CA 95492 Phone: 707.837.2721 • Fax: 707.837.2733 Toll-Free: 877.598.0672 www.qualitystainless.com winetanks@aol.com Wines & Vines JUne 2011 37 Fabricated Stainless Cooperage Custom