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RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT Tr ia l s hel p pi npo in t v a r i et i e s for futur e pl a nt in g a nd p r o d uc t ion By Ted Rieger ichigan State Univer- sity (MSU) , based in East Lansing, conducts viticulture and enology research and extension activities with faculty from the departments of horticulture, plant pathology and entomology. Dr. G. Stanley Howell, professor of horticulture at MSU from 1969- 2006, played a key role in wine grape research to improve produc- tion and quality through canopy management, crop and yield con- trol, and conducting cultivar trials AT A GLANCE Michigan State University pro- vides research and extension programs for the state's wine industry. MSU works with the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council, which provides funds for research in fruit and wine quality, sustain- ability, and production and pro- cess efficiency. Michigan is one of 23 states in the national NE 1020 variety trial proj- ect, evaluating 49 cultivars at two experimental sites. The state industry's goal is to increase wine grape acreage to 10,000 and annual production to 3 million gallons by 2024. 58 VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT SEPT - OCT 2011 with French/American hybrid and vinifera varieties. Howell has been instrumental in the growth and quality improve- ment of the Michigan wine indus- try, and in establishing MSU as a viticulture research institution. A major focus of MSU research has been evaluating cultivars for quality wine production in Michigan's cold- climate environment, and managing pests and diseases specific to the state's growing regions. Although MSU does not have a formal academic degree program in viticulture or enology, the inter- disciplinary faculty team actively provides ongo- ing extension activi- ties, workshops and courses, in coopera- tion with the wine and grape industry. MSU's Institute for Agricultural Technol- ogy is affiliated with the Viticulture and Enology Science and Technology Alliance (VESTA) pro- gram to offer online courses, and has partnered with two community colleges to offer a Viticulture Cer- tificate program for students at the local level. A significant part of MSU's research takes place at two research stations, located in the state's two major grapegrowing areas. The 100-acre Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Station in Traverse City was estab- lished in 1979. It is the primary research station for wine grape pro- duction, located near the Leelanau Peninsula and Old Mission Penin- sula AVAs. Wine grape research projects include cultivar evaluation trials, pest and disease research and IPM practices. Dr. Nikki Roth- well, the district extension hor- ticulturist and coordinator of the research station, works with grape- growers to address the industry's research priorities in the northwest. The 350-acre Southwest Michi- gan Research and Exten- sion Center in Benton Harbor, establ ished in 1987, is dedicated to research on grapes (wine and juice) and other fruit and vegetable crops. Projects have includ- ed studies on vine- yard establishment, mechanization, cul- tivar evaluation trials, vine training systems in cool climates, and crop adjustment. Dr. Tom Zabadal serves as coordinator of the center. A hor- ticultural specialist in grapes and a faculty member since 1989, his recent research has included evalu- ation of crown gall-free (Agrobacte- rium vitis) grapevines and cultivar evaluation. Paul Jenkins, the MSU Grape & Wine Integrator, coordinates state- wide extension and outreach for WWW.VWM-ONLINE.COM