Post on 03-Feb-2022
Why are birds a problem?
• Eat the crop – why? It is a low level food source with very little
nutrients.
• Peck the fruit – cause wound sites that lead to problems with fruit flies, sour & bitter rot,
botrytis
• Impact fruit quality
• Costs associated with fruit loss
Vineyard Variability
• Presence or absence of other varieties
• Vineyard size
• Distance to perching sites
• Landscape/habitat
• Weather
• Migration patterns – impact from climate change
Severity of bird damage varies
VSP
Primary training system on Long Island.
Fruiting wire ~ 30” high
2-3 pairs of catch wires
Canopy 6-7 ft. high
Narrow but well-filled canopy.
Fruit zone exposed for spray and light penetration
Vertical Shoot Positioned Canopy
Standard Net
extruded black
plastic with ¾” mesh
14’ & 17’ widths
5000 ft. rolls
OK for very low to moderate pressure
Cheapest net
available
Different Types of Net
Fine Mesh
Wildlife Control Technologies/Conwed
16 - 19 mm
1/3” square
17’ width
Gintec ProGuard
Gintec Shade Technologies
originally shadecloth
11% shade
~ 4 x 7 mm mesh
2.6’ & 3.3’ width
3000 ft. rolls
hooks on catch wires
bottom fastened
w/zip ties
Gintec Fine Mesh
Gintec Shade Technologies
10-15% shade
3 x 3 mm mesh woven
2.5 ‘ width
3000 ft. rolls
Same attachment protocol
as standard Gintec
Vineside®
Donaghys/Gale Pac.
6% shade
15 x 14 mm square
mesh, knitted
2.74 & 4.29’ widths
1650’ rolls
fastened w/twist ties or staples
Tightloch®
Spec Trellising
5 x 5 mm square
mesh, knitted
2.6’ widths 1650’ rolls
fastened at top w/hooks or zip ties
bottom with twist or zip ties
Tek-Knit
Tek-Knit (Canada)
5x5 mm square mesh, “locked”
2.6’ widths 1200’ rolls
Attach same way
as Tightlock
Merlot Bird Damage 2005 through 2008
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
2005 2006 2007 2008
standard
standard w/spacers
Gintec
Vineside
Vineside EZ 10
Gintec Proguard
% Bird Damage
Side Netting Pros and Cons
1. Provides good results, but the net has to have lock stitch technology (increases the cost)
2. Easy to apply
3. Can store in vineyard
4. Labor savings in catch wire lifting w/early application
5. Also help keep out other wildlife: raccoon, opossum, fox, deer etc.
1. Need to open net for shoot and cluster thinning
2. Labor intensive to tie net at top and bottom.
3. Hard to fruit sample
4. Difficult to repair
Windbreak Plus, Gintec fine mesh, PermaNet, Tightloch and Tek-Knit
All fine mesh with lock stitch technology. So far provided good protection in both replicated and observational plots.
LIHREC – std. net vs. Windbreak Plus
Birds learn – will they
eventually figure out
these fine mesh nets?
Expensive – but worth the cost?
No ripening or disease concerns thus far
Bird Netting - Cost Fruit Zone or
over the row
Width Cost/acre
Vineside® Fruit zone 1.3m 1650. (2009)
Windbreak Plus® “ 1.0m 3550. (2005)
Gintec fine mesh “ 0.8m 5250. (2007)
Gintec ProGuard® “ 0.8m 1746. (2009)
PermaNet® “ 1.2m
0.8m
2277. (2013)
2200. (2013)
Tightloch® “ 0.8m 2200. (2013)
Tek-Knit® “ 0.8m 2800. (2012)
Standard fine mesh OTR 18ft 1100. (2007)
Standard OTR 17ft 1574. (2009)
*Based on 8ft rows
Summary
No silver bullet – multiple strategies
Companies are coming out with new designs – side net with small mesh size and lock stitch technology at a better price (lighter net).
We continue to investigate new netting
Thank you
NY Wine & Grape Foundation
Long Island wine industry
Gintec Shade Technologies
Donaghys / Gale Pacific
Michael Schmidt, Spec Trellising