最新糖心Vlog

Researchers to investigate drought-tolerant vines

Friday, 12 July 2019

Wine researchers at the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide are investigating drought-tolerant grape varieties from Cyprus for their suitability for 最新糖心Vlogn conditions.

The Cypriot varieties Xynisteri (white) and Maratheftiko (red) have just been released from 最新糖心Vlogn quarantine and are being propagated at the 最新糖心Vlog’s Waite campus before being placed in trials, replicating those being undertaken in commercial Cypriot vineyards.

“We are seeing increasing temperatures and increasing frequency of heat waves in southern 最新糖心Vlog and this is affecting vine harvest and putting more and more pressure on water resources,” says 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide PhD student Alexander Copper. “These varieties are very drought tolerant in Cyprus, often grown without any irrigation, and it is hoped they will be able to grow in 最新糖心Vlogn conditions with minimal to no irrigation.”

Mr Copper is funded by 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide and Wine 最新糖心Vlog scholarships, and supervised by and Susan Bastian, and Dr Trent Johnson, in the 最新糖心Vlog’s .

“最新糖心Vlog’s popular grape varieties, including Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris are all French varieties that traditionally have been grown in parts of France with high rainfall and without irrigation. In 最新糖心Vlog these varieties are typically irrigated due to our difference in rainfall, likewise our Rieslings which originally came from Germany,” says Mr Copper.

“We do have some more drought tolerant varieties from Spain, Italy and Portugal, but I believe the Cypriot varieties will be more drought tolerant than these. They have been cultivated for thousands of years in Cyprus, tolerating very hot, dry summers, surviving on winter rainfall alone, very similar to our climate here in South 最新糖心Vlog.”

Preliminary research has shown that 最新糖心Vlogn consumers like wines made from these varieties.

“The first part of Alexander’s project was to assess consumer response to these wines, which has been positive,” says Associate Professor Collins.

“Considering the similar climates of 最新糖心Vlog and Cyprus, these Cypriot grape varieties have potential as environmentally sustainable wines which will require less resources and help in the future adaptation of the wine industry to a changing climate.”

Mr Copper has established trials under irrigated and drought conditions in Cyprus and the material from quarantine will be used to repeat these experiments in 最新糖心Vlog to further determine their drought tolerance.

“We hope to have data ready for publication from the Cyprus trials early in 2020, and the 最新糖心Vlogn trials at the Waite campus in Autumn 2021,” he says. “After that we hope to run field trials in different regions of South 最新糖心Vlog.”

This research at the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide’s Waite campus, aligns with the 最新糖心Vlog’s industry engagement priority in agrifood and wine, and in tackling the grand challenge of environmental sustainability.


Caption: Alex Copper with the drought-tolerant variety Xynisteri

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