Sustainable Winegrowing

Vineyard Team

Get the latest science and research for the wine industry with Sustainable Wine Growing. Vineyard Team brings you industry professionals and experts on resource issues and business trends related to sustainable agriculture to help you put sustainability into practice.

  1. 6d ago

    320: How Grapevine Rootstocks Affect Drought Tolerance, Yield, and Canopy Growth

    Choosing the right grapevine rootstock can improve drought resilience without sacrificing yield. Patty Skinkis, Viticulture Extension Specialist and Professor in the Horticulture Department at Oregon State University, shares findings from long-term Oregon rootstock trial comparing mature and young vineyards. Learn which rootstocks produced larger canopies and higher yields with less water stress, why traditional low-vigor choices may struggle in no-till systems, and how this research is shaping an updated guide to help growers select rootstocks for climate resilience, vineyard establishment, and future production.   Resources:   281: How Rootstock Impacts Vine Drought Tolerance and Longevity  Evaluating Drought-Tolerant Rootstocks in Cool Climate Wine Grapes for Climate Change Resilience Patricia Skinkis | Google Scholar Patricia Skinkis | Instagram Patricia Skinkis | LinkedIn Patricia Skinkis | Oregon State University Patricia Skinkis | Research Gate Rootstock drought tolerance under dry-farmed conditions in Oregon's Willamette Valley Rootstock effects on mature Pinot noir growth and productivity under cool climate, dry farmed conditions  Support the Podcast:  Make a Donation  Vineyard Team Programs:  Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship - Help students from vineyard families pursue higher education Online Courses - Earn DPR and CCA hours with expert-led sustainability trainings SIP Certified - A trusted third-party certification proving your sustainable practices with science-backed standards Sustainable Ag Expo - Join top experts at the premier winegrowing event of the year Vineyard Team Membership - Connect with a community advancing sustainable winegrowing

    320: How Grapevine Rootstocks Affect Drought Tolerance, Yield, and Canopy Growth
  2. Jul 2

    318: The Hidden Life of Grapevine Roots: When Roots Really Grow

    Many winegrape growers don't realize that grapevine roots are constantly growing, dying, and regenerating throughout the season. In this episode, David Eissenstat, Professor Emeritus at Penn State University, explains how decades of root research have challenged the myth that roots only grow at bloom and after harvest. He shares how underground research techniques reveal the hidden life of grapevine roots, why young roots drive water and nutrient uptake, how root growth changes with temperature and moisture, and what growers should know about managing vineyards with a deeper understanding of root biology.  Resources:   281: How Rootstock Impacts Vine Drought Tolerance and Longevity Crop load – physiology, modelling and relationships to root growth in grapevines  David Eissenstat Importance of internal hydraulic redistribution for prolonging the lifespan of roots in dry soil The Efficiency of Nutrient Acquisition over the Life of a Root  Support the Podcast:  Make a Donation  Vineyard Team Programs:  Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship - Help students from vineyard families pursue higher education Online Courses - Earn DPR and CCA hours with expert-led sustainability trainings SIP Certified - A trusted third-party certification proving your sustainable practices with science-backed standards Sustainable Ag Expo - Join top experts at the premier winegrowing event of the year Vineyard Team Membership - Connect with a community advancing sustainable winegrowing

    318: The Hidden Life of Grapevine Roots: When Roots Really Grow
  3. Jun 18

    316: Three-Cornered Alfalfa Hopper: Monitoring, Models, and Management

    Three-cornered alfalfa hopper (TCAH) is the only confirmed insect vector of grapevine red blotch virus in Vitis vinifera, yet many growers first realize they have the pest only after spotting petiole girdling in the vineyard. Cindy Kron, North Coast IPM Advisor at UC ANR, shares findings from two years of weekly sweep-net monitoring at Oakville Research Station that revealed TCAH adults are present well before bud break, suggesting grapevines are not their preferred host. She explains the insect's life stages, why legumes serve as key feeding and reproductive hosts, and why detecting early instars remains a major challenge for vineyard IPM. Cindy also discusses how degree-day models may help growers better time tillage to reduce TCAH populations and limit grapevine red blotch risk.  Resources:   71: New Techniques to Detect Grapevine Leafroll Disease 131: Virus Detection in Grapevines Can a pesky treehopper be foiled because its growth is regulated by temperature?  Cindy Kron How to use a model for reduction of three-cornered alfalfa hopper in vineyards Identification of Nonhost Cover Crops of the Three-Cornered Alfalfa Hopper (Spissistilus festinus)  Use of Ground Covers to Control Three-Cornered Alfalfa Hopper, Spissistilus festinus (Hemiptera: Membracidae), and Other Suspected Vectors of Grapevine Red Blotch Virus Weather Models and Degree Days  Support the Podcast:  Make a Donation  Vineyard Team Programs:  Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship - Help students from vineyard families pursue higher education Online Courses - Earn DPR and CCA hours with expert-led sustainability trainings SIP Certified - A trusted third-party certification proving your sustainable practices with science-backed standards Sustainable Ag Expo - Join top experts at the premier winegrowing event of the year Vineyard Team Membership - Connect with a community advancing sustainable winegrowing

    316: Three-Cornered Alfalfa Hopper: Monitoring, Models, and Management
  4. Jun 4

    314: Cut Bird Damage and Costs: Real Grower Results Using Vineyard Lasers

    Wine grape growers are turning to precision technology to mitigate bird damage while reducint labor and material costs. In this episode, Joseph Traut (Cypress AgTech) joins growers Chad Foster (Maverick Farming) and Paul Ramirez (Loma Escondida Farming) to share real-world experience using an autonomous, silent laser system that protects 20–30 vineyard acres per unit. Learn how to optimize placement, program effective coverage patterns, and time use from mid-June through harvest. Hear which bird species are easiest to deter, where challenges remain, and how this approach supports sustainable, worker-safe vineyard management.  Resources:   6/10/2026 REGISTER: Technology Field Day Tailgate 272: 30 Gophers a Night: Why Barn Owls Belong in Your Vineyard Autonomous Bird Laser Deterrent (video) Cypress AgriTech | Sustainable Farming Technology | United States Joseph Traut, Vice President, Cypress AgriTech Maverick Farming Riley Boylan, President, Cypress AgriTech  Support the Podcast:  Make a Donation  Vineyard Team Programs:  Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship - Help students from vineyard families pursue higher education Online Courses - Earn DPR and CCA hours with expert-led sustainability trainings SIP Certified - A trusted third-party certification proving your sustainable practices with science-backed standards Sustainable Ag Expo - Join top experts at the premier winegrowing event of the year Vineyard Team Membership - Connect with a community advancing sustainable winegrowing

    314: Cut Bird Damage and Costs: Real Grower Results Using Vineyard Lasers
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Get the latest science and research for the wine industry with Sustainable Wine Growing. Vineyard Team brings you industry professionals and experts on resource issues and business trends related to sustainable agriculture to help you put sustainability into practice.

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