Just when it seemed a great thing couldn’t get better, Washington State University Chateau Ste. Michelle Distinguished Professor of Viticulture Markus Keller published the second edition of his textbook “The Science of Grapevines: Anatomy and Physiology.” That’s right, a textbook.
But not just any textbook. The first edition of “The Science of Grapevines” won the Jury Award for best viticulture book of 2010 from the Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin (OIV; International Organization of Vine and Wine) and has been called a “‘go to’ book for questions and answers” by Stuart Weiss, chief scientist and founder of Viticision, a viticultural consulting group.
Keller says the new edition has expanded coverage on the reasons why grape yield and composition vary among vineyards and between vintages. In addition to covering the parts of a grapevine and their functions and interactions with their surroundings, “The Science of Grapevines” was updated with recent research findings, including how to increase sugar content in grapes by using drip irrigation and options for better maintaining vines during drought conditions. The book also now contains a glossary of important terms.
The 509-page textbook listing over 2,400 literature references is available for purchase as a hardback or e-book through Elsevier’s Academic Press of Burlington, Mass.
– Erika Holmes