Ohio Grape Day comes to Wooster

WOOSTER, Ohio – Pick and sample the newest, vine-ripened research that experts have to offer at Ohio Grape Day, Aug. 19, 2004, on the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center’s Wooster campus.

The event features juicy information on grape care and maintenance, including alternative varieties, new technology, and pest- and disease-control methods.

All the latest. “Grape specialists from Midwestern states will be speaking at this event and sharing new production systems and technologies to improve yield and quality of grapes and wines,” said OARDC viticulturist Imed Dami.

“Further, new vineyard equipment will be displayed and demonstrated at this event. This is important because vineyard mechanization is a critical part of successful grape production.”

New this year. This is the first time the Ohio Grape Day will be held in Wooster.

In the past, the event has taken place bi-annually at the Ashtabula Agricultural Research Station (formerly called the Grape Research Branch-in Kingsville).

Dami said growers this year will have the opportunity to see the

Cost is $15, which includes lunch, refreshments and experimental wine tasting.

Participants must pre-register by Aug. 13. On-site registrants are welcome but lunch is not guaranteed.

Schedule. The field day begins with registration at 9 a.m. at Fisher Auditorium and continues with research presentations.

Topics include update on training systems for Traminette by Bruce Bordelon, Purdue University small fruit and viticulture specialist;

Weed update by Doug Doohan, Ohio State weed ecologist; disease update by Mike Ellis, Ohio State plant pathologist; canopy management for quality wine by Dami;

Alternative grape varieties for cold climate by Bordelon; research update on Asian multicolored lady beetle: methods of control by Roger Williams, Ohio State entomologist; and sensory threshold of Asian multicolored lady beetle in wines by Todd Steiner, Ohio State University Extension enologist.

Where to go. The presentations will be followed by afternoon field demonstrations at Horticulture Unit 2, including a tour of OARDC vineyards and presentation of ongoing research by field-day speakers; a spray coverage demonstration by Heping Zhu, an agricultural engineer with the USDA Agricultural Research Service; and wildlife management and a demonstration of bird netting by Bradley Taylor, Southern Illinois University fruit specialist.

Register now. For registration information, contact Bonnie Franks at 330-263-3823, franks.31@osu.edu.

For program information, contact Dami at 330-263-3882, dami.1@osu.edu; or Dave Scurlock at 330-263-3825, scurlock.2@osu.edu.