NEW CLIMATE SMART MUSCADINE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES: UTILIZING ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI (AMF) INOCULATED UNDER-VINE VEGETATION (UVV) TO REDUCE PESTICIDE APPLICATIONS AND ENHANCE STUDENT LEARNING

The main objective of our research proposal is to build up research capacity in sustainable vineyard management strategies for southern grapes at FAMU's Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research with purpose to generate new knowledge for Florida grapes and wines and serve as a technological training platform for young professionals, industry clientele and extension personnel. The specific objectives contributing to the success of the proposal are:1)Convert existing rows of a conventionally managed vineyard at FAMU CVSFR to adapt three climate smart practices: UVV, AMF, and EN treatments (Figure 3);2)Install Real-Time vineyard monitoring system to measure conditions and use software to model and estimate risk of diseases and pests;3)Collect soil and plant samples from experimental plots over the span of the project and submit to Biome Makers for soil health and micro biome and analyze VOCs using GC-MS;4)Produce 36 total experimental wine samples for each climate smart variation and evaluate for vinification properties and healthy compounds;5)Develop a new "Climate Smart Muscadine Management Guide" to summarize results of the study to easily make available to industry partners, researchers,and hobbyists grape growers;6)To provide research curricula and training for one (1) graduate student at the master level and two (2) undergraduate student researchers.