Over US$1m was granted by the American Vineyard Association (AVF), based in Napa, with the balance of $900,000 coming from the Viticulture Consortium West and the California Competitive Grant Program for Research in Viticulture and Enology.

A total of 125 research proposals, including such diverse topics as leafroll disease, diminishing greenhouse gas emissions and mealybug sex pheromones, were meticulously reviewed by a panel made up of members from each granting authority. In the end, 56 projects were funded; 38 of those by the AVF.

“We are very pleased with the calibre of research proposals which have been submitted,” says Hall Huffsmith, AVF board chairman and senior vice-president of vineyard operations at Trinchero Wine Estates. “Each year, the researchers delve deeper into the issues which are most important to the grape industry.”

AVF members are periodically surveyed to ascertain which topics are most in need of research; these results are then posted and may be reviewed by researchers and research institutions.

June 09