A better mousetrap - More Accurate Crop Damage Assessment in Lake Erie Grapes
A collaborative effort between extension and research staff of the Lake Erie Regional Grape Program (LERGP) at the Cornell Lake Erie Research and Extension Laboratory (CLEREL) and area growers provided the information needed to more accurately predict freeze damage for Concord grape production in the Lake Erie region. Combining visual inspections of nine vineyard sites to determine damage levels with GIS mapping of the Lake Erie vineyards to identify sites with similar soil and elevation characteristics allowed the Lake Erie Regional Grape Program to quickly develop and update maps showing potential damage levels by sub-regions in Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Niagara Counties in New York and Erie County in Pennsylvania.