by Linda McCandless, Director of Communications, NYS Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, NY
NOTE: This story is of particular interest to the fruit/grape/wine press.
Geneva, NY - Robert M. Pool, Professor of Viticulture at Cornell
University in the Department of Horticultural Sciences at the New York
State Agriculutral Experiment Station in Geneva, NY, continues 
to garner
accolades for his contributions on behalf of the grape and wine industry.
He will receive the Cantarelli Prize for 1995-96 from the Italian Academy
of Vine and Wine at an official ceremony at the University of Perugia on
Friday, July 11. At that time, Pool will deliver a lecture about his work.
Professor U. Pallotta, President of the Italian Academy of Vine and Wine, announced the juried award: "The jury, chaired by Professor Cesare Intrieri, cites . . . your outstanding and original contributions to research in the mechanical regulation of crop load and fruit quality in grapes. The jury also notes that your research is and will continue to be significant in its impact on and consequences on the reduction of production costs for the vine and wine industry." The Cantarelli Prize carries an award of $10,000.
"The Cantarelli Prize is due recognition of the contributions Bob Pool has made to viticulture, both nationally and internationally," said Horticultural Sciences department chairman Hugh Price. "His research on vineyard mechanization and crop load adjustment has played a significant role in maintaining the competitiveness of the New York grape industry."
Pool's primary research interests include: mechanization of pruning, crop level related to grape and wine quality, sustainable viticulture, vineyard floor management and weed control, cultural practices and rootstock effects on cold hardiness, interaction of disease (fungal, bacterial and viral), and vine productivity.
"I'm very proud to accept this award on behalf of Cornell's viticulture research group at Geneva and at the Vineyard Laboratory in Fredonia," said Pool. "The research demonstrates Cornell's ability to provide broad expertise to serve focused public need, and it adds to a long list of contributions that the grape program has made to the grape producers of the state, and in fact, to the entire grape-growing world. This record of accomplishment reflects the sustained effort of our entire staff."
In accepting the award, Pool credits key people who have been involved in the 20-plus year effort to develop these concepts, including the late Don Crowe, Harriet Hubbard, Rick Dunst, Gary Howard, Andrew Fendinger, Christine Cummins, and Gordon De Golier. "Cornell's grape extension specialists and many interested growers and industry representatives were also vital to the development of a workable system," said Pool.
He depends on the continued support of the grape industry. "These accomplishments would not have been achieved without the grape industry's sustained financial support," said Pool. "The New York Grape Production Research Fund, a not-for-profit corporation representing New York grape growers, has funded this work for more than 20 years, and the New York Wine and Grape Foundation provided support for 10 years."
Pool has been active in developing national grape germplasm repositories at Davis, California, and Geneva, NY. He formed and for 10 years chaired the Grape Commodity Advisory Committee to the National Plant Germplasm Committee. In extension, he serves on the advisory committees of New York's regional grape extension specialists, on Cornell University's statewide fruit extension committee, and is an active participant in writing extension publications, organizing research tours and presentations, and in training extension agents.
He is the U.S. representative of the Viticulture Section of the International Society for Horticultural Sciences, and a member of the National BATF to Office International du Vin.
Pool received his B.S. in Enology in 1962 and his M.S. in Food Science in 1969, both from the University of California at Davis. He received his Ph.D. in Pomology from Cornell University in 1974, and was hired by Cornell as an Assistant Professor of Viticulture in 1974. He was named Professor in 1988.
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