Climate change doesn’t stop at the vineyards: scarcely predictable weather conditions impede the fight against vine diseases and rising temperatures mean that grapes are producing more sugar, which results inwines with a higher alcohol content. Two students studying for a B.Sc. in Viticulture and Enology at Hochschule Geisenheim University have found appropriate solutions to these challenges – and have now been awarded the Rheingauer-Volksbank-Preis. They were presented with the award and €1000 prize money each at a ceremony held on April 22, 2016.
In her Bachelor thesis “Biological effectiveness of repeated UV-C irradiation of the vine (Vitis vinifera L.) in reducing damage from pathogenic fungi, particularly Botrytis cinerea”, Sandra Schedler shows how fungal diseases of the vine can be cured by irradiation with high-energy light. Isabel Zeeb’s Bachelor thesis “The influence of canopy management on grape components and wine quality in Vitis vinifera L. cvs. Kerner and Schwarzriesling” addresses, amongst other things, the retardation of sugar storage in grapes and shifts in harvest dates.
Focus on Environmental Relevance and Practical Usability
“Our students’ research results are good news for the vintners. They show that, through close cooperation between research, education and practical operations, we can find solutions for dealing with the effects of climate change”, said Prof. Otmar Löhnertz, Vice-President of Academic & Student Affairs at Hochschule Geisenheim University. “And in addition, the approaches proposed by Sandra Schedler and Isabel Zeeb stand out particularly on account of their strong environmental relevance.”
The Rheingauer Volksbank eG has awarded the Rheingauer-Volksbank-Preis each year since 2007 to students who have produced outstanding degree theses together with the Center of Viticulture and Enology, at Hochschule Geisenheim University. The prize was established by Prof. Klaus Schaller, then Director of the Forschungsanstalt Geisenheim(Geisenheim Research Institute), and Paul Meuer, CEO of the Rheingauer Volksbank eG.
Meuer commented: “With this prize we’d like to demonstrate our close ties with Hochschule Geisenheim University and the local region. Through its research and teaching, Hochschule Geisenheim University is an important and sustainable resource for the Rheingau area, and the ideas and solutions developed by its young scientists are a valuable asset for the region’s wine-growers.”
The prize-winners Sandra Schedler, supervised by Prof. Beate Berkelmann-Löhnertz, and Isabel Zeeb, under the mentorship of Prof. Manfred Stoll, were chosen by a panel of scientists from all graduates of the years 2013, 2013/14 and 2014.
