Strategies to manage the impacts of global warming on winegrape production

Abstract

This project tested the potential impact of a warmer climate on grape production and quality in a field experiment near Mildura in NW Victoria.

Summary

The anticipated increased temperature in viticultural production areas due to climate change has been predicted to result in decreased yields and decreased grape and wine quality. Currently, such predictions are largely based on anecdotal reports of the ideal climatic ranges for different grape cultivars and have not been tested experimentally.

Unlike livestock and annual crop production, perennial horticulture cannot easily relocate with changing environmental conditions because it requires an extensive infrastructure ranging from an irrigation distribution network, to processing capacity, and other service industries. In most Australian winegrape production areas this infrastructure is well established and relocation would involve social, economic and environmental costs that may jeopardise the viability of the Australian wine industry and threaten its ongoing contribution to the Australian economy.

This project explored the question of the impact of a warmer climate on winegrape production in Sunraysia, a major wine growing region in north-west Victoria. The main component of this project was a field based experiment which investigated the impact of a sustained temperature increase of ~2°C on the performance of major commercial grape varieties. A second component explored potential strategies to overcome or mitigate the effect of warming. Both components are presented as separate chapters. The specific objectives of the project are listed below and each is addressed throughout the report.