University of Nebraska
                               Viticulture Program
        
      

University of Nebraska
Viticulture Program
Research News

August 12, 2000

Weather Station

A solar powered weather station was installed in 1998.  Wind direction and speed, solar radiation, air and soil relative humidity, potential evapotranspiration are measured and electronically transmitted to a system at the University of Nebraska Lincoln Campus.  Personnel form the UNL School of Natural Resources have provided installation and maintenance of the facility.  Such weather and environmental information can be helpful in relating field response of plantings to weather events and microclimate phenomena.  A few pertinent  facts are presented in Table 1.

Fencing

A battery charged by solar power is employed to electrify a fencing system intended to exclude vertebrate pests especially deer.  This system was installed by Mike Anderson, "Mike Anderson Tree Shearing", 2501 Surrey Ct, Lincoln, NE  68512, and similar to systems that he has installed in several Mid-west states.  Results have been excellent (so far) with this system.  You are invited to inspect this installation.  Note the lowest wires were installed in 199 to discourage rabbits.

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA VITICULTURE PROGRAM
GRAPE CULTIVAR TRIALS

A large number of genotypes of grapes have been planted, with the following cultivars ("varieties") included in the West Field:

* Damaged by rabbits and replanted the following year.

Most of the North Field was planted in 1999, including the Rootstock Study, with the three west rows planted in 2000. Genotypes being tested include:

The plantings are in three blocks of six vines per genotype; numbers of some genotypes are smaller because of limited availability of planting stock. The blocks are randomly arranged rather than having all blocks of a cultivar/genotype adjacent to those of the same kind. This arrangement helps account for variability that may be related to soil, slope or other site-related factors. Rows are ten feet apart; plant spacing in the row is eight feet. Trellis wires are at approximately 32 inches and 72 inches (six feet) in height. Line posts are 16 feet apart. "H-brace" end post assembly has been employed in the west field and conventional 60-degree angle end posts used in the north vineyard. Drip irrigation has been installed on the lower wire in the west vineyard. Emitters can deliver two liters per hour.

Orchard and Small Fruit - Nemaha

Several fruit crops have been suggested to have potential for value-added products, including for wine, juice, jams and jellies, salad dressings and other products. Tree fruits being evaluated include plums, cherries, Asian pears and European (conventional) pears. Small fruits include blackberries, raspberries, currants, and jostaberries (hybrids of black currant and gooseberry). Cultivars are listed below:

Asian Pears: Hosui, Shinseiki*

European Pears: Gourmet, Harrow Delight*

Cherries: Stella, Surefire, Northstar

Plums: Superior, Long John, Mt. Royal, Voyager, Castleton, Victory,

NY 77.602.1, V70031

Blackberries: Illini Hardy, Navaho+, Chester+, Hull+

Raspberries: Boyne & Heritage (red), Royalty (purple), Jewell (black),

Honey Queen (yellow)

Currants: Crandell, Consort, Viola (black); Cascade, Tatran (red)

Jostaberry: Red Josta

Several of the brambles and currants began fruiting this year. The potential of these fruits as "alternative crops" (value-added) will be discussed on the tour of this area.

* - Started as "bench grafts" so they are approximately two years younger than

the other tree fruits.

+ - Thornless cultivars

^Z = Date of Planting, June, 1999
^Y = Hardiness rating: 1 - poor, still green; 5 = fully hardened, good bark formation
^X = Grafted to Couderc 3309

^Z = Date of Planting, June, 1998

^Y = Hardiness rating: 1 - poor, still green; 5 = fully hardened, good bark formation

^X = Losses primarily caused by rabbit damage while young

^Z = Date of Planting, April, 1999
^Y = Hardiness rating: 1 - poor, still green; 5 = fully hardened, good bark formation
^X = Grafted vines

Grapevine cultivars considered to be marginally hardy for this area were protected in the winter of 1999 - 2000. The method employed was mounding soil around the base of the vine to a depth of 15 to 18 inches. Vines numbered 1, 3 and 5 in each block of six vines of vinifera cultivars and ‘Traminette’ in the West Vineyard were treated in this fashion. In addition, the ‘Gewurztraminer’ rootstock study vines were mounded in the same manner. Soil was mounded around the base of the vines in November and removed in April. Little difference was observed when comparing wood and bud survival of mounded vs. non-mounded vines, perhaps because of the mild winter. However, there were measurable differences observed between mounded and non-mounded ‘Gewurztraminer’. This varied among rootstocks and will be discussed when touring the rootstock study.

The InThe Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  It is the policy of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln not to discriminate on the basis of gender, age, disability, race, color, religion and marital status, veterans status, national or ethnic origin or sexual orientation.l Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  It is the policy of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln not to discriminate on the basis of gender, age, disability, race, color, religion and marital status, veterans status, national or ethnic origin or sexual orientation.

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