8/14/2019 Adelaide Hills Crop Watch 020210

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CropWatch SA Adelaide Hills is a service provided by the Adelaide Hills Wine Region Inc. DJs Grower Services provide vineyard monitoring data, interpret weather data &compile the messages. Information is general in nature and should not be relied upon. Always seek professional advice specific to your vineyard. All photos (c) JamesHook & Richard McGeachy unless noted. CropWatch acknowledges the support of James Hook & Matthew Wilson in preparing this message.

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The Pinot family of grapes cultivars (Pinot Noir,Gris and Meunier) are now between 60-80%

Veraison. Shiraz is 10-50% coloured (left).Chardonnay vineyards, which are also earlyseason varieties are at 2.% softening inLobethal and 90% softening at Balhannah.

Temperatures in the high 20s and low 30shas aided in the rapid softening or colourationover Veraison. Over the weekend of the 6thand 7th of February Sauvignon Blanc, the Pinotfamily and some Chardonnay blocks will bethrough Veraison and into the early ripeningphases (intermediate Baume levels).

Variety Growthstage

Description Monitoredsites

Chardonnay EL 35-36 10-90%Soft

Lenswood

Balhannah

Forreston

Pinot Noir El 35-36 50-80%Verasion

Forreston

Lobethal

Kuitpo

SauvignonBlanc

EL 35-36 50-70%Soft

Balhannah

Meadows

Shiraz EL 34-35 10-50%Verasion

BalhannahMeadows

At this point of the season vineyard crop load,altitude and aspect will determine how quicklyblocks ripen, which is why for exampleLobethal and Balhannah vineyards develop atdifferent rates.

Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for Sparkling Basewill begin to be picked in 2-3 weeks. Tippingand tidying up of canopies is underway. Most

vineyards have no active shoot tip growth(bottom left).

Growers are applying Bird Nets as Rosella andCrow (Raven) damage has been seen.

8/14/2019 Adelaide Hills Crop Watch 020210

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CropWatch SA Adelaide Hills is a service provided by the Adelaide Hills Wine Region Inc. DJs Grower Services provide vineyard monitoring data, interpret weather data &compile the messages. Information is general in nature and should not be relied upon. Always seek professional advice specific to your vineyard. All photos (c) JamesHook & Richard McGeachy unless noted. CropWatch acknowledges the support of James Hook & Matthew Wilson in preparing this message.

Disease summary

Low levels of LBAM caterpillars have been located in a number of blocks over the past few weeks.Varieties with the highest number affected at this stage appear to be Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and

Chardonnay: Sauvignon Blanc bunches are generally quite open this year and a bit later in developmentthan the afore mentioned varieties. Watch out for Light Brown Apple Moth in your bunches as they increasethe risk of Botrytis bunch rot.

Powdery mildew continues to be found in affected blocks. At this stage of the season complete control onberries is very difficult. Wettable sulphur can only be used 30 days before harvest leaving only Ecocarbtmand Synertrol Horti-Oil, or Peratectmas fungicide options.

Downy mildew infections from December have dried out and are generally not of concern.

No significant Botrytis bunch rot has been seen, although the risk period begins now as fruit is producingsugar, which the botrytis fungus uses to sustain its growth. Shown (below) is a bunch from last seasonwhere tight bunches have pushed tight together and split. Look for these symptoms in your vineyard.

Left A Shield Bug which is a naturalpredator of Light Brown Apple Mothcaterpillars.

Predatory insects are beingsuccessfully used as bio-controlagents in Adelaide Hills horticulture.Strawberry production is one of thelatest crops to release predators and

reduce insecticide sprays in anattempt to balance up insectpopulations.

The main insect pests of strawberriesare thrips, aphids and mites.

The main thrust of research into bio-control in vineyards is beingundertaken at CESAR at theUniversity of Melbourne.