AgBioResearch

Michigan Grape and Wine Research Priorities

Soil Health and Nutrient Management

• Investigate methods to improve soil health through organic amendments, composting, biodynamic practices, and cover crops.
• Study the impact of soil microbiomes on grapevine nutrition, disease resistance, and wine quality.
• Evaluate precision nutrient management techniques, including sap analysis, for real-time monitoring and reduced input costs.

Regenerative Viticulture and Sustainability

• Assess regenerative viticulture practices such as cover cropping, reduced tillage, and carbon sequestration.
• Measure the effects of these practices on soil health, vine resilience, and environmental impact.
• Exploring non-chemical vineyard floor management

Water Quality and Use Efficiency

• Evaluate vineyard irrigation practices to improve water use efficiency and reduce runoff.
• Develop sustainable solutions for wastewater and process water discharge from vineyards and wineries.

Evaluation of new cultivars under Michigan conditions and old cultivars under the evolving Michigan conditions

• Cool Climate & Cold-Hardy Varietal Development
• Identify and promote grape varieties with improved winter hardiness, disease resistance, and high-quality wine potential, reducing risk of crop loss from polar vortex events and unpredictable spring frosts.
• Evaluate performance and wine quality of naturally disease-resistant grapevine varieties (hybrid and vinifera) in Michigan.
• Identify pathways for integrating new varieties into existing vineyard systems to reduce pesticide dependence.

Water Quality and Use Efficiency

• Evaluate vineyard irrigation practices to improve water use efficiency and reduce runoff.
• Develop sustainable solutions for wastewater and process water discharge from vineyards and wineries.
• Water and Nutrient Stress Mitigation
• Explore irrigation techniques and canopy management to reduce drought and heat stress.
• Study the role of precision viticulture tools to monitor water and nutrient stress.

Trunk Disease Management

• Assess early detection methods for trunk diseases (e.g., Esca, Eutypa dieback).
• Develop best practices to mitigate trunk diseases and extend vine lifespan under Michigan conditions.

Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience

• Study the effects of climate change on grapevine phenology, fruit quality, and vineyard productivity.
• Develop adaptive strategies for frost mitigation, heat stress management, and extreme weather resilience.

Pest and Disease Management

• Study integrated pest management (IPM) approaches, including bio-fungicides, pheromone traps, and beneficial insects.
• Address pesticide resistance and evaluate alternatives to systemic fungicides.
• Understanding late season pest management as it relates to the effects on fermentation and winemaking such as fungicide effects on yeast health

Modern Technology and Mechanization

• Implement remote sensing, drones, and precision viticulture tools to optimize vineyard management.
• Evaluate the impact of mechanization and automation on labor efficiency and fruit quality.
• Technology Transfer: Providing growers with access to the latest research findings, best practices, and decision-support tools to improve vineyard and winery management

Trellis Systems and Vineyard Architecture

• Study the impact of trellis systems on vine growth, yield, fruit quality, and cold-climate management.
• Compare labor efficiency and compatibility with mechanization for different trellis designs.

Updated September 2025