docBird Netting in Vineyards - PA Wine Grape Growers Network
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Bird Netting in Vineyards - PA Wine Grape Growers Network
Bird Netting In Vineyards Alice Wise & Libby Tarleton Cornell Grape Research Program Why are birds a problem? • Eat the crop – why? It is a low level food source with very little nutrients. • Peck the fruit – cause wound sites that lead to problems with fruit flies, sour & bitter rot, botrytis • Impact fruit quality • Costs associated with fruit loss What birds are a problem? Potential Problem Birds Vineyard Variability Severity of bird damage varies • Presence or absence of other varieties • Vineyard size • Distance to perching sites • Landscape/habitat • Weather • Migration patterns – impact from climate change Bird Control Options Bird Netting since 1980’s Vertical Shoot Positioned Canopy VSP Primary training system on Long Island. Fruiting wire ~ 30” high 2-3 pairs of catch wires Canopy 6-7 ft. high Narrow but well-filled canopy. Fruit zone exposed for spray and light penetration Standard Net extruded black plastic with ¾” mesh 14’ & 17’ widths 5000 ft. rolls OK for very low to moderate pressure Cheapest net available Different Types of Net Fine Mesh Wildlife Control Technologies/Conwed 16 - 19 mm 1/3” square 17’ width Gintec ProGuard Gintec Shade Technologies originally shadecloth 11% shade ~ 4 x 7 mm mesh 2.6’ & 3.3’ width 3000 ft. rolls hooks on catch wires bottom fastened w/zip ties Damage to Gintec nets at LIHREC Gintec Fine Mesh Gintec Shade Technologies 10-15% shade 3 x 3 mm mesh woven 2.5 ‘ width 3000 ft. rolls Same attachment protocol as standard Gintec Vineside® Donaghys/Gale Pac. 6% shade 15 x 14 mm square mesh, knitted 2.74 & 4.29’ widths 1650’ rolls fastened w/twist ties or staples Windbreak Plus® Gale Pacific ~ 3 x 3mm 38% shade 3.28’ width 164’ roll PermaNet® Gale Pacific 5 x 7 mm 1/3” square Est. 7% shade 4’ width Tightloch® Spec Trellising 5 x 5 mm square mesh, knitted 2.6’ widths 1650’ rolls fastened at top w/hooks or zip ties bottom with twist or zip ties Tek-Knit Tek-Knit (Canada) 5x5 mm square mesh, “locked” 2.6’ widths 1200’ rolls Attach same way as Tightlock Merlot Bird Damage 2005 through 2008 90 80 70 60 % Bird Damage 50 standard standard w/spacers Gintec Vineside Vineside EZ 10 Gintec Proguard 40 30 20 10 0 2005 2006 2007 2008 Side Netting Pros and Cons 1. Provides good results, but the net has to have lock stitch technology (increases the cost) 1. Need to open net for shoot and cluster thinning 2. Easy to apply 2. Labor intensive to tie net at top and bottom. 3. Can store in vineyard 3. Hard to fruit sample 4. Labor savings in catch wire lifting w/early application 4. Difficult to repair 5. Also help keep out other wildlife: raccoon, opossum, fox, deer etc. Windbreak Plus, Gintec fine mesh, PermaNet, Tightloch and Tek-Knit All fine mesh with lock stitch technology. So far provided good protection in both replicated and observational plots. Birds learn – will they eventually figure out these fine mesh nets? Expensive – but worth the cost? No ripening or disease concerns thus far LIHREC – std. net vs. Windbreak Plus Damage to Windbreak Plus nets at LIHREC Bird Netting - Cost Fruit Zone or over the row Width Cost/acre Fruit zone 1.3m 1650. (2009) Windbreak Plus® “ 1.0m 3550. (2005) Gintec fine mesh “ 0.8m 5250. (2007) Gintec ProGuard® “ 0.8m 1746. (2009) PermaNet® “ 1.2m 0.8m 2277. (2013) 2200. (2013) Tightloch® “ 0.8m 2200. (2013) Tek-Knit® “ 0.8m 2800. (2012) Standard fine mesh OTR 18ft 1100. (2007) Standard OTR 17ft 1574. (2009) Vineside® *Based on 8ft rows Summary No silver bullet – multiple strategies Companies are coming out with new designs – side net with small mesh size and lock stitch technology at a better price (lighter net). We continue to investigate new netting Spacers Thank you NY Wine & Grape Foundation Long Island wine industry Gintec Shade Technologies Donaghys / Gale Pacific Michael Schmidt, Spec Trellising Questions?
