8/14/2019 Adelaide Hills Crop Watch 180909

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CropWatch SA Adelaide Hills is a service provided by 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. 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.

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Checking the CropWatch sitesthis week it looks that vinegrowth rates have slowed dueto cool nights and windy

weather.Chardonnay have stayedaround the 1-2 leaf stage (EL 7-8), whilst mid-bursting varietiessuch as Pinot Noir, Shiraz andMerlot have moved ahead tothe same stage.

Cabernet blocks are generallyyet to show signs of full bud-burst. Cool nights again thisweek are likely to keep quickgrowth in check.

Frost DamageAs the warmer days approach,frost warnings will becomemore frequent. Light, localisedfrosts have been recordedthroughout the district earlier inthe week. Frost damage willoccur mostly in low lying,sheltered areas with little airflow. The table (below)

indicates that levels of damageshould be low.

GrowthStage

FrostDamageTemp.

Woolly Bud -3.5C

Greentip -1.1C

Shoots up to150mm

-0.5C

Shoots over150mm

0.0C

Earwig Damage Earwigs are beginning to cause minor damage

throughout the district. Some Chardonnay blocks have lacedamage toleaves. Earwigs often hide under the bark in the vine crown, or in the soiland trash around the base of the vine. Typical earwig damage can lookas shown above.

Recent weather prolongs budburst

8/14/2019 Adelaide Hills Crop Watch 180909

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CropWatch SA Adelaide Hills is a service provided by 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. 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.

Weeds

Be on the lookout for herbicide resistant Annual Ryegrassin your vineyard (right). These super weeds first appear

as a scattering of single plants or small patches of plantsthat survive after a glyphosate application.

Levels of glyphosate resistance are very high in otherregions the Yorke Peninsula, McLaren Vale and theClare Valley.

If you have seen this problem on your farm, seek advice. Itis important to stop this Ryegrass from seeding andincreasing next year. If you continue to use glyphosate youonly make the problem worse. Increasing the rate ofapplication does not help, as the Ryegrass continues to

thrive.

In other ways some undervine weeds can be a positive toyour vineyard. Generally, the health of you under-vine soilcan be gauged by the numbers of and the species ofweeds present. Lifeless, dead soils will often not producesignificant germinations of weeds.

These soils often present as being compact, with highlevels of mosses and lichens growing on the soil surface.This can also be an indicator of high shading levels, poorair flow and the potential over-use of herbicides.

Good levels of winter germinationcan aid with soil structure and canprovide a good habitat for beneficialinsect predators and earthworms.

Good weed control at this stage ofthe season will help assist the vinewith an even bud-burst andincreased vigour throughout the

initial stages of canopydevelopment. This may help vinespush through any potential earwigand mite damage.

Wind DamageWind damagehas been reported in many blocksthroughout the district. Monitoringthis week has recorded minordamage to those exposed areas,mainly in early varieties such aschardonnay.

Shiraz, as shown left, is generallytoo short to have sufferedsignificant damage. Good news!