![[Photo: Ashley Wheaton]](wheaton.jpg)
Ashley Wheaton
Position: |
Lecturer in viticulture |
Address: |
LFR, The University of Melbourne, Dookie College, Victoria, 3647 |
Phone: |
+61-3- 5833 3284 |
Fax: |
+61-3- 5833 9201 |
Email: |
awheaton@unimelb.edu.au |
Teaching:
Coordinates the Masters of Wine Technology and Viticulture, and teaches soil, irrigation and nutrition management in viticulture.
Research:
Ashley is currently investigating the use of thermal imaging as a tool for irrigation scheduling in collaboration with Department of Primary Industries (Tatura) as part of his PhD studies.
Other research interests include root restriction and partial rootzone drying in grapevines, grapevine response to rootzone soil conditions, improving water use efficiency through effective canopy cover, improving quality of stone fruits through canopy and fruit manipulation, effect of grapevine rootstocks on grapevine performance.
Other professional interests :
On-farm adoption of current technologies and management practices: winegrape crop forcasting: environmental management systems in winegrapes: managing climate risk in viticulture.
Recent projects and consultancies:
- Vine response to root restriction and partial rootzone drying (Funded by CRCV and PIRvic);
- National Viticare project – On farm Trials project (Funded by CRCV, GWRDC and PIRvic);
- Matching water application to water use to maximize production and quality of Pink Lady apple in the Goulburn Valley (Funded by CWLM in collaboration with PIRvic).
Recent publications
- L. MCCLYMONT, I. GOODWIN, M. G. O'CONNELL AND A. D. WHEATON (Submitted) Growth, fertility and water relations of Shiraz vines subjected to rootzone restriction during establishment. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research.
- WHEATON, A.D., MCKENZIE, B.M. and TISDALL, J.M. (2002) Management of a sodic soil for winegrape production. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 42 333-339.
- WHEATON, A.D., MCKENZIE, B.M., AND TISDALL, J.M. (2002). Improving soil physical and chemical properties of hard red duplex soils in a vineyard environment. In Proc. Future soils – Managing soil resources to ensure access to markets for future generations, The Australian Society of Soil Science. 2-6 December 2002, Perth, WA. pp 182-183.
- WHEATON, A.D. (2002) Creating the best environment for root growth and water infiltration. Australian and New Zealand Grapegrower and Winemaker (June). 461, 21-23.
- GOODWIN, I., O’CONNELL, M.G., MCCLYMONT, L. AND WHEATON, A.D. (2001) Effect of root restriction on growth and water relations of young vines. Conference poster. 11th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference, Adelaide 7-11th Oct 2001.
Potential Honours Projects
- Pruning effect on final pruning weights. Does the vine compensate with addition growth when vines are trimmed during summer?
- Quantify the magnitude of grapevine water stress induced by an undervine sward compared to bare soil.
- What is the relationship between the diameter of spur left at pruning and the resultant shoot growth (length, width, weight, internode length, leaf number)?
- Can gypsum slotting down one side of the row provide adequate drainage and ameliorated soil to support grapevine growth in shallow soils?
- Impact of old 'contour banks’ on soil physical/chemical properties and grapevine performance'.
- Characteristics imparted on Shiraz vines and fruit grafted to 3 different rootstocks.
- What is the dry weight accumulation in vine canopy with different proportions of radiation intercepted by the foliage?
- Carbohydrates in different parts of the grapevine and to what extent they may be related to fertility and inflorescence structure.
- Spatial imaging of yield potential - collect images of fruit leading up to harvest, then collect yield data at harvest.
- Apple tree water use is a function of canopy cover. How is this affected under regulated deficit irrigation (RDI).