Grape Wise Report: Vine Stress before Veraison
With today’s special Grape Wise report from Helena Agri-Enterprises, I’m Corryn La Rue with California Ag Today. We are joined by Paul Crout, Helena Agronomist for the Western Division.
“Thank you, Corryn. It’s great to be back on the show.”
Paul, as we head into the heat of the summer, we know vines are under a lot of stress as they move closer to Veraison, what are the most common symptoms you see during this critical time?
“Great question Corryn, the most common symptoms of abiotic stress I see are heat and salt related. During this time, vines are in their peak metabolic phase while, at the same time, are under the most amount of environmental and man-made stress. Specifically, summer heat, deficit irrigation, and lower quality irrigation water. These abiotic stresses negatively impact vine growth, especially photosynthesis and berry ripening which can lead to quality and yield issues going into harvest.”
That’s great information Paul. What can growers do to mitigate these symptoms?
“Incorporating a prescriptive Grape Wise fertility program will give growers an advantage going into high stress events like heat waves and deficit irrigation cycles. However, vines often need supplemental support during and after these abiotic stress events. To be Grape Wise, I recommend adding Megafol to the foliar nutritional program. Megafol is a highly-effective, foliar-applied nutritional supplement specifically formulated to help crops tolerate and recover from stressful growing conditions. With a combination of nutrients and plant extracts, Megafol targets specific genes that control plant processes to help vines use their own energy more efficiently and recover from stressful conditions faster.”
Paul, before we go, where can our listeners go to learn more?
“You can visit helenaagri.com for more information and to find your local Helena retailer to develop a custom Grape Wise program for your vineyards.”
Thanks again to Paul Crout, Helena Agronomist, for that insight.
