The Need

Many viticultural regions sustain substantial yield loss from spring frost damage. As much as 15% of the global grape production is lost to damage from cold-related weather each year. Vineyard managers rely on various methods to mitigate spring frost damage, such as mechanical and chemical interventions. Mechanical interventions such as wind machines, above-vine water sprinklers, and heaters are neither economically feasible for many small vineyards nor environmentally sound. Small vineyards often depend on chemical applications to protect their vines from cold weather. Chemical applications to delay budbreak, which minimizes frost injury by delaying emergence of vulnerable tissues, are growing increasingly popular. However, commercially-available sprays are effective only in the short-term, and do not offer long-term frost protection. Since these available sprays are effective for only a brief period, producers must spray in advance of each cold weather event, raising costs labor and material costs. Furthermore, the existing products were developed for non-viticultural crops, their safety and efficacy for grapevines are unclear and/or limited. Therefore, producers would benefit from a product that could be applied well in advance of spring frost events, and is demonstrably safe and effective for use in grapevines.

The Technology

Researchers at The Ohio State University led by Dr. Imed Dami have produced FrostShield©, a chemical spray for preventing spring frost damage in grapevine by delaying budbreak. FrostShield uses nontoxic, economical compounds that can be sprayed on vines, including younger and emerging shoots, in order to delay budbreak without impairing vegetative or reproductive growth. Furthermore, FrostShield is more effective at delaying budbreak when applied months in advance than are commercially-available products applied prior to the event. Therefore, FrostShield is a promising, new vineyard management tool for mitigation of spring frost injury.

Advantages

• Substantially improves the state of the art for sprays that mitigate grapevine spring frost injury by delaying budbreak
• Formulation is nontoxic for plants and animals, and consists of economical compounds

Commercial applications

• New management tool for small and large vineyard grapevine cultivation
• Spray product for grapevines that mitigates damage from springtime cold snaps that improves upon currently available products
• The first product of its kind specifically-developed for use in grapevine