On-farm Research Project #1
Vineyard Cover Crop Management in the North Willamette Valley

Vineyard Collaborators
Stoller Vineyards, Allen Holstien
Archery Summit, Leigh Bartholomew

Project Description
This project is intended to be a multi-season study to monitor vine vigor, ripening dynamics, and must composition of two different alleyway management strategies commonly used in vineyards. Alleyway management strategies that will be compared are solid vegetative cover vs. removal of alternate alleyway vegetative cover. Research questions that will be addressed include:

1. How does vine vigor and fruit composition of Pinot noir vary in different alleyway management regimes?
2. What differences can be observed within a vineyard?
3. What differences can be observed between vineyards with similar soil type?
4. What differences can be observed between vineyards with different soil types (2007)?

Treatments for the project have been implemented in two commercial vineyards located in Dayton Oregon. Treatments have been organized in a randomized block design. These vineyards have similar soil types (predominantly Jory) and will follow similar management practices. It is intended to add an additional site to this project in 2007 in order to compare alleyway management strategies between two different soil types: Jory and Willakenzie.

The goal of the first year of this study (2006) is to collect baseline data which can be used to monitor treatment differences and also assist in redefining research questions as the project progresses.

Project Timeline