(Wines&Vines) - Dr. S. Kaan Kurtural has joined the University of California, Davis, Department of Viticulture and Enology as the new cooperative extension specialist in viticulture. He was previously an associate professor in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at California State University, Fresno. Kurtural was introduced to the industry in his new position at the 2015 UC Davis Grape Day meeting on Dec. 2. He steps into a position vacated nearly three years ago following the retirement of UC Davis faculty member Dr. Jim Wolpert.

Background

Kurtural is a native of Izmir, Turkey, where his family has grown raisin grapes for many years and recently diversified into table grape production. He observed, “I’ve come a long way in terms of geography, but I’m still doing the same thing. I’ve been working with grapes my whole life.”

Kurtural holds a Ph.D. in plant biology and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in plant and soil science, all from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Prior to joining the Fresno State Viticulture and Enology faculty, he was an extension specialist for viticulture with the Department of Horticulture at the University of Kentucky in Lexington from 2005 to 2008. At Fresno State, he was the inaugural Bronco Wine Co. research chair. Kurtural taught a number of viticulture classes at both the graduate and undergraduate levels at Fresno State, but in his new job he will be focused on industry extension work and research.

Kurtural has done extensive research on mechanized canopy management for optimizing grape yields and quality in San Joaquin Valley vineyards. His research interests include precision viticulture; vineyard mechanization for optimizing crop load, yield efficiency and sustainability; whole grapevine physiology; and irrigation deficits, scheduling, application and their interactive effects with cropping levels on vine and grape flavonoid biosynthesis.

Two of his recent research projects, funded by the American Vineyard Foundation, include:

• A comparison of crop load management systems and differential regulated deficit irrigation on vineyards converted from traditional California sprawl trellises to other trellis and canopy-management systems in a warm climate. Preliminary results suggest conversion to a single high-wire bilateral cordon mechanically pruned system can result in more efficient use of applied water with greater yields and similar berry skin phenolics. This study is providing important information for California wine grape growers about how best to convert and manage canopies in light of declining resources such as labor and water.

• The interactive effects of mechanical leaf removal timing and regulated deficit irrigation on the biosynthesis of methoxypyrazines and phenolics on Merlot in the San Joaquin Valley.

His professional memberships include the American Society for Enology and Viticulture, the American Society for Horticultural Science and the American Chemical Society.