Multi-state Project W-128  "Microirrigation technologies for protection of natural resources and optimum production"
Report for 2001-2002
New York-Geneva Station

Member - Alan N. Lakso,  Dept. of Horticultural Sciences, email: anl2@cornell.edu
        http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/hort/faculty/lakso/

Cooperators -    

Terence L. Robinson	Pomology	Cornell, Geneva
Robert M. Pool	Viticulture	Cornell, Geneva
Gerry White	Ag Economics	Cornell, Ithaca
Martin Goffinet	Plant Anatomy	Cornell, Geneva
David Eissentstat	Root Biology	Penn State Univ.
Terry Bates	Viticulture	Cornell, Fredonia
Richard Dunst	Viticulture	Cornell, Fredonia

        
Objective 1 - To evaluate and refine microirrigation management strategies to promote natural resource protection and optimal crop production.

    In the NY grape production region along the east end of Lake Erie, we have conducted irrigation trials with Concord juice grapes.   

    Concord Pruning X Irrigation Interactions.  In its 13th year, this trial examines the interactions of supplemental irrigation and vine pruning severity in a deep gravel soil with conservative soil management by herbicides.  Balance-Pruned (BP) vines (quite severely each year to 45 buds per kg of pruning weight) are compared to Minimally-Pruned (MP) vines that receive almost no pruning except for a low cut under the canopy.  A much more rapid canopy development of the MP compared to BP vines due to much higher shoot numbers (typically 350-400 in MP versus 60-90 in the BP) leads to higher early season and total yearly water use. 

Therefore, we hypothesized that irrigation in dry years would have a greater benefit to the MP vines due to their higher water use and greater sensitivity to stress.  In dry years irrigation has benefited growth, yields, and ripening of the crop, with the greatest effects on the MP vines.  Year-to-year differences were strong due to varying rainfall and patterns of dry and wet years as perennial crops carry stress effects from year to year.  After 12 years the supplemental irrigation gave no increase in yields of normally-pruned vines, but supported an increase a yearly average of 1 ton/acre in minimally-pruned vines.  Economic analyses of these results suggest that drip irrigation would be close to profitable for minimally-pruned vines unless the cost of obtaining water was excessive.  These results of course depend on the percent of dry years.  Also the economics of irrigation would certainly be better in a poorer site, especially with competing cover crops.


Objective 2 - To improve, modify and evaluate microirrigation system design and components for natural resource protection and optimal crop production.
    
    No activities in this objective.

Objective 3 - To assess and develop decision criteria for adoption of microirrigation technologies.

    We have been attempting in various ways to obtain good estimates of water use by apple orchards and grape vineyards in the Northeast to advise growers on irrigation system design and irrigation amounts.  Grape and apple growers increasingly interested as 2002 was a quite severe drought in many regions of NY and the Northeast (the fourth year with significant drought periods in the past 5 years).  Crop coefficients from arid climates due to the complexity of the microclimate of large discontinuous canopies, internal physiological factors affecting conductances, and different advective components (from cool lakes vs hot dry areas).  

Estimating water use accurately by soil moisture monitoring is difficult due to
(a) competing cover crops in our orchards and vineyards;
(b) extremely extensive, but low density and erratic root distributions, and
(c) frequent rainfalls. 

In 2001 we began estimating water use by apple trees with sap flow gauges calibrated for shorter periods with whole canopy gas exchange chambers.  The estimates were compared to estimates of ET for a reference grass (by the current FAO modified equation) and to published apple crop coefficients.  There was not a tight correlation between daily estimates by sap flow vs. (Eto x Kc).  The overall correlation indicated that the published Kc values for apples for arid climates are approximately 30% too high for the Northeast.  When evaluated by the type of  day, it was clear that the crop coefficient was near 1 on the hottest, driest days, but could be as low at 0.5 on cooler days common in the NY climate.  

Wine production in NY and the Eastern US has increased dramatically in the last 20 years.  One of the observations noted in dry years is that grapevines that are stressed too much produce white wines that have poor flavor development, very poor aging characteristics and the development of specific unpleasant aromas (red wines are not affected in the same way).  In Europe, these effects have been found to be related to excessive water stress and poor nitrogen in the grape juice.  So, beginning in 2001 we have examined the effects of irrigation/stress on  irrigation and nitrogen interactions on 'Riesling'  grapevine productivity, fruit composition and wine characteristics.  In 2001 there was a late-season drought that reduced leaf function, berry size and ripening of the non-irrigated vines.  Wines were made and after only 6 months differences were noted with the irrigated vines showing more typical flavor development and fewer of the characteristics of poor-aging wines.  2002 was even drier with severe mid-season stress and late-season stress although the stress was relieved about 3 weeks before harvest.  Wines again have been made.  
    
Objective 4 - To promote appropriate microirrigation technologies through formal and informal educational activities.

    The results of these studies have been communicated to growers via popular publications (see below) and seminars presented at growers meetings in the Northeast region.  Also results have been incorporated into the fruit crop physiology component of a graduate class on Woody Crop Physiology at Cornell University.  The work on apple water use was the focus of a PhD thesis at Cornell University by Danilo Dragoni in the Department of Horticultural Sciences at Geneva.  

Presentations
• International Workshop of Functional-Structural Tree and Stand Models,  Montreal, Canada, 2001
• NY Wine Industry Workshop, Geneva, NY 2002
• British Columbia Grape/Wine Symposium, Penticton, BC, 2002
• International Horticultural Congress, Toronto, Canada, 2002.  
        Keynote on Grape Water Relations and Irrigation for Viticulture Symposium
        Oral presentations in Viticulture Symposium
        Poster in Stress Symposium (Dragoni senior author)
• Irrigation Association National Meeting. New Orleans October 2002
• W-128 Multistate Annual Meeting, New Orleans October 2002
• FL Grape Twilight Meeting  on Drought Stress and Wine Quality    , 2002


Potential Impact
    This continuing work on juice grape irrigation has led more grape growers to put in drip irrigation systems, especially for newly planted Niagara grapes that is a growth component of the industry.  Also there has been a significant increase in grower interest in and installations of irrigation systems for apples and wine grapes in New York and elsewhere in the Northeast.  For example, in 1999 a local evening grape grower meeting on irrigation drew 7 growers, but the same in 2002 drew over 60 growers.  Many growers in the Northeast who previously assumed it was not necessary now consider irrigation an important management tool.

Recent Relevant Publications


Lakso, A.N. and R.M. Pool. 2001.  The effect of water stress on vineyards and wine quality in Eastern climates.  Wine East 29(4):12-20,51.

Bates, T.R., G. English-Loeb, R.M. Dunst, T. Taft , and A. Lakso.  2001.  The interaction of phylloxera infection, rootstock, and irrigation on young Concord grapevine growth.  Vitis  40:225-228.

Lakso, A. N., R.M. Pool, L. Cheng, T. Martinson and K-T. Li.  2002.  Drought and Water Stress in New York Vineyards and the Potential for Atypical Aging of New York Wines.  Proc. 31st NY Wine Industry Workshop, NYS Agric. Exper. Station.

Anderson, L. J.,  L. H. Comas, A. N. Lakso and D. M. Eissenstat.  2002.  Multiple factors in root survivorship: a four-year study in Concord grape.  (submitted to New Phytologist).