Progress 03/01/12 to 01/23/14
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): 1. Develop sustainable disease control practices for grapevines. [NP 303, C3, PS3B] 2. Develop sustainable vineyard floor management practices for vineyards. [NP 305, C1, PS1B.1] 3. Develop sustainable water management practices for vineyards. [NP 305, C1, PS1B.1] 4. Investigate the impacts of vineyard practices on soil microbial ecology. [NP 305, C1, PS1B.1] Approach (from AD-416): 1. Characterize the infection process of grapevine roots by the fungal pathogen Armillaria mellea, the causal agent of Armillaria root disease; Characterize the significance of riparian areas in the spread of Pierce's disease. 2. Identify differences in regional populations of Conyza canadensis, cover crops that effectively compete with C. canadensis, and the effects of soil resource availability on competition between cover crops and C. canadensis; Identify cover crops that effectively compete wtih problematic weeds. 3. Evaluate the interactive effects of irrigation practices and vineyard floor management practices on grapevine yield, growth, physiology, and nutrition. 4. Examine the effect of cover crop functional type on soil microbial communities and microbially-mediated soil processes; Characterize rhizosphere communities associated with Vitis rootstocks; Examine the impacts of vineyard floor practices on mycorrhizae. This is the final report for this project, which terminated January 23, 2014 and was replaced with project 5306-21220-006-00D, �Sustainable Vineyard Production Systems�. Winegrapes, table grapes, and raisin grapes grown in California represent over 90% of U.S. production. In order to minimize production costs and maximize vineyard productivity, discovery of sustainable vineyard practices for control of trunk diseases, weed management, greenhouse gas emissions, and irrigation is paramount for the grape industry. The objectives for FY2012 to FY2014 are summarized here, with emphasis on the most significant accomplishments. To address objective 1, research focused on controlled inoculation studies in the greenhouse of different grapevine species and cultivars with a comprehensive set of the most aggressive trunk pathogens. Prior to our study, it was known that cultivars of the European grapevine Vitis vinifera showed varying levels of susceptibility to Eutypa dieback and Esca in terms of foliar symptoms. However, little was known regarding susceptibility of their woody tissues to canker formation and no previous studies on trunk diseases included table grapes (e.g., �Thompson seedless�) or juice grapes (e.g., �Concord�). Cultivars of V. vinifera and Concord were similarly susceptible to Botryosphaeria dieback and Esca. Thompson seedless was extremely susceptible to Phomopsis dieback, which helps explain why we see such severe disease in this cultivar, even though it is grown in a region of California with very little rainfall. To address objective 2, we quantified annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from California vineyards in Monterey, Napa, and Lodi American Vineyard Areas. These results demonstrated that: 1) vineyards lose negligible amounts of N by nitrate leaching, and 2) specific weed control practices may reduce GHG emissions by building soil organic matter (SOM). Novel findings showed that in-row cultivation plus significant weed cover decreased nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions by nearly 50% during an N application, and doubled labile SOM content. To address objective 3, we examined grapevine xylem structure and function elucidated using high resolution X-ray microtomography (HRCT) scans. As part of these collaborative efforts, it was discovered for the first time that embolism repair after drought stress in grapevines is controlled by the metabolic activity of xylem parenchyma cells, drought- induced embolism spread in living plants was visualized, an automated method to analyze xylem network details with a Fortran model called TANAX was developed, and unique structures (xylem vessel relays) in grapevine xylem that alter network connectivity differentially between Vitis species were identified. To address objective 4, we addressed drivers of community composition, activity, and biomass across vineyard management practices, and spatial and temporal extents. The distribution of microbial community composition was strongly influenced by environmental factors (i.e., soil characteristics) and management practices, and microbial community composition had high fidelity to its respective land use type. Accomplishments 01 Cover crops and no-till systems benefit soils without impacting winegrape production in an irrigated vineyard. An ARS researcher at Davis, California evaluated impacts of cover crops and no-till practices on winegrape production in Lodi, an important winegrape growing region in California�s Central Valley, where diminished air quality from particulates could mandate the use of no-till floor management practices. Over three years, soil nutrient availability, vine nutrition, growth, and yield characteristics of Vitis vinifera cv. Merlot, grown under regulated deficit irrigation, were not impacted by cover crops and no-till systems. Importantly, winegrape yields from the zones of the vineyard where cover crops and no-till practices had occurred were similar to the conventional management consisting of weed cover in winter followed by repeated tillage between April and September. The outcomes indicate that growers can use cover crops and/ or no-till practices to reduce erosion and air particulates, and improve soil infiltration with no effect on yield and nutrition in irrigated, mature vineyards.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Hughes, K.W., Peterson, R.H., Lodge, D., Bergemann, S.E., Baumgartner, K., Tulloss, R.E., Lickey, E., Cifuentes, J. 2013. Evolutionary consequences of putative intra- and interspecific hybridization in agaric fungi. Mycologia. 105:1577-1594.
- Travadon, R., Rolshausen, P.E., Gubler, W.D., Cadle Davidson, L.E., Baumgartner, K. 2013. Susceptibility of cultivated and wild Vitis to wood infection by fungal trunk pathogens. Plant Disease. 97:1529-1536.
- Steenwerth, K.L., Mcelrone, A.J., Hanifin, R.C., Storm, C., Collatz, W. 2013. Cover crops and tillage in a mature Merlot vineyard affect yields and cluster weight but not nutrition. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture. 64:515-521.
- Schenk, J., Espino, S., Mendez, A., Mcelrone, A.J. 2013. Limitations in the hydraulic pathway: Effects of xylem embolisms on sap velocity and flow. Acta Horticulturae. 991:323-332.
- Gambetta, G., Fei, J., Rost, T., Knipfer, T., Matthews, M., Walker, A., Mcelrone, A.J. 2013. Water Uptake along the Length of Grapevine Fine Roots: Developmental anatomy, tissue specific aquaporin expression, and pathways of water transport. Plant Physiology. 163:1254-1265.
- Shapland, T., Snyder, R.L., Paw U, K., Mcelrone, A.J. 2014. Thermocouple frequency response compensation leads to convergence of the surface renewal alpha calibration. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 189-190:36- 47.
- Baumgartner, K., Rizzo, D.M. 2013. Armillaria root rot. In: Bettia, L., editor. Grape pest management. 3rd edition. Oakland, CA: University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. p. 83-86.
- Golino, D.A., Vasquez, S.J., Leavitt, G.M., Baumgartner, K. 2013. Lab testing. In: Bettiga, L., editor. Grape pest management. 3rd edition. Oakland, CA: University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. p. 61-68.
- Tonetto De Frietas, S., Mcelrone, A.J., Shackel, K., Mitcham, B. 2013. Calcium partitioning and allocation in tomato plants and fruit in response to abscisic acid application. Journal of Experimental Botany. 65:235-247.
|
Progress 10/01/12 to 09/30/13
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): 1. Develop sustainable disease control practices for grapevines. [NP 303, C3, PS3B] 2. Develop sustainable vineyard floor management practices for vineyards. [NP 305, C1, PS1B.1] 3. Develop sustainable water management practices for vineyards. [NP 305, C1, PS1B.1] 4. Investigate the impacts of vineyard practices on soil microbial ecology. [NP 305, C1, PS1B.1] Approach (from AD-416): 1. Characterize the infection process of grapevine roots by the fungal pathogen Armillaria mellea, the causal agent of Armillaria root disease; Characterize the significance of riparian areas in the spread of Pierce's disease. 2. Identify differences in regional populations of Conyza canadensis, cover crops that effectively compete with C. canadensis, and the effects of soil resource availability on competition between cover crops and C. canadensis; Identify cover crops that effectively compete wtih problematic weeds. 3. Evaluate the interactive effects of irrigation practices and vineyard floor management practices on grapevine yield, growth, physiology, and nutrition. 4. Examine the effect of cover crop functional type on soil microbial communities and microbially-mediated soil processes; Characterize rhizosphere communities associated with Vitis rootstocks; Examine the impacts of vineyard floor practices on mycorrhizae. REPLACING 5306-21220-004-00D (03/12); 5306-21220-003-00D (01/07) Winegrapes, table grapes, and raisin grapes grown in California represent over 90% of U.S. production. Maintaining a competitive edge with worldwide producers is crucial. In order to minimize production costs and maximize vineyard productivity, discovery of sustainable vineyard practices for control of trunk diseases, weed management, greenhouse gas emissions, and irrigation is paramount in the grape industry. This need is driven by more stringent environmental regulations, the increasing interface between urban and agricultural areas, and the decreasing availability of water in the western US. In FY2013, our first objective addressed the spread of trunk diseases (Phomopsis dieback and Botryosphaeria dieback), both at the cellular scale and at the vineyard scale. Our findings from objective 1 experiments have applications to the management of trunk diseases, namely regarding the need for pruning-wound protectants in eastern US vineyards. The second and fourth objectives examined biological, edaphic, and management-related drivers of greenhouse gas emissions, soil microorganisms that mediate biogeochemical transformations, and weed establishment, to develop practices that reduce environmental inputs and also the economic costs of grape production. To address objectives 2 and 4, we tracked the energy use and environmental impacts of winegrape production using Life Cycle Assessment, and examined winegrape production areas and the surrounding wildlands for carbon storage capacity. These measurements are critical for the development of national and international environmental policies, which will establish contributions and offsets to global warming potential, energy use, direct water use, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's criteria air pollutants for many different sectors of the US economy. The third objective integrated physiological and genetic approaches to develop grapevines that are resilient in the face of abiotic stresses. To address objective 3, we evaluated drought resistance of grapevine rootstock materials by assessing water uptake potential of fine roots subjected to stress and using high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) to evaluate susceptibility to embolism formation and the ability to repair blocked vessels across grapevine rootstocks. Water use is and will forever be an important priority for US grape growers, particularly in the arid western states, where grape production is dependent on irrigation. Growers require plant material that can better resist drought conditions. Accomplishments 01 Phomopsis dieback, a trunk disease of grape in eastern US vineyards. Phomopsis cane and leaf spot is a serious disease of grape in the northeastern US, which necessitates frequent fungicide applications throughout the growing season. The pathogen Phomopsis viticola spreads with rain; leaves, stems, and fruit are all susceptible to attack. To determine if the pathogen also attacks the woody stem of the vine, causing trunk disease Phomopsis dieback, ARS researchers at Davis, California, and Geneva, New York, examined grapevines with Phomopsis dieback symptoms (dieback, wood cankers) in northeastern US vineyards that also had Phomopsis cane and leaf spot symptoms (leaf spots, shoot lesions, fruit spots). In all such vineyards, they found vines with three species that were pathogenic to the woody stems of Vitis labruscana �Concord� and V. vinifera �Chardonnay�, in greenhouse and field inoculations (Phomopsis dieback symptoms, recovered Phomopsis viticola and two related species, Diaporthe eres, Phomopsis fukushii). The current approach to manage Phomopsis cane and leaf spot is with applications of a protectant fungicide after budbreak that may not protect vines from Phomopsis dieback, which attacks the pruning wounds of vines before budbreak. 02 Reducing environmental impacts of winegrape production. Identification of environmental impacts of winegrape production with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) facilitates targeted improvement in system sustainability. LCA is a tool that helps growers and poli-cymakers understand the full environmental impacts of an agricultural production system, identifying ways growers can improve overall efficiency and use of this tool may open up new �green marketing� opportunities and even lead to reduced overall costs through better utilization of energy, equipment, and agrochemical resources like fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides. This LCA addressed the environmental impacts of winegrape production across a range of vineyard management regimes in two important growing regions of California. The LCA boundary was defined from �cradle to gate�, which spanned resource extraction, manufacturing of raw materials into products used in winegrape production (e.g. herbicide, fertilizer) and their subsequent transport to the vineyard, activities and energy required to grow the winegrapes (e.g. irrigation, harvest), and concluded with final transport of winegrapes to the winery. A number of alternative management practices were discovered, including but not limited to, compost, reduced irrigation, and various cover cropping systems, which will assist growers aiming to improve the energy use and air emissions of their vineyards. 03 Evaluating drought resistance of grapevine rootstock materials. Drought resistance in a cropping system is important as it provides the ability of a plant to continue growth and maintain yield and fruit quality when exposed to periods of water stress. ARS researchers at Davis, California, evaluated the effects of drought on embolism formation and repair in living grapevines by developing a screening technique to evaluate the hydraulic conductivity of fine roots of grapevines and collecting data on numerous grapevine rootstocks ability to withstand embolism spread and repair these blockages once they occur. They found the permeability of grapevine fine roots was significantly reduced by drought and varied across rootstock genotypes. These research efforts will provide a better understanding of the patterns of water absorption in grapevine root systems and greatly enhance the quality of fruit and yield in the grape growing industry.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Baumgartner, K., Fujiyoshi, P.T., Travadon, R., Castlebury, L.A., Rolshausen, P.E. 2013. Characterization of species of Diaporthe from wood cankers of grape in eastern North American vineyards. Plant Disease. 97:912-920.
- Lee, J., Steenwerth, K.L. 2013. 'Cabernet Sauvignon' grape anthocyanin increased by soil conservation practices. Scientia Horticulturae. 159: 128�133.
- Mosse, K., Lee, J., Leachman, B.T., Parikh, S., Patti, A.F., Cavagnaro, T., Steenwerth, K.L. 2013. Irrigation of an established vineyard with winery cleaning agent solution (simulated winery wastewater): vine growth, berry quality, and soil chemistry. Agricultural Water Management. 123:93-102.
- Gambetta, G.A., Mcelrone, A.J., Matthews, M.A. 2013. Genomic DNA-based absolute quantification of gene expression in Vitis. Physiologia Plantarum. 148(3):334-343.
- Baumgartner, K., Fujiyoshi, P.T., Browne, G.T., Leslie, C., Kluepfel, D.A. 2013. Evaluating paradox walnut rootstocks for resistance to Armillaria root disease. HortScience. 48:68-72.
- Gambetta, G.A., Manuck, C.M., Drucker, S.T., Shaghasi, T., Fort, K., Matthews, M.A., Walker, A.M., Mcelrone, A.J. 2012. The relationship between root hydraulics and scion vigour accross Vitis rootstocks: what role do root aquaporins play?. Journal of Experimental Botany. 63(18):6445- 6455.
- Manuck, C.M., Heller, N., Battany, M.C., Perry, A., Mcelrone, A.J. 2012. Evaluating the potential of well profiling technology to limit irrigation water salinity in California vineyards. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 28(5):647-654.
- Brodersen, C.R., Mcelrone, A.J. 2013. Maintenance of xylem network transport capacity: a review of embolism repair in vascular plants. Frontiers in Plant Science. 4:108.
- Brodersen, C., Mcelrone, A.J., Choat, B., Lee, E., Shackel, K., Matthews, M. 2013. In vivo visualizations of drought-induced embol 35 ism spread in Vitis vinifera. Plant Physiology. 161(4):1820-1829.
- Lee, E.F., Matthews, M.A., Mcelrone, A.J., Phillips, R.J., Shackel, K.A., Brodersen, C.R. 2013. Analysis of HRCT-derived xylem network reveals reverse flow in some vessels. Journal of Theoretical Biology. 333:146-155.
- Broderson, C.R., Choat, B., Chatalet, D.S., Shackel, K.A., Matthews, M.A., Mcelrone, A.J. 2013. Xylem vessel relays contribute to radial connectivity in grapevine stems (Vitis vinifera and V. arizonica. American Journal of Botany. 100(2):314-321.
- Mcelrone, A.J., Choat, B., Parkinson, D., Macdowell, A., Brodersen, C. 2013. Utilization of high resolution computed tomography to visualize the three dimensional structure and function of plant vasculature. Journal of Visualized Experiments. DOI: 10.3791/50162.
- Shapland, T.M., Mcelrone, A.J., Paw U, K.T., Snyder, R.L. 2013. A turnkey data logger program for field-scale energy flux density measurements using eddy covariance and surface renewal. Italian Journal of Agrometeorology. 1:1-9.
- Mcelrone, A.J., Broderson, C., Alsina, M., Drayton, W., Matthews, M., Shackel, K., Wada, H., Zufferey, V., Choat, B. 2012. Centrifuge technique consistently overestimates vulnerability to water-stress induced cavitation in grapevines as confirmed with high resolution computed tomography. New Phytologist. 196(3):661-665.
|
Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): 1. Develop sustainable disease control practices for grapevines. [NP 303, C3, PS3B] 2. Develop sustainable vineyard floor management practices for vineyards. [NP 305, C1, PS1B.1] 3. Develop sustainable water management practices for vineyards. [NP 305, C1, PS1B.1] 4. Investigate the impacts of vineyard practices on soil microbial ecology. [NP 305, C1, PS1B.1] Approach (from AD-416): 1. Characterize the infection process of grapevine roots by the fungal pathogen Armillaria mellea, the causal agent of Armillaria root disease; Characterize the significance of riparian areas in the spread of Pierce's disease. 2. Identify differences in regional populations of Conyza canadensis, cover crops that effectively compete with C. canadensis, and the effects of soil resource availability on competition between cover crops and C. canadensis; Identify cover crops that effectively compete wtih problematic weeds. 3. Evaluate the interactive effects of irrigation practices and vineyard floor management practices on grapevine yield, growth, physiology, and nutrition. 4. Examine the effect of cover crop functional type on soil microbial communities and microbially-mediated soil processes; Characterize rhizosphere communities associated with Vitis rootstocks; Examine the impacts of vineyard floor practices on mycorrhizae. REPLACING 5306-21220-004-00D (03/12); 5306-21220-003-00D (01/07) This new project was implemented on 03/01/2012 and replaces former project 5306-21220-004-00D. In FY2012, research on sustainable viticulture addressed significant gaps in the scientific knowledge, which in turn facilitated the development of effective, sustainable methods of disease control, vineyard floor management, land-use management, and irrigation for US grape growers. First, we tracked the carbon storage capacity of mature grapevines and adjacent wild habitats, which are the first of such empirical measurements of commercial vineyards. These are critical for the development of national and international environmental policies, which will establish carbon contributions and offsets for many different sectors of the US economy. Second, we developed new technologies for accurate and user-friendly measurement of water use in vineyards. Water use is and will forever be an important priority for US grape growers, particularly in the arid western states, where grape production is dependent on irrigation. Third, we characterized susceptibility of different grapevine cultivars to a comprehensive set of trunk diseases. This work included not only California wine grapes, which have been the focus of past research, but also cultivars of table grapes grown in California, and juice grapes grown in Washington and New York. With a focus on grape production across the US, which includes cultivars adapted to different climates and different production systems, we can now evaluate the risk of trunk disease across a broader sector of the US grape industry. This helps us target control practices to prevent certain trunk diseases on the most susceptible cultivars.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Shapland, T.M., Mcelrone, A.J., Snyder, R.L., Paw U, K. 2012. Structure function analysis of two-scale Scalar Ramps. Part I: Theory and Modeling. Boundary Layer Meteorology. DOI: 10.1007/s10546-012-9742-5.
- Shapland, T.M., Mcelrone, A.J., Snyder, R.L., Paw U, K. 2012. Structure function analysis of two-scale Scalar Ramps. Part II: Coherent structure scaling and surface renewal applications. Boundary Layer Meteorology. DOI: 10.1007/s10546-012-9740-7.
|