Getting the most out of your water:The importance of irrigation system efficiency

摘要

Annual temperature, growing season temperature and aridity are projected to increase in the future for every region across Australia, with more intense heatwaves and less rainfall expected in many regions (Harris 2019). Water is already a significantcost for grape production in Australia, and lack of reliable access to competitively priced water is limiting production by restricting yields (AWRI 2021). Further reductions in water availability or increases in water costs are threatening the viabilityof some Australian winegrowing regions.Vineyard water use efficiency (WUE) is [ the relationship between yield (tonnes) and the amount of water used to grow the crop (megalitres). Reducing water use without compromising yield or quality will increase WUE and improve total vineyard profitability. Supporting growers to optimise their water use efficiency is key to the ongoing sustainability of the Australian wine industry.