Integrated Pest Management

Wine Grape

These guidelines are based on those developed by S. Schloemann, published in C.S. Hollingsworth & W.M. Coli (eds). 1999. Massachusetts Integrated Pest Management Guidelines: Crop Specific Definitions. University of Massachusetts Extension Publication IP-IPMA.

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Preplant Practices and Considerations
This section can be eliminated for established vineyards or blocks for which the history is not known.

Suitability of the site for grape production is thoroughly evaluated prior to establishing grape planting. Remedial steps taken as needed, such as tiling, liming, removing air drainage barriers, etc. 10 pts
Land is planted to a plowed down cover crop(s) for one year prior to establishing
grape planting. 5 pts
Nematode sampling is conducted before establishing grapes. 5 pts
Certified disease-free, virus indexed plants and rootstocks are used. 5 pts
Disease resistant cultivars are selected, when possible and appropriate. *2 pts
If irrigation is supplied to the plants, a water use plan that minimizes disease development, optimizes water-use efficiency and minimizes erosion and runoff is used. (In most cases, this means the use of a trickle irrigation system.) *5 pts

Category Total 32 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

Soil and Nutrient Management and Cultural Practices
Cultural practices are of value in management of nutrients, weeds, diseases, or insects. The goals of a sound fertility program are to supply adequate nutrients with optimum timing for maximum economical crop yield, while avoiding excesses that can degrade water quality or adversely affect crop or soil quality.

A petiole tissue analysis is performed in the current year. 5 pts
A soil test is conducted for pH and nutrients. 5 pts
Fertilizer applications are based on soil tests and leaf tissue (petiole) analysis. 5 pts
Pruning is conducted in the dormant season to reestablish the structure of the vine
and to remove diseased, and insect-infested wood. 5 pts
Prunings are flail-mowed, chopped, incorporated into the soil or removed from the field (to reduce the amount of incipient disease inoculum available for infections in the following year). 5 pts
A green cover is maintained in row middles either as a perennial cover or as an
annually reseeded cover *5 pts
Where clean cultivation of the row middles is practiced, a fall/winter cover crop is
planted to reduce erosion and add organic matter to the soil. *5 pts
Subsoiling is practiced every 3-5 years to break up hard pans and improve soil drainage. 5 pts

Category Total 40 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

Pesticides Application and Records
Only pesticides approved and registered for wine grape in the state are used. Records of pesticide applications are maintained, including date, field and block, target pest, crop stage pesticide name and EPA number, formulation, rate and number of acres treated. Pesticide drift is minimized. Re-entry and pre-harvest intervals are adhered to. Win-PST analysis is conducted for all pesticides considered for use on the farm.

All insecticide, fungicide and herbicide application equipment is calibrated at the start of the season and the procedure is recorded and dated. *15 pts
All pesticide application equipment calibration is checked at least once during the season and recalibrated as needed (procedure recorded and dated). *5 pts
Coverage of leaf surfaces by currently used equipment is tested using
water-sensitive spray cards every 5 years or when new equipment is used. 5 pts
Pesticide selections are made with the goal of controlling the target pest AND of preserving natural enemies, when that information is available. 5 pts
Application equipment which reduces the amount of pesticide reaching non-targetsites is used. Bonus: 5 pts

Category Total 35 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

Disease Management

Disease problems are accurately identified and management strategies tailored to actual diseases present in the field in current season. 10 pts
Detailed records (including maps, if appropriate) are kept to document field history
of diseases, weather information, and management strategies used and their results. Varietal differences are noted. 2 pts
Rows and trellises are spaced and oriented to achieve optimal air-flow and
circulation to allow for good drying conditions for foliage and reduce the tendency
for disease development. 5 pts
Weather monitoring is conducted to determine temperature, precipitation and leaf
wetness using at least a min/max thermometer and rain gauge with data recorded
daily. 10 pts
Disease management decisions are made according to indications from weather
monitoring that infection periods have taken place at a time when disease inoculum is known to be present in the field and susceptible plant tissue is also present in the field. 10 pts
Where Eutypa dieback is present, pruning wounds on 2 year or older wood are protected by an appropriate fungicide. 2 pts
Where crown gall is present, the disease is controlled by biological control (i.e. Agrobacterium radiobacter) and minimizing freeze injury. Bonus practice
Where black rot is present, mummified fruit is removed. Bonus practice

Category Total 37 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

Insect Management

Insect monitoring methods and thresholds should conform to state IPM guidelines. Records should be kept of all monitoring data collected.

Insect problems are accurately identified and management strategies tailored to
insect pests actually present in the field in the current season. 10 pts
Detailed records (including maps, if appropriate) are kept to document field history
of insect pests, management strategies used and their results. Varietal differences are noted. 2 pts
Insecticides are not sprayed when bees are active (during bloom). 5 pts
New York State Grape Berry Moth Risk Assessment protocol is completed. 5 pts
Pheromone mating disruption (e.g. Isomate-GBM® ties) is used to suppress grape
berry moth damage. 5 pts
Pheromone traps are used to determine grape berry moth population levels in
the vineyard. 5 pts
If treatment for grape berry moth is necessary, Bacillus thuringiensis var. Kurstaki
is applied. *5 pts
Systematic scouting is conducted for major insect pests such as grape flea beetle, leaf hopper, and Japanese beetle, as needed. 5 pts
Twospotted spider mites (TSSM) and European red mite (ERM) are monitored
weekly until harvest (twice a month after renovation) by systematically examining at least 50 mid-tier leaves and determining presence or absence of TSSM on those leaves. Control measures are not taken until:
- 25% of leaves sampled show presence of TSSM and/or ERM but no
  predator mites are found, 5 pts OR
- 30% of leaves sampled show presence of TSSM and/or ERM and some
  predators mites are found. 5 pts
Twospotted spider mites and/or European red mite are controlled using releases
of predator mites. *5 pts
Pesticides used for controlling other insects and diseases are selected to avoid
those which are toxic to mite predators. 5 pts

Category Total 52 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

Weed Management

A weed survey is conducted at least once per season with weed problems noted
on field maps. 5 pts
Herbicide rate, selection and spot or strip applications are based on the results of
the weed survey. 5 pts
Herbicides of the same class are not applied in succeeding years in order to avoid
herbicide resistance development. 5 pts
Herbicides are banded only in the crop row. A seeded grass cover is used in the row middle. 5 pts
Weed growth around the field border is controlled (e.g. by cultivation or mowing) to reduce weed seed movement into the field, improve air circulation and eliminate refuge for insect pests. 5 pts

Category Total 20 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

Education

Manager attends one or more state/regional/national berry management workshops or conferences during the current year. 5 pts
Manager has a current copy of Northeast Small Fruit Pest Management Guide. 5 pts
Manager has current membership in New England Vegetable and Berry Growers
Association. 5 pts

Category Total 15 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

Grand Total 241 pts
Adjusted Grand Total ______ pts
Percentage of adjusted total %

Acknowledgement
The author gratefully acknowledges the use of the Grape IPM Protocols for the Northeast, by T. Weigle and J. Kovach, and thanks Alice Wise of Cornell Cooperative Extension and Massachusetts' vineyardists for their assistance.

IPM Guidelines

Wine Grape