Vine Growers Research Articles

Integrated control of grape berry moth ( Lobesia botrana), powdery mildew ( Uncinula necator), downy mildew ( Plasmopara viticola) and grapevine sour rot ( Acetobacter spp.)

Controlling the most important vineyard pest and diseases (grape berry moth, powdery mildew, downy mildew and sour rot) was investigated in an experimental plot in Jumilla (Murcia, SE Spain) during 1995 and 1996. Two concepts of pest control were compared: the first, traditional pest management (TPM), was based on preventive treatments according to the established agricultural practice of the area; and the second, integrated pest management (IPM), required pest surveillance with treatment applied according to chosen thresholds. The IPM method included the use of sexual pheromones in traps for pest monitoring and diffusers for mating confusion as well as the observation of climatic data from a computerised field weather station. In 1995, grape berry moth was controlled with Bacillus thuringiensis while powdery mildew and downy mildew were controlled with penconazole and a mixture of metalaxyl+mancozeb+copper, respectively. During 1996, attack by grape berry moth became evident in June and powdery mildew in July while intense infestations of downy mildew and sour rot occurred in mid September. No treatment was made in the IPM plot in this year but the vine grower applied seven treatments each year with pesticides. In both cases, the yield was similar (about 7 kg grapes/vine-stock). The IPM programme is therefore recommended to be applied by the farmers for the protection of vineyards.

Characterization of the region and year of production of wines by stable isotopes and elemental analyses

<p style="text-align: justify;">Stable isotope and elemental analyses were applied to the study of wines produced from the Cabernet Franc vine variety cultivated during several years (1982 to 1990) on specific parts of the Saumur-Champigny vineyard dedicated to the « terroir » experiment of INRA. The purpose of this work was to describe the behaviour or <sup>2</sup>H, <sup>13</sup>C and <sup>18</sup>O isotopes in the water and ethanol of wines in terms of the meteorological conditions (temperature, precipitation and insolation) which govern vine growing. Since the « terroir » concept involves a synergy between the c1imate and the soil, the distribution of typical metallic elements was also determined by flame and electrothermal ionization atomic absorption. About twenty parcels, carefully described from the geological and pedological point of view were considered in this study which demonstrated the ability of Sr, Al and Rb to discriminate between wines from the same year but grown on adjacent parcels. The content in trace elements of the wines was also shown to be correlated with the geological nature of the soil. As far as stable isotopes are considered, it appears that the climate of the year of production of a given region has a drastic influence on the isotope ratios of water and ethanol of wines and good correlations way be computed between these parameters and temperature and precipitations. From a more basic aspect, it is also shown that the nature of the soil which governs, at least in a part, the water use efficiency of vine, induces typical variations in the isotopic composition of wines. The results of this study demonstrate also the ability of stable isotope and elemental analyses to determine the geographical origin of a wine, and when the region of production is known, to infer the year of production from meteorological data. This method might prove to be an alternative method to radio carbon analysis for the next vintages.</p>

Le Sucellus-Silvain-Liber Pater de Javols (Lozère) : signification d'une œuvre de sculpture gallo-romaine

Previously studied in this review, this 'hybrid' statue of this half Celtic and half Greco-Roman god shows Roman influences dating back to the middle or the second half of the 2nd century A.D. The costume of this god and the accompaning objects (horn of plenty, barrel makers tools and Bacchus cult objects) point out that there existed a common interest between life and religion, and between the vine growers and barrel makers.

Principes de choix de systèmes de conduite pour des vignobles tempérés et définitions pratiques utilisables en règlementation

<p style="text-align: justify;">According to previous scientific results, which were climatic and physiological, a practical synthesis is presented to guide concretely the vine grower in the choice and the definition of the training system. Qualitative and technicoeconomic elements are taken in consideration. The example illustrated here concerns temperate vineyards and specially the vineyard of Bordeaux. Better than the classical wide vines and even than the traditional vines, the vines « in lyre » seem to be the most advisable in most of the situations.</p>

Fungicides and Weedicides

Discases of crops have been prevalent from ancient times. But the nature of the agents responsible for the causation of these diseases and the uses of chemicals for controlling them began to be understood only after the middle of the last century. The practice of certain vine growers whose vine yards were on the roadside, of sprinkling a mixture of lime and blue vitriol on the leaves and bunches to keep off thieves led to the discovery of one of the most widely-used and potent fungicides-Bordeaux mixture. To the French Professor, Millardet, is attributed the credit of observations on the effect of this practice on the control of the downy mildew which was causing heavy damage to vines and the formulation of Bordeaux mixture, about the year 1882.

Some responses ofVitis viniferato pruning

does not appear. First page follows. The practice of pruning vines to develop a desired form and to influence fruitfulness is a very old one, and yet it is doubtful if, among the necessary operations of grape growing, there is one which is perhaps founded on more fallacies or on which so little progress has been made during the last century. With only minor modifications, such as the location of the desired spur or cane, vinifera vines are pruned today much in the same manner as they were by the Romans. The belief that was established among the grape growers of centuries past, that winter pruning invigorates the vine, still prevails. In 1876 Dr. Guyot1 noted the belief of the vine growers of France and elsewhere that “it is necessary to prune young vines in order to repress the sap and strengthen the roots.” This belief, however, was not limited to the grower, for in 1899 L. H. Bailey2 stated that “pruning increases vigor.” Later3 in 1916, he modified this statement, but added that “pruning must have something of the effect of manure.”

The Effect of Partial Sterilisation of Soil on the Production of Plant Food

When soil is partially sterilised, either by heat or by volatile antiseptics like carbou disulphide, toluene, etc., it becomes more productive and capable of yielding larger crops. The effect of heat was discovered incidentally about 25 years ago by the early soil bacteriologists; the action of carbon disulphide was first noticed somewhat later by a vine grower who had used it to kill phylloxera. Both cases have since been studied by several investigators, notably Koch and Hiltner and Störiner; a paper was also recently published by one of us in which it was shown that the property is a general one, holding for all the soils and volatile antiseptics examined and for all the plants, excepting those of the leguminous order. Thus when a soil had been heated to 95° C. it produced two, three, or sometimes four times as much crop as a portion of the soil which had not been heated, whilst treatment with volatile antiseptics led to an increase in crop varying between 20 and 50 per cent.