- Spring 1999 "Update" Newsletter Article -
On board...
Ricchuiti Chair researcher welcomes opportunity to serve California's grape and wine industry
Copyright © 1999. All rights reserved.
He has moved from pomology to viticulture, and from Missouri to California. And now he is the new research scientist at the Viticulture and Enology Research Center (VERC) at California State University, Fresno. Dr. Sanliang Gu assumed VERC’s Ricchiuti Chair of Viticulture Research in February. The position is devoted 75 percent to viticulture research and 25 percent to an academic assignment in the Department of Plant Science.
The new Fresno State researcher says that from his prior position in Missouri, one of the greatest attractions of the VERC appointment was serving in the most productive viticulture region in the United States and perhaps the world.
"Fresno really is the heart of grape production in this country. If I can do for 400,000 acres what I did for 1,000 (in Missouri) then that is what would be most worthwhile to me," he said.
Gu’s prior position was assistant professor of fruit science and viticulture advisor for Southwest Missouri State University. There he specialized in viticulture research and grower advisement. In the entire state of Missouri, Gu recalls, about 1,000 acres were devoted to wine and table grapes. In California the figure is 400,000, including raisin grapes.
"I am aware of the international reputation of this center for viti-culture research. I know there is strong support by the industry. At many other places you don’t get that kind of support," he said.
Gu is hoping for initial industry support for his first proposed research project through the California Agricultural Technology Institute (CATI) and VERC. He has applied for industry matching funds for a study of partial rootzone drying (PRD) in grapevines. He observed the technique earlier this year in an industry-sponsored trip to Australia. PRD involves using two above-ground drip lines for each row of grapevines – with one drip line on each side of the vine.
Irrigation scheduling includes alternating drip line operation approximately every 10 days – in essence conducting deficit irrigation on one side of the root zone while keeping the other side well watered, in alternating cycles. The deficit irrigation on alternating sides causes the plant to react physiologically, Gu explained.
"This technique holds the promise of significantly reducing vine water use, controlling vine vigor and canopy density, and maintaining crop yields when compared to standard vineyard irrigation practices," he said. "They have been doing it [in Australia] for a few years, with very positive results. We wanted to follow up, and try to adopt it to California viticulture."
Gu’s research transition from pomology to viticulture has been highlighted by awards in both areas. In 1984, his last year of work in his native China before coming to the United States, Gu was honored for outstanding research in apple production by the Shandong Department of Agriculture. Shandong Province also hosts Shandong Agricultural University, where Gu completed graduate studies.
Highlighting his move into viticulture research in the United States, Gu received the "Best Paper of the Year" award from the American Society for Enology and Viticulture in 1995. The paper dealt with inflorescence necrosis and ammonium assimilation in Pinot Noir grapevines.
Other areas of his viticulture research in recent years include plant nutrition, plant-water relation, water stress, cold hardiness, cultivar evaluation, trellis systems and canopy management.
Gu said that before he dives into any major new projects here, he wants to be assured of the benefits to industry. "My plan is to put in some time to learn the industry’s needs," he said. "I always try to focus on the relationship between science and production. If you’re not doing anything for production, you’re not really doing anything for viticulture."
Dr. Gu prefers to be called Sanliang (Sahn-li-ang). His family includes his wife and two children, who live with him in Fresno. He may be reached through VERC at (559) 278-4786 or via email at sanliang_gu@csufresno.edu.
{ page top }