Solving smoke taint: Overcoming the impacts of vineyard exposure to smoke. Vineyard exposure to bushfire smoke can taint grapes, causing significant revenue losses where smoky, ashy characters render wine unsaleable. Smoke taint therefore remains an ongoing threat to the viability of the wine industry. This project aims to safeguard grape and wine quality by building the wine industry’s capacity to predict, mitigate and respond to risk associated with vineyard smoke exposure. Expected outcomes i ....Solving smoke taint: Overcoming the impacts of vineyard exposure to smoke. Vineyard exposure to bushfire smoke can taint grapes, causing significant revenue losses where smoky, ashy characters render wine unsaleable. Smoke taint therefore remains an ongoing threat to the viability of the wine industry. This project aims to safeguard grape and wine quality by building the wine industry’s capacity to predict, mitigate and respond to risk associated with vineyard smoke exposure. Expected outcomes include establishing the mechanism by which smoke compounds are taken up by grapes and the factors that influence their sensory impact on wine. The development of innovative and interdisciplinary strategies for detecting and alleviating smoke taint will deliver important economic benefit to the Australian wine sector.Read moreRead less
Genomic basis of clonal variation in Cabernet Sauvignon wine grapes. The commercial practice of vegetative propagation results in novel clones through discrete mutations, creating challenges for horticultural and wine industries. This project will use cutting edge molecular profiling to design methods to map the identity of grapevines in whole vineyards, enabling industry to capture this variation for crop improvement.
Smart Bungs for wine monitoring. 'Smart Bung' sensors will use optical fibres to monitor wine production using only nano- to microlitre-scale volumes, significantly reducing wastage and improving quality. They will serve as 'early warning devices' and will ensure that Australia's wine industry maintains its outstanding international reputation for excellence and innovation.
The biology and epidemiology of the grapevine canker fungi, Botryosphaeria sp. Decline and dieback of grapevines is becoming an increasing problem for the viticulture industry in NSW. Recently, species of the fungus Botryosphaeria, were isolated from grapevines exhibiting these symptoms. In order to understand the biology and epidemiology of the causal organisms, we aim to; (i) determine species of Botryosphaeria present in NSW vineyards; (ii) determine which species are pathogenic on grapevines ....The biology and epidemiology of the grapevine canker fungi, Botryosphaeria sp. Decline and dieback of grapevines is becoming an increasing problem for the viticulture industry in NSW. Recently, species of the fungus Botryosphaeria, were isolated from grapevines exhibiting these symptoms. In order to understand the biology and epidemiology of the causal organisms, we aim to; (i) determine species of Botryosphaeria present in NSW vineyards; (ii) determine which species are pathogenic on grapevines; (iii) characterise the genetic diversity of strains and; (iv) screen fungicides for the control of these fungi. Information on the species, their biology and pathogenicity on grapevines, will enable the development of appropriate management strategies for its control and may lead to the development of molecular tools to identify species of Botryosphaeria.Read moreRead less
Environment, Management and Compositional Quality of Fruit and Wine of the Grapevine, 'Chardonnay". This project seeks to maintain Australia`s competitive edge in the ultra premium and icon global wine market by seeking to identify new objective descriptors for Chardonnay. These can then be applied across the full spectrum of sites, climates and management for this variety. It comprises three sub-programs that are integrated with vineyard and winery management: 1, natural product chemistry of fr ....Environment, Management and Compositional Quality of Fruit and Wine of the Grapevine, 'Chardonnay". This project seeks to maintain Australia`s competitive edge in the ultra premium and icon global wine market by seeking to identify new objective descriptors for Chardonnay. These can then be applied across the full spectrum of sites, climates and management for this variety. It comprises three sub-programs that are integrated with vineyard and winery management: 1, natural product chemistry of fruit, 2, fine-scale, vine biology in relation to site, season and management, and 3, complex systems analyses applying modern database, multivariate and data-mining technologies to assess and communicate visually, the key drivers of compositional quality.Read moreRead less
Vineyard soil health and microbial biodiversity under different cover crop and floor management practices. This project will examine vineyard ?soil health? by monitoring the populations of soil microorganisms under different vineyard cultural practices, with an emphasis on microbial populations capable of suppressing soil borne disease and of increasing the nutrient uptake by the vine. The project will identify vineyard cover crop and floor management practices for the improvement of soil healt ....Vineyard soil health and microbial biodiversity under different cover crop and floor management practices. This project will examine vineyard ?soil health? by monitoring the populations of soil microorganisms under different vineyard cultural practices, with an emphasis on microbial populations capable of suppressing soil borne disease and of increasing the nutrient uptake by the vine. The project will identify vineyard cover crop and floor management practices for the improvement of soil health and sustainability in the rapidly expanding wine industry, providing considerable economic and environmental advantages to regional and rural communities.Read moreRead less
Compost extract: a new paradigm for disease management in sustainable horticulture. There is significant legislative and consumer pressure worldwide to reduce the amount of pesticide applied to food crops. Compost extract is a watery extract of mature compost that when applied to a crop canopy allows simultaneous suppression of a broad range of plant diseases while maintaining biodiversity in an agricultural ecosystem. This technology represents a paradigm shift from the monoculture approach o ....Compost extract: a new paradigm for disease management in sustainable horticulture. There is significant legislative and consumer pressure worldwide to reduce the amount of pesticide applied to food crops. Compost extract is a watery extract of mature compost that when applied to a crop canopy allows simultaneous suppression of a broad range of plant diseases while maintaining biodiversity in an agricultural ecosystem. This technology represents a paradigm shift from the monoculture approach of single-target fungicides or biological control agents. Scientific evaluation has been hampered by a lack of standard production techniques. Our aim is to identify and characterise compost extract technology that produces known and consistently high levels of effectiveness and safety.Read moreRead less
Biological control of grapevine scales. Wine grapes can be grown with a minimum of pesticide and fungicide applications in some regions, but biological control is still required to maintain populations of major pests. This project is concerned with grapevine and frosted scales, which are common pests of grapevines. The distribution and identity of different grapevine scales, and their main parasitoids, in the various grape growing regions of Australia will be determined by initial surveys. Exper ....Biological control of grapevine scales. Wine grapes can be grown with a minimum of pesticide and fungicide applications in some regions, but biological control is still required to maintain populations of major pests. This project is concerned with grapevine and frosted scales, which are common pests of grapevines. The distribution and identity of different grapevine scales, and their main parasitoids, in the various grape growing regions of Australia will be determined by initial surveys. Experiments and laboratory studies of the interaction of the various predators and parasitoids will be undertaken to develop a biological control program of the scales aimed at reducing pesticide input.Read moreRead less
Understanding coffee quality. Through this project, coffee quality will be better understood at the chemical and genetic level. This will allow the selection of superior coffee varieties and appropriate processing in the production of high quality coffee to satisfy consumer preferences. This project will result in a strong local coffee industry with a growing reputation for quality, and global application of the technology may bring further economic benefits to Australia.
Attract and reward: a novel approach to enhancing biological control of crop pests. Pests cause serious damage to Australia's agricultural crops. Current control relies heavily on synthetic pesticides. This project will develop novel products based on natural plant compounds to attract beneficial insects into crops where they will be supported with nectar, pollen and shelter to maximise their lifespan, reproduction, residency. This use of Australia's beneficial insect biodiversity will provide ....Attract and reward: a novel approach to enhancing biological control of crop pests. Pests cause serious damage to Australia's agricultural crops. Current control relies heavily on synthetic pesticides. This project will develop novel products based on natural plant compounds to attract beneficial insects into crops where they will be supported with nectar, pollen and shelter to maximise their lifespan, reproduction, residency. This use of Australia's beneficial insect biodiversity will provide novel pest control options to help transform the vegetable and grape industries. The work will reduce reliance on conventional pesticides; thereby contributing towards Australia's environmental sustainability and providing healthier foodstuffs. Read moreRead less