VOA教育报道2023--Universities Work to Protect American Wine Grapes from Wildfire Smoke

Universities Work to Protect American Wine Grapes from Wildfire Smoke

The West Coast of the United States produces over 90 percent of America's wine, an alcoholic¹ drink. However, the area is also prone² to wildfires.

Such fires cost the American wine industry billions of dollars in 2020. The smoke affects the flavor of the growing grapes that later become the wine. And, the flavor is undesirable³, say some wine drinkers.

So, wine experts from state universities in the area are working together to protect wine grapes from wildfire smoke.

In 2020, economists⁴ say, wildfires caused billions of dollars of losses, which included the wine industry.

As a result, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is paying for grape research at some state schools. They include University of California, Davis (UC Davis), Oregon State University and Washington State University. The research investment is worthy⁵, agriculture officials say, because wine grapes are America's highest-value crop.

Tom Collins is a wine scientist at Washington State. He said "the ability to continue to make wine" is at risk in areas where smoke might be more common.

Cole Cerrato is a researcher working on the problem in Oregon. He stood in Oregon State's vineyard, near the small town of Alpine⁶. He lit a fire and blew the smoke through a hose and into a row of grapes covered in plastic.

Cerrato and other researchers have done this before. They turned the treated grapes into wine. The result was, the wine had an unpleasant flavor of smoke and ash.

The scientists are working to find a way to keep the smoke from getting through the grape skins and creating a bad taste in the wine.

Some are trying to create a process that will treat wine and remove the smokiness. But they are concerned such a process might remove some of the wine's good flavors, too.

Others think they can combine smoke-affected grapes with other grapes. The mix might lessen⁷ the smoky flavor.

And Collins is working on a spray made from water and a kind of clay that would protect the grapes from smoke. But all the grapes would need to be washed first before being turned into wine.

Oregon State is experimenting with a similar spray treatment for grapes.

In addition, the USDA has provided $7 million toward setting up smoke sensors⁹ in vineyards.

Anita Oberholster is leading the efforts to save the wine grapes at UC Davis. In an internet post by UC Davis, she said a network of sensors would help grape growers learn if their grapes are at risk. In addition, the readings from the sensors will permit the growers to prove their grapes are free from smoke damage.

Winemakers are glad that the universities are working to help the industry. Greg Jones runs the Abacela winery in southern Oregon and is the director of the state's winemaking trade group.

He said the research has "gone a long way." Now the grape-growers can quickly find out if the fruit has been hurt by the smoke. In the past, winemakers would not know about the wine until it was ready to drink.

"I think it's increasingly clear that we're not likely to find a magic bullet," Collins said. But, he said, the researchers will find ways to keep the wine business successful.

Words in This Story

prone–adj. likely to do or suffer from something

flavor –n. the taste of something

spray–n. liquid forced out of a container in very small drops

sensor⁸ –n. a device that detects something, such as the presence of smoke

 

bullet –n. a piece of metal shot out of a gun

1 alcoholic   

adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者

参考例句：

• The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
• Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。

2 prone   

adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的

参考例句：

• Some people are prone to jump to hasty conclusions.有些人往往作出轻率的结论。
• He is prone to lose his temper when people disagree with him.人家一不同意他的意见,他就发脾气。

3 undesirable   

adj.不受欢迎的，不良的，不合意的，讨厌的；n.不受欢迎的人，不良分子

参考例句：

• They are the undesirable elements among the employees.他们是雇员中的不良分子。
• Certain chemicals can induce undesirable changes in the nervous system.有些化学物质能在神经系统中引起不良变化。

4 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 worthy   

adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

6 alpine   

adj.高山的；n.高山植物

参考例句：

• Alpine flowers are abundant there.那里有很多高山地带的花。
• Its main attractions are alpine lakes and waterfalls .它以高山湖泊和瀑布群为主要特色。

7 lessen   

vt.减少，减轻；缩小

参考例句：

• Regular exercise can help to lessen the pain.经常运动有助于减轻痛感。
• They've made great effort to lessen the noise of planes.他们尽力减小飞机的噪音。

8 sensor   

n.传感器，探测设备，感觉器（官）

参考例句：

• The temperature sensor is enclosed in a protective well.温度传感器密封在保护套管中。
• He plugged the sensor into a outlet.他把传感器插进电源插座。

9 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句