Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/70673
G r AP e G ro W in G Squeaky clean vineyard for FPS F oundation Plant Services recently received federal funding under the newly created National Clean Plant Network, a USDA program authorized under the 2008 Farm Bill. Among other programs, the funding will allow FPS to establish the Russell Ranch Foundation Vineyard. "We have identified the 100-acre parcel at Russell Ranch as an ideal location for a foun- dation vineyard in compliance with our newly developed NCPN standards," says FPS direc- tor Deborah Golino. "The property is remote and isolated from current UCD vineyards. There is adequate acreage to accommodate the numerous FPS varieties and clones." The site near Davis, Calif., is being pre- pared, and planting should begin this spring. "Every vine in this new collection will have passed through microshoot tip tissue culture therapy and extensive new testing Once the vineyard site is prepared, FPS- certified vines (above) will be planted there. Cherokee_Nov05.qxt 9/19/05 10:52 AM Page 1 technology," she says. "Nothing else will be planted there. This means the collection should be free of the crown gall bacteria, all the known grape viruses and even some vi- ruses we haven't discovered yet. The Russell Ranch Foundation Vineyard is going to set a new world standard." —L.D. have been released, and a few more should come out in the next couple of years. We're adding a lot of cold-climate varieties, both from Europe and American breeding programs (New York, Minnesota, etc). These aren't likely to cause a big stir in California, but they are very important to the industry in colder states. And we shouldn't forget about Dr. Andy Walker, the UC Davis grape rootstock breeder. He has already released five new grape rootstocks, and I expect more in the future. These have the potential of improving the sustainability of our vineyards by providing disease and pest resistance through superior rootstock varieties. This means we may be able to control nematodes and viruses without the use of chemical intervention. W&V: Some vintners prefer to do a field selection from their own vineyards rather than going to a nursery for new plant ma- terial. What are the risks, and what advice would you give these vintners? Golino: Using field selections can result in severely diseased vines and even the death of vines. This doesn't always happen, but I have seen plenty of cases, especially in the 1990s, when our vine- yards moved from AXR-1 to rootstocks hauling precious cargo • 24 hour dispatch • Competitive rates • Personalized Service • Radio/Cell phone equipped • State-of-the-art equipment • Maximum payload capacity • Over 30 years in operation • References available • Fleet of over 200 trucks including Wine Tanks and Dry Freight Vans CHEROKEE FREIGHT LINES 5463 Cherokee Road • Stockton, CA 95215 Telephone: 209.931.3570 • or visit our website:www.gocfl.com 46 Wines & Vines FeBRUARY 201 1 BRIDGET WILLIAMS