Investing in the future

Investing in your vineyard isn’t just about the present; it’s a commitment to the future. At Inland Desert Nursery, we understand the significance of safeguarding your investment and protecting your neighbors.

The propagation of red blotch can have devastating consequences. One careless mistake can lead to substantial losses and strained relationships. That’s why we emphasize the importance of responsible vineyard management. Discouraging growers from taking cuttings from their own or others’ vines for new plantings is crucial in preventing the spread of this harmful virus. We encourage growers to opt for Washington Certified Vines, ensuring reliable and disease-free vines.

Choosing Washington Certified Vines is a commitment to the longevity of your vineyard and the well-being of your neighbors. By prioritizing certified clean vines, growers not only protect their own investment but also contribute to a healthier and more resilient viticultural community.

Delivering the highest national standard of clean plant propagation

Washington Certified Grapevines are the best insurance there is against devastating viruses and disease. Inland Desert Nursery’s relationship with the Clean Plant Center of the Northwest at Washington State University and Foundation Plant Services at UC Davis means our certified vines are only a generation or two away from foundation-sourced cuttings indexed as disease-free and true to type.

WSU scientists and WSDA inspectors are frequent visitors to Inland Desert, observing our nursery procedures and performing follow-up testing to ensure that the material is as reliable as when it left the foundation.

Inland Desert Nursery has more than 150 acres of WSDA-registered rootstock and scion propagation blocks under cultivation. That guarantees a long-term supply of clean plant material for grape growers in the northwest and across North America.

The National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) has several Clean Plant Centers around the country, including one—Washington State University’s Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center (WSU-IAREC)—just 12 miles from Inland Desert Nursery in Prosser, Washington.

The Clean Plant Center Northwest (CPCNW) staff works with WSU-IAREC professors and researchers to expand and develop the variety and availability of virus-tested, “clean” plants for the industry. All source material originates from the National Clean Plant Center. Laboratories are located in Washington, Idaho, California, Missouri, New York and Oregon.

Nursery Certification to the Next Level

State Nursery Certification Programs supply a basic, voluntary framework for commercial nurseries to minimize the risk of distributing infected nursery stock. Such frameworks outline grapevine nursery best management practices and collaboration with departments of agriculture, from Mother Block establishment to finish vine delivery. 

Washington’s Nursery Certification standards for site selection and annual maintenance testing are the nation’s most rigorous, detailing 20% maintenance testing and multiple visual inspections annually to ensure compliance. 

To combat the spread of Leaf Roll Virus (our region’s primary reinfection risk) we work closely with the Washington State Department of Agriculture to meet and exceed program requirements but exceed them. Among the many steps we take to deliver clean vines with confidence are:
 

• Deploying advanced Mother Block traceability technology to assure that infected vines are removed prior to harvest, with unique vines tested each season
• Increasing testing rates beyond program minimums based on virus heat mapping
• Remove virus-adjacent “buffer vines” in an abundance of caution
• Testing 100% of first and last line and windward side edge rows
• Using precise chemigation techniques based on pest pressures

The Research behind Washington’s Certified Grapevines

Dr. Naidu Rayapati is a plant doctor. Specifically, he’s an Associate Professor of Virology in Washington State University’s Department of Plant Pathology and heads up its Grape Virology program.

Dr. Rayapati is also a leading proponent of the exclusive use of certified clean and disease-free grapevines.

In addition to ongoing research at WSU’s Prosser research campus (which also hosts the Clean Plant Center of the Northwest) Dr. Rayapati invests time with nurseries such as Inland Desert and grape growers to ensure that results of his research come into practical use improving the health and cleanliness of the state’s vineyards and the nursery stock from which they are grown.