The Viticulture Consortium West (VCW) has been in operation since 1996, with the objective to establish and coordinate a research program in support of viticulture and the viticulture industry with a peer review grant program through which experiment stations and universities in the western states, Texas and Oklahoma can be assisted in developing and maintaining competitive viticulture industries. The program is part of the national Viticulture Consortium which includes a partner program, Viticulture Consortium East, administrated by Cornell University, New York. VCW is administrated through the University of California, Division of Agricultural and Natural Resources (ANR). The Viticulture Consortium is funded by the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) to supplement and encourage the viticulture industry to continue to provide industry funding for research and extension education.

The program operates with a Director and a Guidance Committee consisting of industry, research and extension personnel. A yearly request for research proposals is sent to the western experiment station directors and deans, and other universities with evidence of strong viticulture-related research. Priorities for research to be funded through sub-grants are determined by consultation with scientific and industry personnel from throughout the U.S. through the American Viticulture and Enology Research Network (AVERN), the American Vineyard Foundation (AVF), and the recently formed National Grape and Wine Initiative (NGWI).

Research proposals for sub-grants received from scientists responding to the annual request for proposals are evaluated through a two-step peer review process. Proposals are sent to ad hoc reviewers for evaluation and comments. These reviews are then considered by Scientific Review Panels of researchers who also evaluate and rate proposals received. Panels are established in the areas of Breeding, Germplasm, and Evaluation; Cultural Practices; Pest Management; Disease Management; and Extension and Outreach. The panels are reformed each year depending on the expertise required to evaluate the proposals received that year.

Coordination with industry groups who also fund research has resulted in a continuing commitment by industry (American Vineyard Foundation, California Table Grape Commission, California Raisin Marketing Board, the California Grape Rootstock Improvement Commission and grower organizations in other states) to provide matching support of the CSREES grant to VCW. To date, these industry groups have provided funding for additional research at a level of 3-4 times that of the VCW.

Projects funded by VCW include research with both near- and long-term objectives. They address the biology and management of grapevine pests, research on the genetics of grape plant material development and evaluation, and improved cultural practices and production systems. Many of the projects funded by VCW are addressing and utilizing recent basic advances in meteorlogical and biological research.

Some examples of research success under the program are:

Grape disease research:

• Significant progress in understanding the etiology and management of canker diseases including Eutypa, esca, and the oak-root fungus has been made. This group of diseases may cause considerable loss in both mature and young vineyards.
• Knowledge developed on powdery mildew disease has provided models that determine the environmental factors and times when application of fungicidal controls should be made. This has resulted in significantly less use of pesticides and more effective control.
• Research on the etiology and identification of previously unknown virus diseases has provided significant advances. Diagnostic procedures utilizing DNA technology have been developed for identifying viruses and their strains leading to improvements in clean planting stock programs and in vineyard management of this important group of diseases and the damage they cause.
  

Insect pests:

• Research on insect pests, including mites, phylloxera, leafhoppers, sharpshooters and mealy bugs has also contributed to increased understanding of the biology and management of these pests. Projects are focused on biological control strategies and minimizing pesticide use.
  

Cultural Practices:

• Development of improved cultural practices and vineyard management systems have received considerable attention. Research to determine and develop optimal cultural practices includes irrigation methods, requirements and water conservation, pruning and trellis systems, fertilization, vineyard floor management, and environmental factors that affect production and quality of grapes and grape products. Some of these studies are coordinated with the development of mechanization in various steps of the production and harvest system. Most notable may be the results and application of studying trellis systems allowing mechanical harvesting of wine grape and the Dry on Vine System emerging for harvest and production of raisins. Both are contributing to more timely harvests enhancing quality and significant savings to growers.
• Field monitoring of water requirements of the grape plant and effects of irrigation schedules and amounts on quality and desirability on grape and grape products have yielded models for grape irrigation systems resulting in water conservation and improved quality of grapes and grape products.
• Basic studies on the development of grape berries including amount and time of sugar formation and in plant transport as it affects quality of grape products is contributing to both quality of the products and assisting vineyard managers in production decisions.
  

Breeding, Germplasm, and Evaluation:

• VC projects in this category include varietal, clonal and rootstock evaluation, disease resistance development and screening and propagation methodology and rootstock development and evaluation. Basic grapevine genetic studies have provided clonal identification techniques for both scions and rootstocks and adoption of disease and pest resistant rootstocks.