Melbourne School of Land and Environment VitUM

Bethany Collins

Position

 PhD Research Candidate

Location

 Parkville campus

Address

 LFR Royal Parade, The University of Melbourne, 3010

Phone

 61 3 8344 5097

Fax

 61-3- 8344 5037

Email

 bccoll@unimelb.edu.au

Research:

Bethany is a primary researcher for the Regional Innovation and Technology Adoption Project designed to apply geographical information systems (GIS) in the Strathbogies Ranges Wine Region. The primary aim of the project is to develop an overall picture of the region’s viticultural resources, environments and management practices which will provide the region with resource information to develop regional differentiation and enhance future growth and marketing. The other principal aim is to develop a digital overview of the regions diversity in vineyard and variety distribution, topography, soil and environments using spatial science technology, and to model future climate change impacts on the region.

Other professional interests:

Recent projects and consultancies:

Recent publications:

Martin, S.R., Krstic, M.R., Mahoney, C.C., Collins, B.C., Oke, A.M.C., Whiting, J.R., Kelly, A.M. and Dunn, G.M. (2007) Regulating Yield to Improve Wine Quality and Reduce Industry Costs. Final Report to the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation, Project DNR 03/02.

Collins, B.C, Barlow, E.W.R. and Needs, S. (2006) Soil factors and their influence on within-vineyard Shiraz grape and wine composition. Proceedings of the 6th International Cool Climate Symposium, 5-10th February 2006, Christchurch, New Zealand (poster).

Current project outline:

Bethany is currently studying a PhD investigating soil variability and its influence on the quality and composition of Shiraz grapes and wine. Soil forms an important part of the vineyard environment and is one of the few relatively static parameters. However there is still a large degree of soil variability in many vineyards which can contribute to considerable differences in the spatial patterns and magnitudes of variation in the composition of grapes within vineyard blocks. This project is an investigation of the influence that variation in physical and chemical soil parameters has on the physiology of the grapevine and the quality and composition of Shiraz grapes and wine.

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