With all the snow and cold weather it’s hard to believe that it’s March already and Spring is right around the corner! It’s time to start planning your pest management programs.

For the first time, we are hosting an all-day “Grape IPM School”. The aim of this “school” is to introduce and update wine grape growers of all experience levels to the key pest issues they face. We will discuss the basics of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and how to apply it to your vineyard. We have invited regional experts who will share their expertise on how to use IPM to scout for and manage grape berry moth, grape root borer, plant viruses and diseases, among others.

Please join us at the Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center (RAREC), 121 Northville Rd., Bridgeton on MARCH 31st.  Mark your calendars, more details to follow….

South Jersey vineyard and winery managers are invited to an Alert Meeting at Auburn Road Vineyard and Winery, 117 Sharptown-Pilesgrove Road, Woodstown, NJ on Monday September 29th at 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM.

Do you have plants that look like this?
It may be a virus symptom.

We often see red leaves in vineyards at this time of the season, which can result from many causes including viruses, mineral deficiencies, trunk injury, and crown gall. In a season like 2014, following a damaging winter, the most common causes include the aftereffects of cold injury to the woody parts of the vines and the subsequent crown gall infections.

There are several well-documented types of viruses known to have serious deleterious effects on the performance of grape vines with names like Grape Leaf Roll and Grape Fan Leaf. A newly identified virus, generally called Red Blotch, is present in New Jersey vineyards. Red Blotch biology and potential impact on vineyard performance is yet to be worked out.

[Read more…]