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UC Cooperative Extension outlines vineyard research on drought, frost and smoke impacts
Summary
UC Cooperative Extension’s Integrated Vineyard Systems Advisor outlined research and outreach to help local wine grape growers with drought recovery, frost protection and smoke taint, including field trials at the Hopland Research and Extension Center.
University of California Cooperative Extension advisor Christopher Chin addressed the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday about applied research and outreach supporting regional vineyards, including work on drought-tolerant rootstocks, frost protection alternatives and smoke-taint assessment.
Chin described activities based at the Hopland Research and Extension Center and partnerships across Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties. He said the program offers free consultation visits, workshops, pest-control advisor breakfasts, annual field days and tailgate demonstrations so growers can adopt practical techniques more rapidly.
Research highlights included work on rootstocks to improve drought recovery, replacement strategies for frost irrigation using fans that consume less water, and preliminary field studies of smoke-related volatile phenols after prescribed burns. Chin said a preliminary study found an average 31% decrease in volatile phenols at locations less than a quarter-mile from the smoke source, but he emphasized the work is still in early stages and that fuels and distance both matter for smoke risk.
Board members asked about vineyard acreage losses statewide and the noise of frost fans; Chin said statewide removals have been higher in some San Joaquin Valley counties but that Lake County is at a lower end of statewide acreage loss. He noted fan effectiveness varies with placement and that diesel versus propane fans have different noise and operational profiles. Supervisors and the advisor discussed potential future tracks for research and the value of the Hopland Research Center’s small experimental vineyard.
Chin said the extension program balances economic viability, social responsibility and environmental stewardship and that most services are provided to growers at no charge.
The board thanked UC Cooperative Extension for the update and invited staff to return with follow-up on specific trials as they develop.
