Krista Shellie Research Horticulturist USDA-ARS-HCRL Worksite 29603 U of I Lane Parma, ID  83660 Office: (208) 722-6701 ext. 219 Fax: (208) 722-8166 Krista.Shellie@ars.usda.gov
Viticultural production has recently expanded into semi-arid, warm growing regions with an historical risk of cold injury.  My program addresses wine grape production from the perspective of understanding how cultural practices, such as irrigation or cultivar selection, impact berry quality components and vine biology.
I am researching how severity and phenological timing of vine water stress impacts vine physiology and grape quality components.  I am also evaluating cultivar adaptation and response to vine water stress and cold injury.  In field trials with various wine grape cultivars, differing severities of vine water stress are imposed at particular berry growth stages by manipulating duration of irrigation.
I measure various physiological responses of the leaf and vine to the imposed treatments and analyze vine attributes and grape berry composition.  Cultivar adaptation is assessed by annual collection of phenological and cold injury data for multiple wine grape cultivars grown under similar cultural practices.  A minivinification facility is used to assess impact of cultural practices on wine quality.
A long-term objective of this research is to enhance our understanding of vine and berry response to water and temperature stress so that cultural practices can be optimized to achieve sustained production of premium quality grapes.