1May 10,2007

The research team• Kevin Ker, Brock University and KCMS• Helen Fisher, U. of Guelph,

Adjunct Professor Brock University• Ken Slingerland, OMAFRA• Hugh Fraser, OMAFRA• Ryan Brewster, KCMS• Lisa Hildenbrandt, KCMS• Adam Mark – Brock 4th year Biology• Jacqueline Stephenson – Brock 4th year Biology• Cathy Mous• Jenny Mous

2May 10,2007

3May 10,2007

3-Year Applied Research Project

‘Evaluate grapevine & tender fruit winter hardiness & develop best environmental practices for using wind machines to reduce the effects of cold injury’

• November 2005 - 2007• Co-sponsors

Grape Growers of OntarioWine Council of Ontario

• Most funds from CanAdvanceAgricultural Adaptation Council (AAFC)

• Additional funds from CRESTechOntario Centres of Excellence

4May 10,2007

Other FundersOntario Tender Fruit Producers’ Marketing BoardNiagara Peninsula Fruit & Vegetable GrowersKCMS Applied Research and ConsultingOrchard-Rite WM (S. Bosc)Chinook WM (R. Vail)AGRICORP

CollaboratorsTown of NOTLBrock UniversityHernder VineyardsFunk FarmsWeather Innovations NetworkKCMS Applied Research and Consulting

5May 10,2007

Broad Objective of Project• Through applied field research, find the optimum

timing for using wind machines so as to minimizetheir use, which is good for:

Growers, as it saves them time and moneyNeighbours, as it reduces nuisance noise effects

6May 10,2007

Bud Sampling Survey• 20 Nov 2006 to 16 Apr 2007 (8 times)• Follow up with live bud counts in early June• 5 Niagara growing zones• 28 cooperator vineyards• 14 varieties• With/without wind machines• Buds checked if alive (green) or dead (black)• Results help see if wind machines make a difference• For bud survival rates, see www.brocku.ca/ccovi• OMAFRA newsletters

7May 10,2007

% Live Buds (Merlot) March 19, 2007

-89Vinemount74-77-Parkway

8284-85Lakeshore6588-100Central

80 – 9964 – 92BenchEast of CanalWest of Canal

8May 10,2007

% Live Buds During Dormant Season

809172931009598NoCab. Franc Grimsby

56576375899091NoSyrahSt. Catharines

74818192979899YesChardonnay NOTL

M 19

F 26

F 12

J 29

J 15

D 18

N 20

Wind Mach

Variety and Location

9May 10,2007

Bud Survival for ChardonnayWinter 2007

0

20

40

60

80

100

Inland Lakeshore

% li

ve b

uds

Feb 08Feb 22Mar 08

A

BB

A A A

adapted from J. Stevenson, Brock University

10May 10,2007

Bud Survival for Cabernet SauvignonWinter 2007

0

20

40

60

80

100

Jan 17 Jan 31 Feb 16 Feb 28

ControlPRD50ET100ET

data adapted from A. Mark, Brock University

No significant difference at any date

11May 10,2007

What is an Exotherm?Definition – Amount of heat given off by a chemical reaction• As water freezes (ice nucleation) heat is released from the

system (exotherm)• When ice crystals form inside buds, xylem or phloem, an

exotherm is generated & measured with sensitive equipment

H2O Liquid H2O Solid

HEAT

12May 10,2007

Freezer #1

Modeled from California system (Wample)

Chiller Unit

Sample Chamber

Sample Chamber Thermistor

Custom Software (BudFreeze)

13May 10,2007

Sample Chamber

Cooled liquid travels from chiller, through insulated tubing, into the top of the sample chamber and back to chiller

14May 10,2007

Sample Preparation

15May 10,2007

Sample Capacity

8 wells x 5 buds/well- 3 cultivars/day

# of daily samples

Baco Noir, Foch, VidalHybrid cultivars being sampled (3)

Concord, NiagaraLabrusca cultivars being sampled (2)

Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Gewurztraminer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot

Vinifera cultivars being sampled (10)

All listed cultivars are currently being sampled one time each week

16May 10,2007

Freezer #1 - Problems…

0

0.0002

0.0004

0.00060.0008

0.001

0.0012

0.0014

0.0016

-40 -30 -20 -10 0 10

0

0.0002

0.0004

0.0006

0.0008

0.001

0.0012

-40 -30 -20 -10 0 10

Data is still inconsistent

Require greater resolution

-- WORK IN PROGRESS --

00.00020.00040.00060.0008

0.0010.00120.00140.00160.0018

0.002

-35 -30 -25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0

Better….Too much noise…

17May 10,2007

Freezer #2 - Tenney Freezer Unit

Modeled from WSU systemModeled from WSU system

18May 10,2007

Thermistors, Trays and DAS

• 40 channel, high speed data scanning and logging system

• Scans & logs all data from freezer unit and organizes it into Excel

• ‘THE BRAIN’

19May 10,2007

Data OutputMerlot – Sampled March 15, 2007

-0.0001

0

0.0001

0.0002

0.0003

0.0004

0.0005

0.0006

-45 -40 -35 -30 -25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0 5

Degrees C

Volts

volts Chn 101 VDC volts Chn 102 VDC volts Chn 103 VDC volts Chn 104 VDC volts Chn 105 VDCvolts Chn 106 VDC volts Chn 108 VDC volts Chn 109 VDC volts Chn 110 VDC

20May 10,2007

Studying sound• Sound mainly comes from blades

Speed, diameter, shape• Sound higher in homes with

Large roomsSquarish-shape roomsLarge windowsHard floorsLight construction

• More home testing planned• Please use extra caution with

locating & operating machines near homes within influence of machine airflow (~125 m/400 ft)

21May 10,2007

Extending Information

• > 20 presentations to 1000 people• > 30 newspaper articles• 3 evening information sessions for

over 150 NOTL residents• Top Q & A’s put in local papers• INFOSheet available (OMAFRA)• Tech paper on sound study (ASABE)• OMAFRA & Brock website info• Extending info continues

22May 10,2007

Here’s the proof they work…• Wind machine used during one

of the late spring frosts early on morning of April 28, 2006

• Two graphs of temperaturesas machine turned on…one hour after operating

• Ground temp dropped from 12oC at 5:00 pm to 0oC after midnight

23May 10,2007

• Vineyard ‘floor’ shows temp sensors at vines over about 10 acres

• Wind machine at centre• Bars ‘up’ are temps at

vines; -0.2oC to 0.4oC• Dashed bar is air temp

20 m above ground, at near 5oC, so about 5oC ‘thermal inversion’

500

353

250

50

-125

-250

-375

-500

-265

0

25050

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

1:45 am, wind machine idling

24May 10,2007

• Air temps near vines rose to at least 3oC, especially near wind machine in centre

• Air temp at 20 m above vineyard remained near 5oC

• Area influenced by wind machine is being studied

500

353

250

50

-125

-250

375

-500

-265

0

2505

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

2:45 am, wind machine full on

25May 10,2007

Finally, we’ve also learned that….• There is no ‘warm’ air

above vineyard if winds greater than ~ 7 km/h

• Thermal inversions up to 11oC have occurred

• There’s a surprisingly wide range of hrs on machines out there, even in adjacent vineyards

• More localized real-time monitoring is needed as it will reduce machine use

• Machine use likely will range from 25 to 75 hours/year over time

Test machine ran 38 hrs, March ’06 to March ’07

• If our research reduces use only one 8-hour night per year, it saves growers over $125,000/year in fuel costs & reduces complaints which is ‘priceless’

26May 10,2007

Thank you for your attention