Location: Horticultural Crops Production and Genetic Improvement Research Unit
2021 Annual Report
Accomplishments
1. Lower grape quality due to Grapevine red blotch virus. Viruses, such as Grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV), can have negative impacts on both vine productivity and fruit quality. ARS researchers in Parma, Idaho, with University of Idaho collaborators and industry members, were the first to report on GRBV grape quality in Idaho on ‘Syrah’ grapes. Findings from this work indicate GRBV may negatively affect wine quality by lowering grape sugars and pigments. The findings also reinforce the importance of obtaining GRBV-free planting material and monitoring vineyards for GRBV. If the virus becomes widespread, it could eventually pose a threat to the $162 billion U.S. grape industry.
2. ‘Pinot noir’ juice microbes. U.S. ‘Pinot noir’ wine is globally popular, considered among the world’s best, and contributes to California and Oregon production values of over $425 million annually. Previous research indicates grape juice/must microbes can contribute to unique regional wine characteristics. ARS scientists in Parma, Idaho, and Davis, California, with University of California, Davis, collaborators, explored the microbial composition from ‘Pinot noir’ must with respect to vintage, growing region, climate, and chemistry across California and Oregon. This research demonstrated that predictable and reproducible microbes of ‘Pinot noir’ may not exist across regions and vintages, despite controlling cultivars, winemaking practices, or vineyard locations.
Review Publications
Lee, J., Rennaker, C.D., Thompson, B.D., Karasev, A.V. 2021. Influence of Grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV) on Idaho ‘Syrah’ grape composition. Scientia Horticulturae. 282. Article 110055. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2021.110055.
Finn, C.E., Strik, B.C., Yorgey, B.M., Peterson, M.E., Jones, P.A., Buller, G., Serce, S., Lee, J., Bassil, N.V., Martin, R.R. 2020. ‘Eclipse’ thornless semi-erect blackberry. HortScience. 55(5):749-754. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI14891-20.
Steenwerth, K.L., Morelan, I.A., Stahel, R.J., Figueroa-Balderas, R., Cantu, D., Lee, J., Runnebaum, R.C., Poret-Peterson, A.T. 2021. Fungal and bacterial communities of ‘Pinot noir’ must: effects of vintage, growing region, climate, and basic must chemistry. PeerJ. 9. Article e10836. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.10836.
Shellie, K., King, B.A. 2020. Application of a daily crop water stress index to deficit irrigate Malbec grapevine under semi-arid conditions. Agriculture. 10(11). Article 492. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture10110492.
King, B.A., Shellie, K., Tarkalson, D.D., Levin, A.D., Sharma, V., Bjorneberg, D.L. 2020. Data-driven models for canopy temperature-based irrigation scheduling. Transactions of the ASABE. 63(5):1579-1592. https://doi.org/10.13031/trans.13901.
Li, C., Rippner, D.A., Manavalan, L.P., Parikh, S.J. 2021. Evaluation of bacillus seed coatings on soybean phosphorus uptake in an oxisol fertilized with 32P-labeled hydroxyapatite. Plant and Soil. 464:273–287. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-021-04941-w.
