Melbourne School of Land and Environment VitUM

Recent and Current Research

qWater-use of grapevines to PRD irrigation at two water levels. A case-study in North-Eastern Victoria

Marisa Collins

PRD and drip irrigation was applied at two irrigation levels, 0.45 and 0.9 crop evapotranspiration, in a vineyard that has high evaporative demand, low residual soil moisture and restricted rooting volume.  Under these conditions PRD did not affect yield but reduced irrigation amount decreased yield by 35% in both drip and PRD vines.  While vines were more responsive to irrigation amount than to type of irrigation application, PRD did induce subtle physiological changes in the vines.  Over the season gas-exchange in both levels of PRD irrigation was equal to the 0.9 Drip vine and significantly higher than the 0.45 Drip vines. PRD significantly changed the way in which vines used water in response to irrigation and also appeared to encourage root growth and soil moisture extraction at a deeper level.  This effect was more pronounced at the higher irrigation level with the 0.45 ETc vines experiencing high levels of stress. These subtle physiological changes may have important long-term implications for vines.  Application of reduced irrigation rates of PRD in high stress vineyards should be approached with caution.      

[Photo: Bethany Collins] Soil variability and its influence on the quality and composition of Shiraz grapes and wine 

Bethany Collins

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.

[Photo: Sonja Needs] Improved Frost Management

Sonja Needs

Climate change induced global warming is likely to advance grapevine phenolgy, including budburst. However, along with elevated temperatures models also predict drier spring conditions which may expose many of cultivars and regions to increased frost risk.
There is a lack of definitive information on grapevine recovery responses to frost. One also has to consider how to best manage the vines to maintain yield in the following season and ensure good canopy structure. This project will allow us to dramatically improve our understanding of vine responses to frost for a whole range of cultivars.
The proportion of primary and secondary shoots will be quantified by assessing shoot phyllotaxy.  Shoot fertility will be assessed and bunches will be collected to assess aspects of bunch architecture, including berries per shoot. These results will be compared with results from the previous smaller survey conducted in 2003. Yield forecasts will be made and yield and its components assessed at harvest.
A range of management response treatments have been employed in the Goulburn Valley, the Strathbogie region and the Yarra Valley. These treatments will be monitored for the remainder of this season and during next season. An analysis of these results along with a literature survey and the collation of industry expert knowledge will be used to develop a set of guidelines for the management of grapevines after frost events. The guidelines will consider the timing and severity of the frost event, the extent of damage, cultivar differences and vine pruning systems.

qSmart Water Systems for Horticulture – ScienceTechnology and Innovation (STI) research.

Dr Nicola Cooley

Smart Water Systems for horticulture.  The research objective is to demonstrate wireless sensing control of various irrigation strategies in both viticulture and horticulture industries.  This research was funded through the STI, Victoria Government funding scheme and brings together the skills of control software scientists and engineers, with the agricultural scientists (IDTC http://www.civenv.unimelb.edu.au/research/centres/idtc.html).
Designed and implemented two field trail sites (Shiraz at Corop and apples at Dookie) to compare the effect of a number of irrigation strategies (soil, evaporative transpiration (ET) and plant based irrigation) on yield and fruit composition.
Collaborating with the Dr Ian Goodwin et al., Department of Primary Industries, Primary Industries Research Victoria investigating open hydroponics and real time ET irrigation scheduling on peaches.

qComparison of inflorescence morphology and flower development of Vitis Vinifera L. cv Chardonnay and Shiraz in hot, warm and cool climates.

Andrea Watt

My research involves the further elucidation of inflorescence morphology in the latent buds and post-budburst bunch architecture of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Shiraz (1654) and Chardonnay (I10V5) in hot, warm and cool climate locations in south-eastern Australia, with particular focus on primordial branch initiation and differentiation. Using scanning electron microscopy the stage of development of inflorescence primordia in the latent bud can be determined at various phenological stages in the context of temperature data.  By comparing the microscopic observations with post-budburst inflorescence morphology it may be possible to determine if a correlation exists.

In addition to research involving Shiraz and Chardonnay, microscopic examination of Sauvignon Blanc latent buds and inflorescence morphology from Marlborough, New Zealand, is underway. 

qAustralian wine industry ‘winners and losers’ from climate change

Dr Leanne Webb

Climate change will dramatically alter the growing season for Australian grapes and affect the wine styles produced here. Climate change projections developed by CSIRO for the years 2030 and 2050 were utilized to explore potential impacts to the Australian wine industry. A range of greenhouse gas emission scenarios and climate models were employed to determine the sensitivity of future grape growing possibilities to different projected warming levels. As expected, higher emissions resulted in greater impacts.

Temperatures in most Australian wine regions are projected to increase by between 0.3 to 1.7 degrees Celsius by 2030 and this will cause a shift in budburst dates, shorter growing seasons and earlier harvest dates. Modelling the effect of this temperature increase revealed that grape quality could be reduced in some regions by 12 per cent, with a low greenhouse gas emission future, ranging to 57 per cent, with a high emission future, by the year 2030 compared to current conditions – if no adaptive measures are implemented.

Because most projections of climate change indicate that warming will be taking place at a greater rate in inland Australia than in the coastal regions, the impact was calculated as it varies from region to region across the country. In present day cooler regions, the potential to grow longer season varieties exists in a future warmer climate, or sites, now too cool to grow and ripen grapes, could be successfully planted to produce premium wine. In other warmer inland regions, however, it was found that the temperature of the ripening period will become too warm to produce balanced wines from some or maybe all grape varieties growing there now.

qUsing thermography to assess the spatial and temporal patterns of water stress across grapevines canopies and whole vineyard blocks.

Ashley Wheaton

Proposed research is a PhD study that will build on the findings of the recently released Grape and Wine Research ad Development Corporation report “When to water? Assessment of plant-based measurements to indicate irrigation requirements”.
The objectives of the study include:

Current and previous research has included:

[Photo: Alison Oke] Precision Viticulture – The role of soil properties and microclimate in driving within-block variability in grape yield and quality

Alison (Curl) Oke

Precision Viticulture is the management of within-block variability in vine productivity. This project uses modern Precision Viticulture techniques to look at the factors driving within-vineyard variability in grape yield and quality. The spatial variation in yield and quality was identified in three case study vineyard blocks in the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and the Strathbogie Ranges over the period of 2003 to 2005. The project focus is to determine the primary factors driving the spatial variability in vine productivity. The major role that soil and climate play in defining vine productivity on a regional scale is well studied but little is known about their variability on a single vineyard scale. The extent and spatial structure of both the soil and climate characteristics have been identified in the three case study blocks The relationship between the spatial patterns of the vine productivity and environmental variables have then been investigated using geostatistical techniques such as Geographically Weighted Regression and k-means clustering.

[Photo: Ken Chase] Using ultrasound and irradiation to control Zygosaccharomyces bailii yeast in wine fermentation

Ken Chase

The yeast Zygosaccharomyces bailii is an unwelcomed fermenter in grape must in most wine making situations. As this yeast is fond of most grape sugars and has a high tolerance of SO2 it t a very difficult culprit to control once it has found a place in the winery setting. My research is looking mainly at non-chemical ways to eliminate this very stubborn yeast. The research is focusing on Ultrasound and irradiation as two practical ways to help eliminate this pesky yeast.

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