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Vineyard Nutrition Monitoring

June 8, 2015 by Daniel Ward

Monitoring Grapevine Nutritional Status


Bloom is here and it is a great time to get an accurate assessment of the nutritional status of your grapevines.

What to sample? Soil or leaf petioles.

Soil sampling should be performed before planting and every 3 years, primarily to track the pH. Sample each block as you would for other crops.

The more direct method for determining the nutrient status of the vine is tissue sampling, specifically petiole sampling (Figure 1. Grape leaf blade and detached petiole). Petiole sampling should be performed every 2-3 years in established plantings. You may need to sample annually when establishing the vineyard.

petioleleafbladeFigure 1. Grape leaf blade and detached petiole

When to sample? Sampling at full bloom is the most common time, as it provides a longer window for in-season corrective actions. Sampling during early veraison is the most stable time of the season. Time of day matters, sample in the morning.

How to sample? Pick leaves of uniform age. Choose a leaf on a primary shoot opposite the basal flower cluster (Figure 2. Grape leaf opposite the basal flower cluster), if sampling during bloom time. Collect the youngest fully expanded leaf, if sampling during veraison.

If possible, pick only one leaf from each vine.

Avoid damaged leaves, whether from insects, disease, or mechanical injury. Avoid dirty leaves and vines near roadways or from the outer rows of the block when possible.

Remove the petiole from the leaf and place into a clean paper bag. Avoid contact with metal surfaces. Use your fingernails to separate the petiole from the leaf blade.

Sample from both sides of the canopy.

Sample from throughout the entire block that is managed as one unit. Large vineyard blocks with substantial variation (e.g. in elevation, or vigor) may require multiple samples.

If you observe mineral deficiency symptoms, sample affected and unaffected leaves separately.

leaftosampleFigure 2. Grape leaf opposite the basal flower cluster

How many pieces to sample? One hundred petioles for each sample. If the cultivar has very short petioles then collect two hundred petioles.

How to handle the sample pieces? Make sure they are clean. If they are dusty or have been sprayed with foliar fertilizer or a phosphorous acid fungicide, rinse in distilled water. Do not soak them.  Dry the sample on paper towels until fully dry or in an oven at 200°F and then place in clean paper bags at room temperature and send to the laboratory.

Sufficiency values for nutrients in vineyards

Sufficiency range
Nutrient (symbol) In soil In petioles at bloom In petioles at veraison
Total Nitrogen (N) -z 1.2 – 2.2% 0.8 – 1.2%
Phosphorus (P) 20 – 50 ppm 0.17 – 0.30% 0.14 – 0.30%
Potassium (K) 75 – 100 ppm 1.5 – 2.5% 1.2 – 2.0%
Calcium (Ca) 500 – 2,000 ppmy 1.0 – 3.0% 1.0 – 2.0%
Magnesium (Mg) 100 – 250 ppm 0.3 – 0.5% 0.35 – 0.75%
Boron (B) 0.3 – 2.0 ppm 25 – 50 ppm 25 – 50 ppm
Iron (Fe) 20 ppm 30 – 100 ppm 30 – 100 ppm
Manganese (Mn) 20 ppm 25 – 1,000 ppm 100 – 1,500 ppm
Copper (Cu) 0.5 ppm 5 – 15 ppm 5 – 15 ppm
Zinc (Zn) 2 ppm 30 – 60 ppm 30 – 60 ppm
Molybdenum (Mo) -x 0.5 ppm 0.5 ppm
Aluminum (Al) < 100 ppmy
Organic matter 3-5%
pH 5.5 (for natives)
5.0 (for hybrids)
6.5 (for V. vinifera)
Notes: ppm is the abbreviation for parts per million.If soil values are reported in lbs./Acre, divide by 2 to convert to ppm.If values are reported in percentages, multiply by 10,000 to convert to ppm.If values are reported in ppm, divide by 10,000 to convert to percentages.
Adapted from: Wine Grape Production Guide for Eastern North America. Editor T.K. Wolfe. (Cooperative Extension NRAES-145)
z Soil nitrogen is not normally evaluated for vineyards in eastern North America
y Calcium and aluminum levels are normally adequate when pH is in the proper range for the grape variety.
x Adequacy of soil molybdenum for grapevines is uncertain.

Where to send the samples?

Your local chemical supplier may provide this service. A & L Great Lakes Lab, Inc.
3505 Conestoga Drive
Fort Wayne, IN 46808(219) 483-4759
Rutgers Soil Testing Laboratory *(soil only)
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
57 US Highway 1
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8554(848) 932-9295
Plant Analysis Laboratory/ICP
Fruit & Vegetable Science Dept.
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14583  (607) 255-1785
Agricultural Analytical Services
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA 16802(814) 863-6124
Virginia Tech Soil Testing Lab
145 Smyth Hall
Blacksburg, VA 24061(703) 231-6893

New Jersey Center for Wine Research and Education Tagged: 2015, A&L Great Lakes Lab, Agricultural Analytical Services, Cornell, Dan Ward, establishing a vineyard, grape growing, grape leaf, grapes, grapevine, leaf blade, monitoring, NJAES, nutrients, nutrition, nutritional, Penn State, petiole, Plant Analysis Laboratory, Rutgers, Rutgers Soil Testing Lab, sampling, soil, sufficiency values, T.K. Wolfe, vineyard, Virginia Tech Soil Testing Lab, viticulture, Wine Grape Production Guide for Eastern North America

Contact Information

Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center
121 Northville Rd., Bridgeton, NJ 08302-5919
danward@njaes.rutgers.edu
Monday - Friday
9 AM - 5 PM

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