Deliverable 1: Develop and recommend sustainable water management strategies for wine, table, raisin, and juice grape production using limited and impaired water supplies.
Investigators: Drs. Jim Ayars, Joan Davenport, Andrew McElrone, Carmen Gispert
Objectives for Deliverable 1:
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Determine the effects and limits of deficit irrigation strategies on the yield and quality of wine, grape juice, raisins and table grapes.
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Develop technologies to quantify real-time remotely accessible measurements of vineyard-scale evapotranspiration and vine water use.
Deliverable 2: Develop and recommend sustainable water and soil management strategies to minimize the impacts of salinity on grape yield and quality.
Investigators: Dr. Don Suarez, Mr. Mark Battany
Objectives for Deliverable 2:
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Evaluate different leaching strategies for root zone salinity control, including winter leaching.
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Quantify the impact of irrigation water quality on infiltration.
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Characterize the leaching and transport of salt in the soil profiles.
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Evaluate the impact of water management strategies on salt accumulation, soil solution chemistry, soil physical characteristics in the root zone and plant nutrient balance.
Deliverable 3: Quantify the effects of objectives 1 and 2 on table grape berry size, color, texture, flavor, on raisin size, flavor, texture, B and B, harvest date, on grape juice brix, color, TA, and methyl anthranalyate and sensory qualities for wine – aroma, mouth feel, flavor and yields.
This deliverable was established to provide guidance for the data collection in the objectives in deliverables 1 and 2. It established the minimum data collection needed to provide consistency in the interpretation of results and comparisons across regions.
Deliverable 4: Develop and expand commercially available grapevine roots that better resist drought and tolerate salinity.