Region in Focus: Greater NSW /ACT
Innovation is seen as key for the future success of grape growers in the Greater NSW /ACT region.
In NSW, innovation is being encouraged in the vineyards, with four replicated trial sites established in Murrumbateman and Tumbarumba – on Riesling and Chardonnay respectively – to evaluate several biological and chemical treatments to combat weather-driven diseases such as Botrytis and non-Botrytis bunch rots.
The project is funded by Wine Australia and it is hoped that the outcomes will lead to the use of new approaches to managing these diseases, which are known to cause significant loss of grape yield and wine quality.
‘We are looking at seeing how biological control methods behave in cool climate vineyard regions after primarily concentrating our efforts in warm/hot humid climates over the past few vintages’, said Darren Fahey, NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI), Development Officer for Viticulture
‘Last vintage, leaf removal in the bunch zone was effective in drying bunches out from surface wetness and it also allowed for greater spray coverage of bunches later in the season.’
Trial work is also underway to demonstrate the use of carbon-based soil amendments such as compost and mulch to improve soil health in the mid-row and under-vine areas across vineyards in Mudgee, Orange and Hunter Valley wine regions.
By promoting biologically active soils, growers should benefit from a reduced need for inputs such as fertiliser and water. Several different plant species will also be evaluated in the mid-row area for better management of soil carbon levels.
This current innovation in the vineyard will be encouraged and supported with a long-term innovation strategy being developed by the New South Wales Wine Industry, NSW DPI and Wine Australia.
In early November 2015, DPI hosted the state’s first Innovation Forum to co-design a new five-year Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) Strategy for the wine community.
Over two days, sector participants, researchers and DPI staff discussed issues and opportunities that could be addressed through RD&E.
Feedback is now being sought from NSW stakeholders who were unable to attend and this will be used to shape a more detailed strategy.