Innovation and Technology Adoption

Projects that are part of Program 1 have an emphasis on building an understanding of viticulture and winemaking and creating opportunities to assist with interpretation and adoption of research results.

Use of innovative technologies in the vineyard

Progress has been made with development of methods to map variability in the vineyard and to predict yield.
This has resulted from investment in research into a range of matters including precision viticulture, electromagnetic soil surveying, remote sensing to characterise variations in crop vigour, and vine physiology to provide a better understanding of influences on grape quality and crop levels.

Improvement of skills to implement change

The CRC for Viticulture’s On Farm Trials activities covered more than 50 sites across three states with the aim of enhancing the capacity of growers to adapt results of research.

Workshops and sharing of information about the potential advantages of applying the ideas and technologies resulting from research have been important components of these activities.

A comprehensive guide has been produced to address vineyard trial design and to help growers understand trial protocols, variability and how to measure and record such things as yield, vine phenology, berry quality, shoot growth and the incidence of various pests and diseases.

Regional Innovation and Technology Adoption (RITA)

RITA is a funding source that recognises the importance of addressing regional differences within a national R&D framework. As a general rule a maximum of $25,000 is provided for projects, and applications are accepted only from wine industry groups.

Local needs assessment and evaluation of research results have been fundamental activities. Funds have also been used to extend information and enhance skills of growers when challenges in their regions emerge.

Outcomes from GWRDC’s funding of RITA projects have included: a clearer understanding of challenges and opportunities, for several Australian regions; an evaluation of rootstock and variety combinations in Sunraysia, comparing disease, drought and salinity tolerance while recording winemaking performance; benchmarking of vineyard management practices in south-west WA; sharing of ideas in Beechworth about composting; clarification of symptoms and infection patterns of Australian grapevine Yellows in the Riverland; better control of elephant weevil at Langhorne Creek; and measurement of canopies, shoots, berries, and grape quality as a knowledge-building exercise for groups of growers from Swan Hill, Boort, Bendigo and Gundagai.

Technology transfer to winemakers

As a research provider The Australian Wine Research Institute’s role is not to dictate the styles of wine our industry should be making but to provide the tools for individual practitioners to help them make the products they wish to present to their customers.
In addition to providing problem-solving services and extending information through ‘road shows’ across Australia’s regions, The AWRI responds to issues that may occur unexpectedly. Examples of the latter include media enquiries, export issues and specific concerns like the possible effects of smoke from bushfires near vineyards in Victoria’s Alpine region.

The AWRI’s industry services laboratory analyses many samples each year, using a wide range of routine and special analytical techniques. A measure of the value of this facility is an increase in the total number of samples analysed from 1,048 in 2000-2001 and 1,233 in 2001-2002 to 2,231 in 2002-2003. Also of interest is an indication from the type of investigations conducted that certain problems are now being better managed by winemakers. Approximately 40% of investigations undertaken during the year related to the combined problems of hazes, deposits and microbial instabilities. While the number of wines exhibiting such problems as a proportion of all wines made appears to have fallen, even better management is being pursued to strengthen the reputation of Australian wine.