Large scale irrigation cutback and grapevine recovery in the Riverland: report from season 1

摘要

SARDI researchers and the Yalumba Nursery have established a restricted volume irrigation trial in mature Chardonnay grapevines grown at Qualco, SA. The irrigation reductions will be applied for 1, 2 or 3 irrigation seasons after which point the irrigation will revert back to normal practice (Control) to assess grapevine recovery. This trial is part of three examining the resilience of permanent horticulture in the dry, irrigated regions of SA. It is also part of a GWRDC-funded Wine Innovation Cluster project to examine the impact of severe water stress on vine physiology, with emphasis on whole grapevine transpiration, carbohydrate allocation and root development. As part of this project Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) is being assessed as a non-destructive and rapid technique to measure vine water status.