Season 2022: Weather update, vineyard growth and protection

As every week, Jeff Franklin from AAFC Kentville is bringing the weather update, with positive news in terms of temperature for the last week. Like previous weeks, plants are growing in a good rate, especially the ones with earlier bud burst and on locations with warmer conditions. Hybrids, such as Lucie Kuhlmann, Frontenac, Geisenheim or L’Acadie blanc have been growing steadily, currently in shoot thinning process and even tucking the shoots. Meanwhile vinifera varieties, the early ones are in shoot thinning process as well and others slightly behind depending on their location.

The first table shows the temperature base 5⁰ C and 10⁰ C from 2019 until 2022 accumulated from March 1 until June 13. At the end of each section, it’s possible to see the average of the last 5 and 10 years respectively.

Category	2019	2020	2021	2022	5 year average	10 year average
Plant development (Base 5ºC)	351.8	379.0	502.6	472.2	419.3	433.8
Insect development (Base 10º)	127.6	170.9	239.2	214.4	185.7	196.4

Figure 1. Degree day accumulations as of June 13, 2022.  All data are taken from the Kentville weather station, based on a start date of March 1, and calculated using the single sine method.

The same positive trend continues showing higher values than the average of the last 5 and 10 years. Similar to last week, 2022 is slightly lower than 2021 base 10⁰ C, with 214.4 and 239.2 base 10⁰ C respectively. These temperatures are helping positively the vineyard development, both for hybrids and vinifera.

In the following column graph, you can see the values from 2004 until 2021 and at the end the average of the last 5 and 10 years respectively.

Figure 2. Degree day accumulations as of June 13, 2022 base 10⁰ C. All data are taken from the Kentville weather station, based on a start date of March 1, and calculated using the single sine method.

The graph shows an increase of temperature in 2022, with higher temperatures than the average of the last 5 and 10 years. As mentioned before in 2021, the temperatures were slightly higher than this year until June 13. Like last, until now 2022 is slightly higher than 2017 and 2012 is still the warmest year in this graph.

 

With the recent precipitations, the last days have presented higher humidity levels and warmer conditions, which can increase fungal diseases, for example Downy Mildew, in the vineyard. Some recommendation are to:

• Scout the most vulnerable varieties in locations with lower air flow, more humidity, warmer conditions, and the areas where in previous years the diseases have been found. 
• Spraying might be necessary in some of the products applied, as contact ones might be washed depending on the amount of precipitation received in the area. Therefore, look at the date of your last application before you decide to move forward. 
• Remember to rotate products with the same group to avoid creating disease resistance, pay attention with the re-entry time and keep an eye on the forecast, especially precipitation.

Figure 3. On the left Frontenac and on the right L’Acadie.

Figure 4. On the left Chardonnay and on the right Pinot noir.