This guide for organic grape production is an outline of cultural and pest management practices and includes topics that have an impact on improving plant health and reducing pest problems. The guide is divided into sections, but the interrelated quality of organic cropping systems makes each section relevant to the others. More research on growing perennial crops organically is needed, especially in the area of pest management. This guide attempts to compile the most current information available, but acknowledges that effective means of organic control are not available for many pests. Future revisions to this guide will incorporate new information providing organic growers with a complete set of useful practices to help them achieve success. This guide uses the term Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which like organic production, emphasizes cultural, biological, and mechanical practices to minimize pest outbreaks. With limited pest control products available for use in many organic production systems, an integrated approach to pest management is essential. IPM techniques such as identifying and assessing pest populations, keeping accurate pest history records, selecting the proper site, and preventing pest outbreaks through use of crop rotation, resistant varieties and biological controls are important to producing a high quality crop.
