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GRAPE GRO WING Highlights • Regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) reduces winegrape yields, saves money on vineyard management and improves quality parameters. • If not regulated, deficit irrigation can lead to dehydrated fruit, too-low yields and increased pest pressure. • The author explains how to calculate a vineyard's water needs and adapt an effective RDI program. on your property along with physical and chemical soil properties including available water-holding capacity. Some grape varieties are more drought- tolerant than others. In general, white winegrapes need more water than red va- rieties, partially because they are typically cropped at a higher level. Varieties from northern climates such as Pinot Noir and Merlot can't handle drought stress nearly as effectively as varieties that evolved in warmer climates such as Grenache and Zinfandel. Similarly, some rootstocks are much more drought-tolerant (St. George, 110R, 1103P are examples), as they tend to grow more deeply into the soil. If there is moisture present deep in the soil profile, they can extract it, and the vines will grow more vigorously compared to vines that have shallow roots (101-14, riparia gloire, 5C, SO4). It is important to know how your vines are likely to react to induced drought stresses to be sure that you are not causing unintentional problems such as delayed ripening or defoliation. If your vineyard is located in a region that has ample winter rainfall (Oregon, Northern California), it is likely to start the growing season with ample moisture, and initiating irrigation is going to be later than in drier growing regions. If it rains during the growing season (eastern United States), this will also give you less control over man- aging the soil water profile. Another impor- tant factor is evapotranspiration, which is the potential water use by plants based on sunlight, heat, wind, relative humidity and temperature. These rates change daily, and by having this information you can develop a sense of how much water is being removed from the soil profile. In California, refer- ence evapotranspiration (ETo) is measured CHOOSE ALL AMERICAN We carry a complete line of wine bottles, corks and capsules in a wide selection of colors, shapes, styles and sizes – and our bi-coastal warehouses service the entire United States. All American has it all. For more information, contact: Stephanie Ramczyk (707) 544-3496 sramczyk@aacpacificcoast.com Marty Sychowski (707) 328-5316 martys@aacpacificcoast.com West Coast Wine Warehouse in Santa Rosa, CA East Coast Wine Warehouse in Belle Vernon, PA Additional Sales Offices & Warehouses in Miami, Tampa, Atlanta, Puerto Rico, NJ and CA www.aacwine.com 20th Annual Wine Industry The Premiere Financial and Economic Two Day Event in the Wine Industry September 19-20, 2011, Napa Valley Marriott Financial Symposium THE WINE INDUSTRY EXECUTIVE SURVEY & WINE INDUSTRY FINANCIAL SURVEY: Robert Smiley, Professor Emeritus, Director of Wine, Graduate School of Management, U. C. Davis INDUSTRY KEYNOTE SPEAKER Jean-Charles Boisset, President, Boisset Family Estates WINERY MODELS & GROWTH LEVERS ATTRACTIVE TO BUYERS AND WHY Jeff Menashe, CEO Demeter Group, Panel Moderator WINE IN CHINA: IMPLICATIONS FOR WORLD MARKETS AND CALIFORNIA PROSPECTS Tom Selfridge, Winery Consultant, Hess Collection President Emeritus, Panel Moderator For a full program, visit our website and Register now at www.winesymposium.com Wines & Vines AUGUsT 2011 63 Lissa McLaughlin (727) 321-8879 lmclaughlin@allamericancontainers.com Roberta Parmelee (315) 585-6045 rparmelee@allamericancontainers.com