Grape Wise Report: How to Prevent Canopy Degradation

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, we’re starting to see wine grape harvest kick off across California, what are some of the challenges you see growers facing during this time of the year?

“Great question Corryn, as vines get closer to harvest we’re completely focused on ripening, sugar accumulation and juice chemistry. One of the biggest challenges we see is canopy degradation, and even collapse, before the grapes ripen. As canopies degrade, you lose photosynthesis, and plant metabolism slows which slows or even halts ripening. This degradation can be caused by a number of factors including lack of water, viruses, heat, and more.”

That’s great information Paul. What do you do to overcome these stressors that cause canopy issues?

“Incorporating a prescriptive Grape Wise fertility program will give growers an advantage going into Veraison and harvest. However, vines often need supplemental support before and during this stressful time, whether it’s from water stress or just the stress of ripening a heavy crop load. To be Grape Wise, I recommend adding Megafol and Coron Metra at this time period to overcome these stress events. 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. Coron Metra is one of the safest forms of controlled release Nitrogen available. By including a small amount of available N, growers are ensuring their vines stay green and photosynthesizing, keeping that plant engine running and ripening the crop safely.”

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.