208-329 Viticulture

208-107 Vineyard and Winery Operations I and 208-206 Vineyard and Winery Operations II

The objectives of this subject are to enable students to:

• prepare management strategies to maximise the quality and yield of grapevines taking into account environmental and management influences;

• explain the commercial influences on vineyard establishment and operation;

• describe major weather differences and evaluate the suitability of cultivations for different purposes and locations; and

• actively evaluate trends and developments in viticulture, with particular reference to technology, management and marketing aspects, and then to develop proposals from their evaluations.

The content includes:

• the distribution and structure of viticultural production throughout the world, the pattern and trend of Australia's viticulture industry, and its association with other areas of primary production;

• grape grower and affiliated organisations;

• vineyard site selection with regard to the nature of grape production, soil type, climatic and weather patterns, pest and disease problems;

• vineyard establishment and design; selection of cultivars and rootstocks for wine, table and dried fruit; strategies for spacing, planting and training, and their interaction with trellis construction and design;

• crop management through pruning, irrigation, frost control, soil management, and canopy management;

• techniques for improving grape quality through canopy configuration and its influence on development and maturation; and

• the assessment of fruit maturity and yield estimation.

Comparative management strategies as seen through annual work programs for table grape, wine and dried fruit production.

Three-hour examination (50%), a practical test (10%) and two assignments equivalent to 2500 words (each worth 20%).