Adelaide Hills Crop Watch 270809

CropWatch BUDBURST EL 4 Early Budburst in the Adelaide Hills Welcome to CropWatch for the 2009/10 growing season. An early budburst is expected across the region due to warmer than average weather conditions for July and August. Our neighbouring warmer climate regions, The Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale are running two weeks earlier than last season. This is significantly earlier than the long term average dates. This trend of early season budburst trend is expected to continue as the warmer vineyard sites in the Adelaide Hills move past 50% Greentip (EL 4) in the next two weeks.

Frost risk & weather damage

This message from Adelaide Hills Hills CropWatch SA was compiled on Friday, Friday, August 28th 2009 2009 and will be updated on September September 4th. More Pest and Disease information is available at

We are now entering the period where cold temperatures can affect developing buds and shoots in grapevines. There has been some bud movement seen generally in stressed vines near trees. Watch out for frost alerts in the coming weeks if you have a history of damage. The good news is the best defense against frost is wet soil and windy weather. This week has seen more significant rainfall and kept soils at saturation. A moist vineyardfloor with slashed weeds or cover crop stores most heat and helps protect against frost.

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Growth Stage Dormant

Frost Damage Temp. -4.5°C

Woolly Bud

-3.5°C

Greentip

-1.1°C

Shoots up to 150mm

-0.5°C

Shoots over 150mm

0.0°C

Above – Early season wind damage.

Below – Frost affected buds can later burst in a mosiac pattern.

1 CropWatch SA Adelaide Hills is a service provided by service provided by the Adelaide Hills Wine Region Inc. DJ’s Grower Services provide vineyard monitoring data, interpret weather data & compile the messages. Information is general in nature. Always seek professional advice specific to your vineyard. All photos (c) James Hook, Richard McGeachy & Peter Magarey unless noted. CropWatch acknowledges the support of James Hook & Matthew Wilson in preparing this message.

Beneficial Insects Beneficial insects are either predators or parasites. Predators hunt and feed on vine pests, while parasites hatch inside or on a pest, and then they eat the pest as they grow. The most common types of beneficial insects in your vineyard are: Lacewings, Ladybirds, Predatory mites, Predatory wasps, & various types of spiders. Some of these predators & parasites can be purchased for release in the field, but often they are expensive and ineffective. Your best bet is to conserve the beneficial insects already in your vineyard. Keeping these bugs alive may help to keep pest problems at an acceptable level through the year without having to take any further action. Different cover crop systems and management have different effects on beneficial insects. Other factors can also help maintain the habitat of beneficial insects by leaving crop residue on the ground and preserving woodlots, windbreaks, fencerows, and unmowed grassy ditch banks and waterways. Left: Lacewing eggs are found on bark, or even trellis posts, they are also found in your covercrop or volunteer weeds. After Bud burst occurs popultions of ‘Junk bugs’ the juvenille Lacewing larvae will live inside your canopy eating soft bodied insects like Light Brown Apple Moth.

Cover Crop System

Technique

Suitability for beneficial insects

Mono-culture of Annual cover crop Eg. Cereals

Discing in

Low

Slash/Throw

Low-Moderate

Every second row retained

Moderate

Slashed

Moderate

Every second row kept long every Spring No cover crop planted, weeds slashed. Discing in

Moderate-Good.

Slash/Throw

Moderate

Every second row retained into Spring

Moderate- Good

Flowering cover crop retained into Summer.

Good

Mono-culture of permanent cover crop. Eg Ryegrass

Volunteer cover crop. Mixed cover crop Eg. Ryegrass/Clover, Triticale/Vetch

Insectary Blends. Specialist cover crop that have high pollen production- eg. Indian Mustard, Buckwheat.

Moderate Low-Moderate

CropWatch SA Adelaide Hills is a service provided by service provided by the Adelaide Hills Wine Region Inc. DJ’s Grower Services provide vineyard monitoring data, interpret weather data & compile the messages. Information is general in nature. Always seek professional advice specific to your vineyard. All photos (c) James Hook, Richard McGeachy & Peter Magarey unless noted. CropWatch acknowledges the support of James Hook & Matthew Wilson in preparing this message.