RICHLAND, Wash. — Sun exposure and soil temperature can affect the final flavor of wine. Students in WSU’s Viticulture & Enology program put this to the test by monitoring two cabernet sauvignon grape plots in the same vineyard with east and west facing slopes.

The resulting wines will be bottled separately and will be available for purchase in spring 2022 through the .

“They call the slope the pregnant lady, because the vines grow up and over a big hill,” said Madelyn Calderon, a 2020 graduate of the V&E program.

Calderon and fellow students Zachary Green and Justin Archibald placed soil temperature probes on both sides of a hill of cabernet sauvignon grapes at a vineyard in Kiona, Washington, and collected data over the summer as temperatures fluctuated from July through September of 2019.

The students theorized that west-facing grapes would ripen faster by facing the afternoon sun because of the more intense heat. But because the east-facing grapes received sun in both the morning and afternoon, the eastern soil was hotter, and the vines produced smaller grape clusters.

The dark purple grapes were collected on the same day and treated with the same fermentation process.

“Different soil, location and sun exposure can all influence the distinctive taste of a final wine,” said Thomas Henick-Kling, director of the Viticulture and Enology program.

After analyzing the grape compositions at the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates WSU Wine Science Center, they found the eastern grapes held more heat at night, ripened faster and had a higher sugar content with less acid.

“The east cabernet has strong tannins with a new fruit flavor,” Green said. “The west cabernet has a less intense fruit taste with a smooth finish.”

Both Green and Calderon are now cellar hands at Bookwalter Winery in Richland, Washington, and said WSU’s program served as a springboard into the Washington wine industry.

Classes like Blended Learning allow students to create a wine from harvest to bottle with creative control throughout the process.

“Not a lot of people can say that they have their name on a bottle right out of school,” Calderon said.

Proceeds from Blended Learning wine sales benefit the V&E program.

 

Media contact:

Kaury Balcom, public relations/communications coordinator, 509-372-7223, kaury.balcom@wsu.edu

By Linda Weiford, WSU News

With temperatures shooting up to 110 degrees and smashing heat records in parts of Washington state, people are at increased risk of suffering from heatstroke – the most serious of heat-related illnesses.

“It’s as if the body, like an oven, gets turned on to the highest possible setting. No longer able to regulate its core temperature, it begins to cook,” said family physician Farion Williams, associate dean of clinical education at Washington State University’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Tri-Cities campus.

“Heatstroke is a medical emergency that can lead to confusion, seizures, loss of consciousness and damage to internal organs, including the brain,” he said. “While young children and seniors are particularly vulnerable, it’s also seen in otherwise healthy people of all ages.”

Scorching weather has prompted the National Weather Service to issue an excessive heat warning across Washington’s eastern half. The hottest temperatures are expected today, with highs expected to soar to 110 degrees in Lewiston-Clarkston, 108 in the Tri-Cities area, 106 in Yakima and 103 in Moscow-Pullman. Temperatures should run near 100 degrees on Friday.

To prevent heatstroke and other heat-related illnesses, “drink plenty of fluids, take breaks in the shade and wear loose, lightweight clothing,” said Dr. Williams, adding that tight clothes lock in the heat, reducing the skin’s ability to cool.

People who work or exercise outside should try to schedule more strenuous activities for early morning or evening, he advised. People should also recognize signs of heat exhaustion, which, if not treated, can progress into life-threatening heatstroke, he said.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion include muscle cramps, fatigue, dizziness and nausea. Treat the condition by resting in a cool, shady place and drinking plenty of water or other fluids – not alcohol or caffeine, Williams cautioned. An ice pack or a cold, wet towel applied to armpits, the nape of the neck or groin area will also help lower body temperature, he explained.

If symptoms include an altered mental state, flushed skin and rapid breathing, suspect heatstroke. “Call 9-1-1. Get to a hospital–as soon as possible,” he said.

Finally, remember that children and pets can swelter to death within minutes when left in a parked vehicle on a blistering summer day, Williams urged.

Since 1998, an average of 37 children have died each year in the United States of vehicular heatstroke, making it the second leading cause of death of children in vehicles, next to crashes, according to the National Safety Council.

Contacts:

• Dr. Farion Williams, WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Tri-Cities campus, 509-372-7434, farion.williams@wsu.edu
• Linda Weiford, WSU News, 509-335-7209, linda.weiford@wsu.edu

By Maegan Murray, ���سԹ�

RICHLAND, Wash. – Groundbreaking nanotechnology designed to protect cherries, apples and other popular fruits from frost damage is showing positive results in tests by Washington State University researchers.

The research team recently received a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to develop plant-based nanocrystals that coat and protect fruit buds during cold spells in the spring, when temperatures rise and fall unpredictably. The team also received an additional $100,000 from the tree fruit growers of Washington state through the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission to partially fund field trails in support of the technology.

The unique nanocrystal solution was formulated by Xiao Zhang, associate professor at ���سԹ�’ Bioproducts, Sciences and Engineering Laboratory, and a team of collaborators representing multiple disciplines.

“Frost damage happens in spring, as the flowers open and the sensitive tissues in the plant are exposed,” said Matthew Whiting, scientist and professor of horticulture at WSU’s Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center. “If we get a warm week, it signals to the plant that it needs to wake up.

“But plants lose their tolerance to the cold quite quickly, and that’s when we see frost damage,” Whiting added. “You see a lot of crop damage as a result.”

Positive results with preliminary trials

The team, led by professor Qin Zhang, director of WSU’s Center for Precision and Automated Agricultural Systems, also includes Xiao Zhang, Matthew Whiting, and Changki Mo, ���سԹ� associate professor of mechanical engineering. Together they conducted their first field trial with the nanocrystals this spring. It showed positive results.

The team will continue the trials over the next three years, seeking to perfect the dosage and application strategy, in addition to the nanocrystal technology.

“We will explore thermal properties of the nanocrystal spray, and focus on fully understanding the mechanism of nanocrystals in frost damage reduction,” Mo said.

If it proves feasible, the technology could have a large impact on the agriculture industry.

“Our preliminary results show the technology to be very promising, even better than we were expecting,” Qin Zhang said. “If we prove that the technology works, and if the method of application is perfected, it will not only have applications in tree fruit, but in many other crops, and beyond. The potential for this technology is huge.”

Unique and renewable characteristics

Since the nanocrystals are made from plant-based material, they represent a more environmentally friendly method for controlling temperatures for crops than current techniques.

Currently, growers use methods such as wind turbines to circulate air and raise the temperature of cold pockets in orchards. Or, they use heaters that cost upwards of thousands of dollars per night, which also give off significant pollution.

“With these unique structural characteristics and physical properties, and the fact that the nanocrystals are all made out of biobased materials and are considered renewable, we are identifying a high-value niche application for tree fruit and frost prevention and protection,” Xiao Zhang said.

Cross disciplines for the future of fruit protection

Researchers from across several disciplines at WSU are working to perfect the nanocrystal method, ensuring a quality product built for industry use, Qin Zhang said.

“No single person who works in chemical engineering and nanocrystal technology, horticulture, mechanical engineering or precision agriculture has complete knowledge on the subject,” Qin Zhang said. “It is truly a transdisciplinary team. Everyone provides expertise in their particular field. This integrated team is covering all knowledge to conduct this research.”

 

Contacts:

• Qin Zhang, director and professor at WSU’s Center for Precision and Automated Agricultural Systems, 509-786-9360, qinzhang@wsu.edu
• Xiao Zhang, associate professor at Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, 509-372-7647, x.zhang@wsu.edu
• Changki Mo, ���سԹ� associate professor of mechanical engineering, 509-372-7296, changki.mo@wsu.edu
• Matt Whiting, scientist and professor of horticulture at WSU’s Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, 509-786-9260, mdwhiting@wsu.edu
• Maegan Murray, ���سԹ� public relations specialist, 509-372-7333, maegan_murray@wsu.edu