Written by David Eiserman
The 2024 Summer Technical Meeting was held in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley at the lovely Bluestone Vineyards.
The morning started with a talk and demonstration led by Dr. Sally Dickinson from Virginia Tech School of Animal Sciences, about the use of dogs to detect spotted lantern fly(SLF) egg masses in a farm setting. This project is informally referred to as The Canine Citizen Science Study and was begun as a study by Texas Tech and, last year, was expanded into the East Coast by means of a partnership with Virginia Tech. In the short time that this project has been brought to Virginia, much progress has been made. Dickinson has shown that training dogs to hunt for and identify SLF egg masses is not only possible but can be very efficacious, and she states that this skill can be learned by dogs of any breed or age.
Detection of egg masses in dormancy can be an effective tool in slowing the spread of SLF into a new location but also in managing established populations. To find more information on this and how you can train your own SLF hunter you can reach Dr. Dickinson at sallyd@vt.edu.
What followed was a demonstration from Cody Light of Monarch Tractor who showcased their current production model 100% electric self-driving tractor. This was no prototype, and the unit they demonstrated is available for sale today. The potential for automation of tedious tractor-based operations has massive implications in the future of vineyard management, and the electric power train is also cutting edge, touting run times from 6-12 hours based on operating conditions.
It was clear that safety is absolutely paramount for Monarch and the unit effectively demonstrated its unwillingness to operate in proximity to attendees eager to view its operation. The unit demonstrated moving down vineyard rows on a modest side slope without contacting any vines in the process. For more information on Monarch Tractors please contact info@monarchtractor.com
Next up Pete Shanley of Osprey Drone demonstrated their drone spraying services which is a relatively new technology currently being offered by several drone proprietors across the state. While the use of drones in vineyard applications is still quite new, it is proving to be popular with growers who have ventured to try these technologies and offers: competitive margins, efficient operation, reduced access requirements, and more.
Attendees were shown a demonstration involving: loading, ascent, and application using a pre-programmed flight path. Once empty the drone automatically returns and, when refilled, resumes its predefined flight path autonomously. The operation was tidy and impressive and the proprietors of these technologies are staying in a tight cohort with new developments in this quickly evolving space to improve application efficacy and operational efficiency.
The talks then moved inside and included a continued discussion led by Pete Shanley about the use of drone imaging technologies in performing vineyard health assessment and monitoring, which can be used to inform management tasks. Pete can be reached at pete@osprey-drones.com
This talk was followed up immediately by Jim Etro CEO of Itri Corporation, a company that specializes in optical technologies for use in monitoring agriculture using thermography or heat imaging. Installations of his Hawk-Eye™ systems include static monitoring stations that inform management using real-time imaging and data analysis to provide programmable alerts that are designed to inform actions like irrigation, nutrient management, and disease management. Potentially a very powerful tool for developing integrated management strategies and in increasing efficiency in many types of vineyard operations. Itri Corp. is located in Haymarket, VA and Jim can be reached at jim.etro@itricorp.com
Dr. Mizuho Nita of Virginia Tech followed with updates on the growing threat of the proliferation of Pierce’s disease in Virginia vineyards. Cold winters have shown to be effective at eliminating the pathogen from host tissues but as winters continue to become more mild the persistence of the disease has been growing and similarly has its impact. Clearly, it is something all vineyard managers should be more aware of in coming years as the climate continues to shift.
Dr. Nita provided statistics that showed the omnipresence of Pierces Disease throughout the state, and updates from trials he and his colleagues are hosting, including the use of injectable bactericides to maintain clean plant material in the field. These treatments, though cost-prohibitive and requiring ongoing application have shown to be effective in managing the disease in the vineyard. Dr. Nita goes on to suggest that variety selection can play an important role in managing the threat from Pierce’s disease and cautions growers to pay more attention to the main disease vector, the Blue Sharpshooter. If you are having an issue with Pierce’s disease you can contact Dr. Nita at Nita24@vt.edu, additionally, as always, a wealth of resources are available at his blog which can be found at https://grapepathology.org/
Next, a panel discussion was conducted regarding the use of the H2A program which focused on how vineyard operators are sharing seasonal employees between farms. Doing so provides farm managers with assistance on the housing and scale challenges often associated with the program. All members of the panel had very positive remarks about the program in general and additionally, the cooperative efforts they have developed.
As these programs continue to integrate with the agriculture sector, operations engaging with them are finding many benefits, and the programs are continuing to improve. Jesus Diaz, Agriculture & Foreign Labor Specialist, was in attendance and helped clarify many questions attendees had regarding the programs and offered his departments’ assistance in planning and helping to implement these programs with your existing farm business. Jesus offers this critically valuable assistance at no additional cost, so if you are considering H2A, Jesus can be contacted at Jesus.diaz@vec.virginia.gov
Finally, to close out the day’s sessions Dr. Ryan Stewart of Virginia Tech offered an introduction to maintaining and improving soil health in vineyards. Healthy and diverse soil conditions have been shown to improve vine health and fruit quality but can add significant challenges to management depending on how they are implemented. Dr Stewart offered updates on several projects he and his colleagues have completed and discussed items that growers should consider when developing meaningful applications for their operations. Dr Stuart can be reached at Ryan.stewart@vt.edu.
After a healthy Q&A with Dr. Stewart, the sessions for the day were concluded and attendees rounded out the afternoon engaging in conversation over an excellent selection of wines provided by the VVA membership.
Massive thanks to Jeanette Smith for taking the lead on developing the programming for the 2024 Summer Technical Meeting and as always to Tracy Kirkman for administrating the event which took place seamlessly. Additional thanks to Lee Hartman and the rest of the staff at Bluestone Vineyards for hosting, and to the events sponsors and exhibitors.
Photo Credits to Paul Licata and David Eiserman
