Markus Keller

Rootstock vs Own-rooted, Taste Washington, Auction of Washington Wines, Wine Cruise

Can Washington Growers Use Rootstocks and Maintain Fruit and Wine Quality? Almost all wine grapes grown in Washington are grown on their own roots. That’s unusual. In most of the world’s other major wine regions, grapes are grown on grafted rootstock. That is, varietal scions (the part of the plant that produces the leaves, buds, […]

Lemons and Lemonade, Big Prize, Wine Cruise

When Life Hands You Lemons… When life hands you lemons of any sort, said WSU enologist Jim Harbertson in a recent talk to vineyard managers and winemakers, make lemonade. The metaphorical lemons being grapes from vines infected with grapevine leafroll virus — a serious problem that is best dealt with by ripping out infected plants […]

WSU Viticulture Prof’s Book Wins Major International Prize

PROSSER, Wash. — It’s not often that a textbook becomes a bestseller. It’s even more rare for the same book to be selected for a prestigious prize, as well. But that is exactly the situation with “The Science of Grapevines: Anatomy and Physiology” by Markus Keller, the Washington State University Chateau Ste. Michelle Distinguished Professor […]

Going with the Flow, Beautiful Vineyards, Wine Cruise

Going with the Flow Viticulture researchers at WSU’s Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Prosser are going with the flow – the inflow via phloem and xylem, and the outflow via transpiration and xylem backflow, that is. The woody xylem is an essential part of a plant’s plumbing. It’s through the xylem that water […]

Water, South America, Clore Center

Smart Vine: Grapevines Adapt to Changing Water Supply Years of intense research in the arid wine-grape growing region of eastern Washington has taught growers how plants react to various irrigation regimes. Water is such a valuable resource its known as “blue gold,” so this research has been a vital component of growers’ success in producing […]

Pixie Grape, New Research Vineyard, Upcoming

Miniature Grapevine Speeds Research Washington State University researchers are using a dwarf grapevine variety named Pixie to research potential solutions to industry problems. “This is your lab rat for the grape world,” said Amit Dhingra, assistant professor of horticultural genomics and biotechnology. “With Pixie grape, you can advance and accelerate solution delivery to the stakeholders […]

Auction Success, Grape Knowledge, AgWeatherNet

Wine Auction a Major Success Thanks to everyone who supported this year’s Celebrate Washington Wine gala fundraiser by donating to the auction, attending, and participating in the new online auction. The ninth annual dinner and auction at Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery in Woodinville was a sellout and brought in more than $240,000 to benefit the […]