VIT TECH grape and wine producers discuss production issues

VIT TECH is a group of grape and wine producers in the Walla Walla Valley and Rocks District of Milton-Freewater who gather regularly to discuss topical issues related to production. The group is led by co-chairs, Cody Copp, OSU Extension Umatilla County and Brooke Robertson, Director of Winegrowing of Delams/SJR Vineyard. The 2022 VIT TECH series included presentations by scientists and industry professionals on powdery mildew, water, soils, mealybugs, leafroll, and vineyard development, all of which are provided here through video recordings.

VIT TECH | Powdery Mildew (April 2022)

Drs. Walt Mahaffee, Research Plant Pathologist for the USDA Agricultural Research Service, and Jay Pscheidt, Extension Plant Pathology Specialist in the OSU Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, share results from current powdery mildew research at the April 2022 VIT TECH session.

Aug 2022 | Video

VIT TECH | Irrigation (May 2022)

Dr. Alec Levin, Associate Professor and Viticulturist in the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University's Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center, shares preliminary results from his ongoing irrigation initiation trial at the May 2022 VIT TECH session.

Aug 2022 | Video

VIT TECH | Water (May 2022)

Troy Baker, Executive Director of the Walla Walla Basin Watershed Council, reviews critical water issues, basin studies, and projects in the Walla Walla Valley at the May 2022 VIT TECH session.

Aug 2022 | Video

VIT TECH | Soils (June 2022)

Kevin Pogue, Professor of Geology at Whitman College, details the geological history and various soil types important to viticulture in the Walla Walla Valley at the June 2022 VIT TECH session.

Aug 2022 | Video

VIT TECH | Leafroll and Mealybugs (July 2022)

Tom Valente from the Oregon Department of Agriculture outlines past mealybug surveys and shares current mealybug monitoring programs in Oregon. Monica Cooper, Viticulture Farm Advisor for the University of California Cooperative ...

Aug 2022 | Video

VIT TECH | Vineyard Redevelopment, pt. I (August 2022)

Brad Sorensen, vineyard manager at Les Collines Vineyard in Walla Walla, shares tips on vineyard redevelopment considerations from experience in both Walla Walla, WA and Napa, CA. Topics covered include: yield decline, vineyard removal, and cover crops.

Aug 2022 | Video

VIT TECH | Vineyard Redevelopment, pt. II (August 2022)

Luke Pedotti, Director of Development with Results Partners, shares tips on vineyard redevelopment considerations from experience in the Willamette Valley. Topics covered include: site preparation, vineyard layout, and rootstock selection.

Aug 2022 | Video

August 2022

Want to learn more about this topic? Explore more resources from OSU Extension: Wine Grapes, Wine, Beer, Cider, and Spirits

Was this page helpful?

Related Content from OSU Extension

Vine Mealybug in Oregon

These resources will help you monitor, identify and manage vine mealybug, a new invasive vineyard pest in Oregon.

Mar 2023 | Collection

Pediococcus quality control chart

Use this flow chart to avoid wine spoilage during fermentation.

James Osborne | Sep 2018 | Article

Monitoring Vineyards for Spotted-wing Drosophila

Step-by-step instructions on how to monitor for SWD and interpret results. Presence of the pest is the first step to determining future management needs and strategies.

Patricia A. Skinkis | Jul 2017 | Article Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Season 1, Episode 1: How It All Started

Learn how a few dedicated people and good ideas led to this nationally-funded vineyard health project.

Patricia A. Skinkis | Oct 2022 | Podcast episode Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Season 1, Episode 2: Vineyard Nutrition in Arid Climates

Learn about the High-Resolution Vineyard Nutrition Project from Director, Dr. Markus Keller, Professor of Viticulture at Washington State University. He describes how he became lead of the project and summarizes the challenges of ...

Patricia A. Skinkis | Nov 2022 | Podcast episode Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Season 1, Episode 3: The Grapevine "Blood Test"

Learn more about why we use leaf blades and petioles for grapevine nutrient monitoring.

Patricia A. Skinkis | Nov 2022 | Podcast episode Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Season 1, Episode 4: What to Expect from Plant Nutrient Sensors

Learn how sensors are being developed and tested in grape vineyards throughout the US from Dr. Jan Van Aardt, professor at Rochester Institute Technology (RIT).

Patricia A. Skinkis | Dec 2022 | Podcast episode Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Season 1, Episode 5: It's All About Integration

Learn how viticulture research is helping growers integrate precision agriculture tools in US vineyards.

Patricia A. Skinkis | Jan 2023 | Podcast episode Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Season 1, Episode 6: The Necessity of Nutrient Monitoring When Margins are Slim

Learn how New York state grape growers use nutrient monitoring for management and the research that has improve their work.

Patricia A. Skinkis | Feb 2023 | Podcast episode Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Season 1, Episode 7: Precision Tools for All Vineyards, Great and Small

Learn from Dr. Alireza Pourreza how precision agriculture tools are being developed for plant nutrition tracking in vineyards of all sizes.

Patricia A. Skinkis | Feb 2023 | Podcast episode Peer reviewed (Gray level)

HiRes Vineyard Nutrition Podcast

This podcast is devoted to helping the grape and wine industry understand more about how to monitor and manage vineyard health through grapevine nutrition research. It is hosted by Dr. Patty Skinkis, Professor and Viticulture Extension Specialist at Oregon State University.

Podcast

Field Monitoring for Leafroll Virus and Mealybug in Pacific Northwest Vineyards

This publication focuses on in-field identification of signs and symptoms associated with grapevine leafroll-associated viruses and the insects that transmit them.

Spanish: Monitoreo del virus del enrollamiento de la hoja y de los piojos harinosos en los viñedos del Noroeste Pacífico

Patricia A. Skinkis | Jul 2009 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Prevention and Management of Grapevine Leafroll Virus and Mealybugs in Oregon Vineyards

This document suggests practices believed to mitigate the spread of disease and virus.

Spanish: Prevención y manejo del virus del enrollamiento de la hoja y de los piojos harinosos en viñedos del estado de Oregon

Vaughn Walton, Amy J. Dreves, Patricia A. Skinkis, Clive Kaiser, Rick Hilton, Steve Castagnoli, Steve Renquist | Oct 2009 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

OSU Extension research gives wine grape growers in Umatilla County hope for adjusting to changing climate

A pilot study for using kaolin clay on wine grapes to reduce heat stress and sunburn in the Walla Walla Valley found that using kaolin produced greater yields and fruit quality compared to the control plot, where kaolin wasn’t applied.

Mar 2023 | Impact story

Season 1, Episode 8: Honoring the Past, Building the Future

Learn more about viticulture and precision agriculture research to understand plant nutrition monitoring and management from table grape trials conducted in California's San Joaquin Valley.

Patricia A. Skinkis | Mar 2023 | Podcast episode Peer reviewed (Gray level)

2023 Pest Management Guide for Wine Grapes in Oregon

Learn the most effective techniques for controlling insects, weeds and disease on wine grapes in Oregon. This comprehensive publication for growers covers strategies for controlling powdery mildew, botrytis bunch rot and spider mites,...

Patricia A. Skinkis, Jay W. Pscheidt, Achala KC, Marcelo Moretti, Vaughn Walton, Cody Copp | Feb 2023 | OSU Extension Catalog Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Wine grape tissue nutrient guidelines for Oregon

This is a guide that can be used by wine grape growers to interpret their vine tissue nutrient analysis results to determine nutrient sufficiency, deficiency or excess.

Paul Schreiner | May 2019 | Article Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Microfermentation can help determine smoke's effect on wine grapes

There is no formula for determining whether smoke affects the flavor of wine grapes. The best way to find out is to combine lab analysis with the tasting of a small batch of wine made from grapes exposed to smoke.

Elizabeth Tomasino, Anita Oberholster, Tom Collins | Sep 2020 | Article

Have a question? Ask Extension!

Ask Extension is a way for you to get answers from the Oregon State University Extension Service. We have experts in family and health, community development, food and agriculture, coastal issues, forestry, programs for young people, and gardening.

Ask us a question