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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

We're taking a close look at Sunpreme raisin grapes to better understand how/why the grapes dry on their own in hopes that understanding the biology will lead to better management practices #viticulture #ucdavis #ucanr

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

Veraison has begun about two to three weeks early for the San Joaquin Valley

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

Already starting to see open flowers in Sunpreme, an early raisin variety, in Parlier (Fresno County, California). In years past this variety bloomed in late April/early May. #viticulture #climate

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

Vines are really growing fast in this warm weather. Sunpreme raisin grapes at the UC Kearney Agricultural Center in Parlier.

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

Sunpreme, an early raisin grape variety, is pretty much at budbreak today, which is several days early

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

Our 2-acre Sunpreme vineyard ended up filling 21.5 boxes with raisins. At most, a full box of raisins might weigh 1,000 pounds, so the vineyard probably made about 5 tons of raisins/acre, which is about 2.5 times more than a typical Thompson Seedless raisin vineyard.

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

Last week our raisins were dry enough to pick but we didn't have the labor in place. Then we got nearly an inch of rain and now the raisins are wetter than they should be but with the possibility of more rain and cooler weather we decided to put what we had and finish drying

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 21/07/2025

My employees found a heart-shaped Solbrio table #grape today

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

"Natural" dry-on-vine raisin varieties offer unprecedented opportunities for mechanization but current varieties also have substantial preharvest fruit drop. This year we fumigated some clusters with 1-MCP, an ethylene action inhibitor, to explore the role of ethylene in these processes

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

I am working with a grape variety that has a pre harvest fruit drop problem. The basal lateral arms of the cluster advise. We are going to try to measure arm retention force to better understand when the attachment begins to weaken. It's pretty strongly attached at the moment

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

Seems like something always happens when I am away for a few days

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

I gave a vineyard tour to a Food Systems class from Iowa State today and they gave me a #scotcheroo, which is evidently an #iowa delicacy.

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

Fruit is setting on the earliest varieties in the San Joaquin Valley. It's amazing how quickly the fruitlets start gaining size #grapes #viticulture

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 27/04/2025

I noticed a western flower thrips larva peeking out from under the dried petals. Feeding activities cause scarring of the berries which can later lead to bunch rot. #grapevines #viticulture

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 27/04/2025

Grapevines have rather plain flowers. Immature flowers have green colored petals that detach at the base of the flower and dry into pinkish-brown "caps" that usually fall off, exposing the anthers, stamens, stigma, and ovary.

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

Early grapevine varieties in the South Central San Joaquin Valley are blooming now, maybe a few days to a week earlier than last year. Cool weather ahead could slow things down again though

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

The earliest clusters in the earliest varieties are getting close to bloom in Parlier, east-central San Joaquin Valley #grapes #viticulture

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

Grapevines in spring are just bursting with potential. With proper irrigation, fertilization, and pest management, we should have a good crop come fall.

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

Sunpreme raisin grapes are in the rapid growth phase and will pick up steam this week with the warmer weather

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

A paper I wrote with Kaan Kurtural in 2021 is currently the most read paper in the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

Getting close to what I would call "bud break" of Sunpreme at Parlier. About the same as last year, probably.

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

A few buds are breaking on Sunpreme raisin grapes at the UC Kearney Ag Center in Parlier, central CA

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

Winter weather has been very mild so far in the San Joaquin Valley to the point where a few live leaves can still be found on mature vines and some young vines are still slowly producing young leaves

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

Most growers in the San Joaquin Valley have started pruning. I will probably start next week, as I need to collect pruning weights and am hoping the rest of the leaves will fall by then.

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

The pattern of fall color in grapevine leaves provides insight into plant health. A distinct red leaf margin indicates Mg deficiency, deeply colored blade & veins with girdled petiole from threecornered alfalfa hopper, & burgundy blade tissue between green veins, indicates grapevine leafroll virus.

A leaf that is mostly purple colored, including veins.

A petiole girdled by leafhoppers, showing red color above the girdle

Burgundy colored leaf blades with green veins and downward curling leaf margins.

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

I would like to start collecting pruning weights, but there are still too many leaves. Hopefully the colder and stormier weather predicted for this weekend will clear things up

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 21/02/2024

We've been seeing more carpenter worms in San Joaquin Valley vineyards. The larvae bore into trunks and vine mealybugs find refuge in the holes. For more info: www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12...

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 14/10/2023

Magnesium deficiency in Allison table grapes

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 11/10/2023

Preharvest application of jasmonates and/or ethylene stimulate abscission of certain grape varieties. We're testing these hormones as harvest aids and as means to improve the quality and shelf life of destemmed table grapes. Compare untreated vs treated after 2 wks storage

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Matthew Fidelibus @viticulture.bsky.social · 27/09/2023

This has been a tough season for California grape growers as cool weather, high humidity, and rain have delayed ripening and reduced yield and quality, especially in the South San Joaquin valley. Now rain is forecast for this weekend, which is once again bad timing, especially for raisin growers.

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