Leaf area index (LAI) and plant (PAI) are common important biophysical parameters used to estimate agronomical variables such as canopy growth, light interception water requirements of plants trees. LAI can be either measured directly using destructive methods or indirectly dedicated expensive instrumentation, both which require a high level know-how operate equipment, handle data interpret results. Recently, novel smartphone tablet PC application, VitiCanopy, has been developed by group...

Indicators have been used in many sustainability assessment methods, however, disagreements over a common definition and scope for the concept led to distinct which are not often directly comparable. Before developing assessment, it is essential to: define specify viewpoint of assessor, purpose context time frame assessment. This article presents short list indicators method that can be readily adopted by any agricultural business or region assess sustainability, making organization, crop...

Understanding how grapevines perceive and adapt to different environments will provide us with an insight into better manage crop quality. Mounting evidence suggests that epigenetic mechanisms are a key interface between the environment genotype ultimately affect plant's phenotype. Moreover, it is now widely accepted source of useful variability during varietal selection could performance. While contribution DNA methylation plant performance has been extensively studied in other major crops,...

Marteilia refringens is a major pathogen of the European flat oyster, Ostrea edulis Linnaeus. Since its description, life-cycle this protozoan parasite has eluded discovery. Attempts to infect oysters experimentally have been unsuccessful and led hypothesis complex involving several hosts. Knowledge central importance in order manage oyster disease. However, exploration M. previously limited by detection tools available tremendous number species be screened enzootic areas. In study, these...

Background and Aims The impact of high temperature on grapevine function is predicted to be a serious problem in our warming climate. We studied the shading some aspects vine physiology, berry cell death other components development resultant wines order understand physiology ripening process shaded conditions assess as mitigation strategy for temperature. Methods Results Several treatments Shiraz vines were imposed from veraison harvest during three seasons at two locations. An overhead...

Demand for organically grown crops has increased exponentially in the last few decades. Particularly wine sector, organic and biodynamic management systems are gaining more importance, with some of most prestigious wineries converting to or viticulture. The purpose this study was review evidence comparing effects conventional, organic, viticulture on soil properties, biodiversity, vine growth yield, disease incidence, grape composition, sensory characteristics, quality. Only studies...

In certain winegrowing regions, it is a common practice to wrap canes very tightly around the cordon wire during establishment of permanent arms. This method training may result in constriction vascular system, leading numerous deleterious impacts on vine growth, production, and longevity. article summarises some key findings previously published research regarding use this South Australian vineyards.

In a climate-change context, the advancement of phenological stages may endanger viticultural areas in event late frost. This study evaluated potential satellite-based remote sensing to assess damage and recovery time after frost 2017 northern Italian vineyards. Several vegetation indices (VIs) normalized on two-year dataset (2018–2019) were compared over frost-affected area (F) control (NF) using unpaired two-sample t-test. Furthermore, must quality data (total acidity, sugar content pH) F...

Soil salinity impairs viticultural production by reducing vegetative growth and yield parameters such as bud fruitfulness, bunch number per cane, weight, berry weight. However, the effects of on flower fertility, set, development, resulting impacts fruit are not well understood. The ability silicon (Si) to enhance salt tolerance performance has been documented for some crops. Here, we investigated whether Si could improve grapevine reproductive performance, particularly under saline...

Aim: To investigate whether timing and duration of exposure to elevated temperatures impact the reproductive development field-grown Shiraz grapevines.Methods results: The responses grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) two levels at budburst flowering were investigated in an irrigated vineyard Barossa Valley (South Australia) over consecutive growing seasons. Custom-built under-vine ‘tents’ closed flow-through chambers enclosing a set field used raise canopy above ambient. Higher resulted lower...

Background and Aims Old vineyards are often suggested to be superior younger ones, a claim that has scarcely been investigated scientifically. The aim of this study was investigate if vineyard age influences vine performance. Methods Results Five commercial Shiraz in the Barossa Valley, SA, were selected; each site contained vines, which had vegetatively propagated from older vines on same site. Measurements vegetative growth reproductive development obtained over three seasons. show effect...

A wines’ terroir, represented as wine traits with regional distinctiveness, is a reflection of both the biophysical and human-driven conditions in which grapes were grown made. Soil an important factor contributing to uniqueness produced by vines specific conditions. Here, we evaluated impact environmental variables on soil bacteria 22 Barossa Valley vineyard sites based 16S rRNA gene hypervariable region 4. In this study, report that dispersal isolation geographic distance heterogeneity...

Background and Aim High temperature stress has been linked to detrimental effects on berry composition during ripening. This study aimed assess the impact of an evaporative cooling system located inside grapevine canopy mitigate extreme grape Methods Results During three seasons (2012 2015), intra-canopy sprinkler at bunch zone was tested Cabernet Sauvignon vines. The cyclically sprayed (20 s/10 min) for air above 38°C, by 3 5°C. is in agreement with simulation model. relative humidity also...

Background and Aims Cell death in the mesocarp of Shiraz berries has been correlated with berry mass loss that occurs late ripening can be linked to composition. The current techniques assess level cell disruption are time-consuming give only relative measures. Here we test if electrical impedance berry, which is a function state cells within, used detect vitality. Methods Results (774 berries) from two locations (one them over seasons) veraison harvest were studied. Electrical spectroscopy...

Sensory and compositional measures were conducted on berries wines of <i>Vitis vinifera</i> L. cv Shiraz vines grown own roots or grafted to three different rootstocks. The study was in an experimental rootstock vineyard the Barossa Valley, South Australia during two growing seasons (2009/2010 2010/2011). Wines produced from fruit their characterized by red berry aroma, whereas using grapes either 110 Richter Schwarzmann rootstocks had a darker rim more intense body color, dark flavor, as...

Canopy management techniques can be beneficial to grapevine reproduction because they improve canopy structure and microclimate. In this study, the influence of different practices—cluster thinning, leaf removal, shoot-thinning, light pruning—on reproductive performance was studied for varieties Semillon Shiraz grown under field conditions in a hot climate South Australia. architecture, interception, parameters practices were measured. Results showed that applied modified architecture...

An experiment was conducted in the Barossa Valley, South Australia, to examine effect of rootstocks on reproductive performance Shiraz (<i>Vitis vinifera</i> L.) under water stress. Vines were grown own roots or grafted 110R, 1103P, 99R, Ramsey, Schwarzmann, 140Ru. either unirrigated irrigation applied at 56 128 mm/ha across three seasons. Water stress (Ψ_pd &lt; 0.8 MPa) apparent vines from veraison onward. The absence strongly influenced vine growth and performance. Pruning...

Background and aims: Bud fruitfulness is a key component of grapevine reproductive performance as it determines crop production for the following growing season. While canopy microclimate can impact bud fruitfulness, effects management practices on are not well known. The objective this study was to investigate common relationships with shoot growth capacity, carbohydrate level.Methods results: Different practices, (shoot thinning, bunch leaf removal lighter pruning) were applied Semillon...

To endure the challenge of climate change, Australian wine industry could adopt new grape varieties more tolerant these pending conditions. The aims this study were to (i) generate sensory profiles and (ii) gain knowledge about consumers’ liking international wines made from selected drought-resistant, red not traditionally grown in Australia but better suited for a changing climate. A Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA) panel (n = 43) profiled 24 commercial 9 purportedly drought-tolerant varieties,...

Berry Sensory Assessment (BSA) is a technique that can help grapegrowers and winemakers to make decisions about harvest date allocation of grapes. As structured technique, BSA has been used by grapegrowers, researchers for the last 11 years. The number studies, however, reporting results effect viticultural practices on berry sensory characteristics wine quality limited. extent which both Australian New Zealand use their opinions application expectations this not evaluated. aims review are:...