Investigating pine factor in wine flavour

July 9, 2015, 9:38 pm

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The potential influence of pine and cypress windbreaks on wine flavour is under investigation. The pine and cypress study is part of a much broader four-year Wine Australia-funded research project, being undertaken at The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), titled Identification and origin of volatile compounds responsible for important wine sensory attributes. Project leader Dr Leigh Francis said volatile chemical compounds are responsible for many important sensory characteristics in wine and influence the quality and value of a wine in the eyes of winemakers and consumers. While many sensory attributes of wines have a known cause, some major flavour characteristics of wines – and/or the mechanisms that control their levels in grapes and wine – are not well known, such as ‘green’ flavour in red wines or the ‘stone fruit’ or ‘tropical fruit’ flavours in white wines. Eventually, the tools created from this project might allow grapegrowers and winemakers to tailor wine style by understanding the behaviour of certain compounds through the grapegrowing and winemaking process. ‘Research in this area has several components, with flavour chemist Dr Dimitra Capone acting as the main investigator for each aspect. Part of it is identifying what exactly winemakers and consumers identify as “green” characteristics in wine’, Dr Francis said. ‘We’re also looking at the factors that influence the “green” concentrations in wines.’ As part of the project, the AWRI research team is looking at the role grape leaves and stems have in contributing ‘green’ characters to Shiraz. Wine has been made using winemaking methods to assess each of the grape bunch components, separated into five distinct treatments – just berries; berries and grape leaves; berries and stems; berries and petioles; and crushed and pressed berries. Chemical analysis of known grassy/green compounds showed differences across the treatments, with the wines made from the stems and the leaves treatments having higher levels of ‘green’ compounds. Sensory analysis is due to take place in August. The team is also investigating the influence of pine and cypress windbreaks – looking at both volatile absorption via the vine canopy and the presence of pine needles and leaves in harvested grapes. Dr Francis said chemical analysis of grape berries and leaves from two vineyards has been conducted – a Pinot Noir vineyard in the Adelaide Hills bordered by a windbreak of Pinus radiata and another in the Yarra Valley bordered by cypress. ‘We also have air sampling units and volatile traps in the vineyard to try and identify what level of aerial absorption might be occurring. This is combined with sampling of grape leaves, berries and pine needles’, he said. Dr Francis said the compounds that contribute to the aromas of pine and cypress trees were known, including the monoterpenes alpha- and beta-pinene. ‘Interestingly the pattern of volatile compounds in pine trees is similar to that found in hops used to flavour beer and in citrus peel’, he said. ‘There is plenty to learn about the sensory significance of these compounds in wine, and what factors influence their levels in wine.’

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Limestone Coast soil stewards get ‘down and dirty’

July 9, 2015, 9:40 pm

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Limestone Coast grapegrowers and winemakers have been getting down and dirty this year as part of the 2014-15 Regional Program funded by Wine Australia, which saw the Soil Stewardship Program come to a close with a unique workshop titled ‘Down and dirty’ held in the Naracoorte Caves. Limestone Coast Grape & Wine Council (LCGWC) executive officer Ulrich Grey-Smith said, ‘Our soil stewards – Nick Baverstock (Penfolds Robe vineyard manager), Luke Tocacui (Patrick of Coonawarra director/winemaker) and Anna Hooper (Cape Jaffa Wines winemaker) – organised a great day in the caves, hosting a number of soil experts and keynote speakers to help them wrap-up their own projects and look at the latest soil research.’ The two-year Soil Stewardship Program involved the stewards undertaking a range of study tours and work with program facilitator, Melbourne-based advisor in environmental sustainability, Russell Fisher, to explore their own region’s soil diversity and management practices, as well as investigate the soil management practices from other regions. ‘The aim was for the stewards to use and share this accumulated knowledge and to help devise a sustainable soil management strategy for the whole region’, Mr Grey-Smith said. The soil stewardship program also received funding through the Limestone Coast Grape and Wine Council and support from The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI). ‘Though it’s officially ended, we hope work will continue in this area and other wineries and nearby regions are able to use what’s come out of the program.’ A number of workshops were also held, including a four flavours sensory workshop hosted by The AWRI at the Wynns’ Cellar Door. ‘We held four tutored tasting workshops – looking at Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay and Shiraz’, Mr Grey-Smith said. ‘All workshops sold out, and they weren’t just excellent opportunities to learn more, we found the networking was also valuable. It’s a good time to chat about what we’re all doing and share ideas – and a few of us have become excellent glass polishers.’ However, Mr Grey-Smith said the major highlight for 2014 was getting internationally acclaimed scientist and conservationist, Professor Tim Flannery as keynote speaker for the ‘Opportunities in a new climate’ workshop held in Penola in November last year. ‘It was a great collaborative experience with Coonawarra and The AWRI – and a real highlight for many of us to hear from someone as well-respected as Tim. It’s not the rosiest of topics, but we’re hoping the conversations and research presented will lead to a number of new projects and outcomes for the region.’ The planning for a number of projects in the approved 2015-16 Limestone Coast Regional Program has already started. Mr Grey-Smith said the LCGWC would again work closely with nearby Coonawarra Grape and Wine Inc. when they host the Australian Cabernet Symposium on 15 October 2015. The symposium is expected to attract a number of international speakers and guests. More details available here. ‘We’ll be running more tutored tasting workshops, but this year we’ll move away from variety specific tastings and look instead at the influences of alternative practices in the vineyard and winemaking’, he said. ‘We have started planning for a follow-up to the climate workshop with an alternative energy seminar. ‘We’re also going to start a new alternative varieties case study, with the help of viticulture consultant Libby Tassie. ‘We hope to take a closer look at the alternative varieties most suited to the Limestone Coast. We’d like to offer recommendations for alternatives, not just in terms of growing suitability but also those with strong sustainable business cases as well.’

Australian viticulture science on global stage

July 9, 2015, 9:52 pm

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Australia’s increasingly important viticulture research in irrigation efficiency, climate change and sustainability earned global attention last month, when it formed part of the agenda at the 19^th International Symposium GiESCO in France. Wine Australia R&D Program Manager Adrian Loschiavo and South Australian Research & Development Institute ‎Principal Crop Ecophysiologist Dr Victor Sadras attended the conference, held in Gruissan, southern France from June 1-5, with some travel expenses supported by a Wine Australia travel grant. GiESCO (Group of international Experts of vitivinicultural Systems for CoOperation) is a biannual conference focused on viticulture including latest research, improved vineyard practices and observed international trends. This year’s key focus was sustainable developments in viticulture and included more than 200 presentations (oral and posters) from 250 scientists and engineers from approximately 20 countries. Research-related topics included climate impacts on viticulture, trellis and canopy management, grape quality, new technology, rootstocks and vineyard management. Mr Loschiavo said results from a number of Australian projects were presented and discussed at the conference, with Dr Sadras presenting a paper titled Wine as Genotype x Environment x Management: Effect of temp on vine fruit and wine. ‘I think Australian viticulture research, particularly in the fields of irrigation efficiency, drought tolerance and climate change, is punching above its weight. For the size of our sector we have research that is leading other much larger wine producing countries’, Mr Loschiavo said. ‘It’s also an opportunity for our scientists to meet and share ideas with others in their field, build relationships and hopefully research collaborations which could lead to new research outcomes for the Australian grape and wine community’. Adrian Loschiavo’s top three GiESCO picks Sap flow sensors that save at least 40 per cent of irrigation In the US, researchers in California were able to significantly reduce irrigation without negatively impacting yield or ripening rates. Real-time sap flow was monitored using sensors which measured heat displacement by the vine, enabling calculation of sap flow. Using this information, irrigation was applied based on vine needs and the response to irrigation, rather than just weather forecasts or canopy assessment as would occur in ‘traditional’ management. Experiments were undertaken in commercial vineyards located in Napa, Healdsburg and Paso Robles comparing both irrigation scheduling methods, and water savings ranged between 40-100 per cent when using the sensors. For more information, visit www.fruitionsciences.com. Phone apps and robots European scientists have developed an app that enables growers to quickly ascertain the flower numbers of an inflorescence using their Android smartphone. Called vitisFlower, the app recognises unopened flowers and counts them, providing information that can assist in early season yield estimations. The research team has also been working on an unmanned ground vehicle, VineRobot, which utilises a combination of machine vision, fluorescence-based sensors and NIR spectroscopy, to collect data on vegetative growth, vine water status, potential yield and grape composition. Collated data is processed into a vineyard map and sent to a computer or device to assist with vineyard management decisions. For more information, visit www.vinerobot.eu. Is variable rate irrigation a reality? In the US, California’s E&J Gallo are trialling an in-block irrigation system which allows tailored delivery of irrigation in 15x15m quadrants. Variable rate irrigation uses two irrigation lines in each row, a series of solenoids, control boxes and many metres of wire to apply irrigation to quadrants of 40-50 vines (10 vines x 4-5 rows) within the block. Yield maps and canopy imagery captured during the season are used to schedule irrigation for each quadrant. This has greatly reduced variability within the block and improved water use efficiency. At present, it’s not commercially viable, but it demonstrates the benefit of this concept. For more information, please visit: www.vineyardteam.org/virtual-tailgates/vine-water/Sanchez/.

RD&E call to develop the Australian grape and wine community

July 19, 2015, 6:33 pm

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Wine Australia is inviting research, development and extension (RD&E) project applications in five key areas identified in its recently released five-year Strategic Plan. The call for collaborative multi-disciplinary proposals will be held in two separate rounds in 2015, with the first round opening today for the priority areas of customer insights and digital viticulture. Wine Australia CEO Andreas Clark said the five research areas will help achieve Wine Australia’s goal of a prosperous Australian grape and wine community. ‘These five research areas directly support our two priorities for the Australian wine sector – increasing demand and premium paid for all Australian wine, and increasing competitiveness,’ Mr Clark said. ‘Customer insights research will focus on why customers choose Australian wine and what influences their decisions. It will focus on pre-competitive insights and will link to our extension and market development activities. ‘We are seeking to provide the Australian wine sector with a better understanding of what current and potential customers of Australian wine – both locally and internationally – find desirable in wine, so that Australia can make the wines that will be in greater demand and command higher premiums. ‘Digital viticulture is the development and deployment of digital technologies for viticulture. Research will look into accurate, real-time measurements of key crop parameters in the vineyard and the rapid delivery of information to growers and wineries. ‘This research will provide better decision making tools to maximise fruit quality, control input costs, facilitate management of fruit yield and enable better harvest logistics and fruit grading decisions at the winery,’ he said. Gaps analysis reports for customer insights and digital viticulture that analyse the research outcomes already achieved, explore the future needs identified by the wine sector and pose potential researchable questions are available at www.research.wineaustralia.com. Preliminary project applications for customer insights and digital viticulture are due by Friday 14 August 2015. The application process for the second call will begin in early October 2015, with the release of the gaps analysis reports in the priority areas of climate adaptation, sustainability, and quality and provenance. It is anticipated the successful research projects from the first call will commence from January 2016 and from the second call in July 2016.

Inspire a tourist, then keep in touch

August 5, 2015, 9:44 pm

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Tourists are ready and willing to absorb the message about Australian wine, but we have to do it in the right way and keep up the momentum when they return home. That is the key finding of a comprehensive, Wine Australia-funded project recently completed by Dr Richard Lee from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute at the University of South Australia. The three-phase study set out to test, in a wine setting, the proposition that tourists tend to rate a country’s products more highly if they are enjoying their stay. And the theory was proven. ‘You wouldn’t think that someone simply being in a country as a tourist would necessarily have the experience rub off on their perception of brands but it does, and very much so’, he said. ‘The great advantage for Australian products is that Australia offers so many good tourism experiences and is so highly thought of that people having a good time is almost a given. Wineries just have to make sure tourists have a chance to encounter their wine.’ The research focused on Chinese wine consumers – both in Australia and in China – but Dr Lee is confident the findings would translate to other nationalities. His research showed that Chinese tourists who are exposed to wine in Australia are more likely to purchase Australian wine when they get home, and that Chinese people who have been to Australia have a higher opinion of Australian wine that those who have not. It does not matter what time of year they come to Australia, but the setting and the ambience are important. Study participants thought more highly of wine in a setting that was congruent to wine, such as a winery or restaurant, than in a general tourism setting. ‘Most Chinese tourists visit wine regions for the experience, rather than for the wine’, Dr Lee said. ‘If the experience is good, then the wine is thought of favourably.’ That’s good news for smaller wineries that don’t have the size or budget to market offshore, although, as Dr Lee notes, they do still need to have tourist appeal. But wineries need to think about how they can stay in touch after their visitors return home, because of what Dr Lee calls the ‘decay effect’. Tracking tourists at 6 and 12 months after they left Australia showed that ‘their perceived image and purchase probability of Australian wine eroded over time.’ The final report from Dr Lee’s study is available on the Wine Australia website here. He discussed its findings in a webinar hosted by Wine Communicators of Australia, supported by Wine Australia, on Tuesday 4 August, which also featured Greg Stirling, who runs the Jacob’s Creek Visitors Centre in the Barossa Valley, which assisted the research.

Workshop to help wineries think ‘lean’

August 5, 2015, 9:45 pm

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Wine Australia’s commitment to help wineries improve their businesses and their bottom line by reducing waste and improving their resource efficiency is moving up a gear. Practical workshops will be run around Australia on request to outline the principles and benefits of ‘lean production’, a way of doing things to identify and help eliminate hidden, non-essential activities and production steps. Early last year, Wine Australia released The Lean Guide – a primer on lean production for the Australian wine industry, which is available online here. It then worked with the SA Wine Industry Association and the South Australian Government (via its agency Zero Waste SA) on a two-part pilot study to assess the practicalities of wineries incorporating ‘lean production’ into their practices and the likely benefits. Stage one, completed late last year, showed that 11 participating wineries could potentially save more than $10 million a year between them (with individual savings ranging from $21,000 to $5 million) by implementing ‘lean production’. However, several barriers to widespread take up were identified, primarily related to a lack of winery-specific benchmark data and a critical mass of people with relevant knowledge and experience. In the recently completed second stage, a series of group briefing sessions were delivered to teach participating wineries how to implement key ‘lean production’ tools and practices into winery operations and to highlight the opportunity for peer-to-peer learning. Benchmark data was also collected and compared. From both stages of the project, the outcomes gave a clearer idea of how to help wineries and regions to work together to implement ‘lean production’ and a set of valuable case studies. These will be incorporated into the workshops to be delivered around Australia. ‘Lean production is not a cost-cutting exercise nor is it expensive; it is a new way of thinking about existing operations’, said Wine Australia program manager Adrian Loschiavo. ‘And it can be implemented quickly and relatively cheaply once you know how.’ The introductory 20-minute sessions about ‘lean production’ are part of the AWRI-delivered Grape and Wine Roadshow seminar series, delivered around the country. Visit www.grapeandwineevents.com.au for more information. A follow-up half-day workshop is ready to be delivered, depending on interest and numbers of participants. For further information or to register interest in a workshop, click here or contact Adrian at adrian.loschiavo@wineaustralia.com or (08) 8228 2020. Details of a half-day lean production workshop in Mildura on 27 August are available here.

Oxygenation and octo-copters in Murray Valley research mix

August 5, 2015, 9:53 pm

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The technical and the high-tech are on the research agenda for Murray Valley Winegrowers Inc (MVWI) in the year ahead. With water use efficiency a key priority for the region’s growers, there will be a focus on ongoing projects looking at the potential for oxygenation to improve marginal soils and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) technology to provide better vineyard monitoring. ‘We’re interested in anything that can help growers effectively utilise water better, whether it be through the use of silicone products for the shielding of vines against sunburn or trying to increase the oxygen levels in water’, said new Industry Development Officer David Coombes. ‘The oxygenation project is now in its third year and producing good results. We have some pretty marginal soils in this area and with continual watering during summer heatwaves it’s reducing oxygen levels in the soil profile resulting in soils becoming anaerobic. We’re trying to ascertain whether oxygen input into the irrigation water can increase oxygen levels in soil.’ Available oxygen in the soil is important for microbes and plant growth. Mr Coombes, who’s Mildura born and bred, joined MVWI three months ago from Pernod Ricard Winemakers, after a career that has also included work in the citrus, table grape and stone fruit industries. He believes much of the current research, especially with the use of UAV technology, will have applications for other crops, as well as in other wine regions. The work with UAVs began last year in partnership with the University of Melbourne, which has a major project looking at vineyards of the future. ‘They have the experience and expertise in precision viticulture so they brought their octo-coptor up and started collecting imagery from several trial vineyards’, Mr Coombes said. ‘The UAV collects data looking at water stress of vines. We are running a few trials on deficit irrigation throughout the vineyards, going from 100 per cent water down to about 70 per cent to how the vines are coping through the stress period. ‘We want to help inform growers on their irrigation practices during a heatwave or when one is coming: are they overwatering; are the vines transpiring throughout a certain period of time; is there a potential saving on water or do you put water on earlier?’ UAVs have two advantages – they can pick up things that the human eye can miss at ground level, and the data is available in a day or two, rather than two weeks or more when relying on satellite technology. This season’s project will involve a locally based precision viticulture consultant and will repeat the work of the first year, though focussing on Shiraz grapes rather than Chardonnay. And what do MVWI members think of all this? ‘They are really embracing it. It’s vineyards for the future; what do we need to do; how do we support growers improve their irrigation practices?’

Future Leaders 2015 – Session Three wrap-up

August 5, 2015, 9:54 pm

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The Oxford dictionary defines ‘influence’ as ‘the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behaviour of someone or something…’ and it was ‘influence’ that provided the theme for Session Three of Future Leaders 2015 held in Yarra Valley last week. With an overarching goal to develop participants both personally and professionally, day one saw the collective talking media, spin and influence with Toby Ralph, marketing, strategy and communications consultant and ‘Gruen Planet’ contributor. Future Leader Gemma West, Continuous Improvement Coach at Treasury Wine Estates, described this as a highlight of Session Three. ‘Toby showed us how people outside the sector can “spin” an image around a topic. We looked at how we view our short and long term future and how we might be able to come back if “spin” negatively affects the wine sector’, Ms West said. How important is ‘spin’? Does truth end and spin begin or can truth and spin collocate? How influential is emotion in any debate? From speakers across days two and three, it turns out that the answer is ‘very’ and when we talk about ‘effective influence’, it turns out that both ‘emotion’ and ‘connection’ are foundation stones. The Future Leaders 2015 were introduced to the theory underpinning this idea by Zoe Routh. ‘Imagine if one person’s values, ideals and beliefs fit inside a volcano – with behaviour at the top. There is a lot going on under the surface that influences people's behaviour and it would be rare that we'd ever get the opportunity to fully understand someone's reasons for it,’ Ms West said. ‘People management is the most important part of leadership and it was valuable to understand that effectively using empathy enables us to visualise what might be happening below the surface, instead of simply taking behaviour at face value.’ The importance of emotion and connection were practically evidenced by Andreas Clark, Wine Australia CEO, Lawrie Stanford, Wine Grape Growers Australia Executive Director, and Paul Evans, Winemakers’ Federation of Australia Chief Executive, who were each invited to sketch and share their leadership journeys in the context of the current sector issues. For Ms West, the most valuable part of Session Three was in continuing to build the relationships formed through Future Leaders. ‘Future Leaders has created a circle of trust – we can share issues and discuss ways forward together. It has also provided us with valuable opinions outside our immediate sphere due to the breadth of industry roles in our group.’

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AWRI puts latest process sensor technologies to the test

September 10, 2015, 7:03 pm

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The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) has completed its 12-month investigation into new process sensors, trialling 4 commercially available technologies, including some new (and largely untried) in the Australian wine community. Currently, most fermentation monitoring is carried out manually, with wineries having to sample and test multiple ferments every day during vintage; this can tie up significant resources. If ferments – and the rate of change in sugar levels – are not adequately monitored and controlled, then slow or sluggish ferments can occur leading to potential wine spoilage. AWRI Commercial Services Senior Scientist and project leader Neil Scrimgeour said previous AWRI research had identified that in-process sensors could potentially be used to identify problem ferments earlier than current practice allowed and capture additional ferment data that may be of value to the producer. The project initially identified 10–12 technologies that could be applied for measurement of sugar levels throughout fermentation. ‘We ruled out some of these technologies due to practical limitations and others were not considered to be fully developed for commercial use or too expensive for application in the wine sector’, Mr Scrimgeour said. Three sensors were trialled in white ferments during the 2015 vintage at Petaluma winery, in the Adelaide Hills. A trial was also set up for red ferments at De Bortoli Wines, in Riverina. ‘We ended up having a number of process-related issues in the red ferment trial, with the agitation of ferment solids seriously affecting measurement for some of the sensor technologies. Unfortunately, this meant that we weren’t able to collect any quantifiable data from the red trial’, he said. ‘It did, however, highlight the technical challenges and the limitations of sensor technologies with red ferments and solids.’ The white trial was more successful, with the three sensors able to be assessed across a number of ferments. ‘All three sensors showed that they had the capability to be applied in a process environment, but we also identified issues that meant none of the current technologies offered the silver bullet solution wineries are looking for in a process sensor’, he said. Mr Scrimgeour said the AWRI team had worked closely with the companies providing the process sensors and were keeping a watching brief on developing technologies that may one day satisfy the potential that these sensors could have. ‘Bio-sensors offer a real possibility for targeted measurement of sugar, as well as other important ferment attributes and have the potential to be a lot cheaper and easier to implement, but there needs to be a lot more work in this area before we see viable commercial products’, he said. ‘We need to find sensors that can provide rapid and accurate ferment data and that can be easily retro-fitted to existing fermentation tanks and infrastructure. Ultimately, these sensors will only be implemented on a broad scale when they are reliable and relatively cheap.’ The final report for this project is available online here.

Targeting spray application

September 10, 2015, 7:07 pm

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Click here to see our top ten tips for effective spraying.   Comprehensive research looking at how best to use spray systems for pest and disease control in the vineyard is starting to bear fruit. Data from two years of intensive work are now coming in and the University of Queensland research team, led by senior research fellow Dr Andrew Hewitt and senior research scientist Chris O’Donnell, has begun developing best practice models for use in Australian conditions. The Wine Australia-funded project, titled A generic approach to improving spray coverage, was established to help growers maximise coverage while reducing environmental risks associated with agricultural plant-protection products and machines. Much of the work is being carried out at Treasury Wine Estates’ Lake Cullulleraine vineyards in North-Western Victoria. An important early finding is how targeted sprayers can both help reduce spray drift and increase canopy deposition, which in turn leads to more accurate dosing of chemical. Targeted sprayers include ducted sprayers, multi fan sprayers and others that can be adjusted to direct spray at the vine canopy. ‘Unlike a traditional airblast sprayer, targeted sprayers aim the spray directly at the target canopy, not at the ground or above the canopy where it can be caught in the wind and move off target’, Dr Hewitt said. ‘Targeting spray is achieved by adjusting fans or air outlets to aim the spray directly into the canopy.’ As part of the research, three sprayers were evaluated: a typical non-targeted airblast sprayer (Figure 1) and two targeted sprayers – a twin row multihead fan sprayer (Figure 2) and a pneumatic-electrostatic sprayer (Figure 3). A key aim of the research was to understand how much spray was lost to drift (ground and air) during a typical spray application. This is important information as spray drift can remain airborne and travel long distances with potentially significant consequences to other crops and people. In airborne drift testing, an airblast was able to generate drift up to 15 meters into the air. The canopy height was just 2.5 metres high, resulting in significant off-target spray drift and wasted chemical. The multihead fan sprayer and electrostatic sprayer also overshot the top of the canopy, but far less than the airblast sprayer. ‘The results show the concentration of drift at 0 to 2 metres (from the ground to the top of the canopy) were highest for the electrostatic sprayer, followed by the airblast sprayer. ‘This means many droplets passed through the canopy and up into the air’, Dr Hewitt said. ‘Given this observation, it is very important with these types of sprayers to only spray in toward the vineyard block to avoid off-site spray drift onto adjacent blocks, neighbours, roads or other sensitive areas.’ It is also important to adjust air speed to suit the vine canopy size. Early research results demonstrate how well-targeted spray application increases deposition rates and achieve higher dosing of chemical on the canopy. The airblast sprayer places significantly more agrochemical onto the lower canopy, compared to other sprayers tested, as it sprays mostly from below. While the airblast has less deposition onto the upper canopy, it produced the most off-target spray drift as only a fraction of the spray was intercepted by the canopy. The design of the electrostatic and multihead fan sprayer resulted in much more even spray coverage on the upper and lower canopy. Figure 1: The illustration shows the typical direction of air output by an airblast sprayer.  A large fraction of the spray is forced upward and if it is not intercepted by the canopy, it can easily drift off-target. Figure 2: A twin-row multihead fan sprayer which targets the canopy of each row with three fans and an array of nozzles. It has the benefit of converging airflows and each fan can be aimed for more precise targeting. By aiming all the airflows together in the row, much more of the spray is contained in and deposits on the canopy. Figure 3: An electrostatic sprayer produces positively charged, ultra-fine droplets emitted from air outlets mounted to a boom to focus spray into the canopy. Figure 4: Off-target spray deposit data collected in the air for three sprayers applying spray mix to a fully developed canopy. Figure 5: A comparison of average amounts of agrochemical deposited onto leaves in upper and lower halves of the vine canopy when applied by three sprayer types Pictures courtesy Mark Ledebuhr, Application Insight LLC  

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Nuffield scholar returns with a global outlook

September 10, 2015, 7:09 pm

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A jam-packed 42-day overseas trip across Asia, North America and Ireland has provided Nuffield scholar and viticulturist Andrew Clarke with a ‘big picture’ view of agriculture. Yering Station’s chief viticulturist has just returned from the Nuffield Scholarship ‘Global Focus’ tour, which took in Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, mainland China, Canada, United States and Ireland. He travelled with a group of five agriculture scholars from across rice production, beef and dairy organisations ranging in size from multi-nationals to small family-owned properties. ‘The trip looked at every aspect of farming and agriculture from research labs, to trade, to standing in the paddocks and orchards with the farmers.  We met Ministers for Agriculture, spoke with big business, scientists and farmers’, Andrew said. ‘I was expecting a broad spectrum view of agriculture and trade, but it opened my mind to see that agriculture is a social movement as much as it is about production and global commodities. Realising agriculture’s influence in world affairs was probably the strongest take-away from this trip. ‘For example, we saw how the International Rice Institute’s development led to the green revolution. This increased stable rice production across the Asian tropical belt, which has prevented famine there for 50 years since and led to regional political stability as a result.’ Though the trip didn’t focus on vineyards, Andrew said it was a great opportunity to see and contrast similar elements of his own business and management practices. ‘Something that really became obvious was how the really good dynamic operations, including several of the smaller family-owned businesses, looked after their staff’, he said. ‘They weren’t afraid to invest in training and to encourage their staff to grow both personally and professionally. They had the results to show that as their staff improved so did their business.’ Andrew said the trip also provided the chance for a lot of two-way information sharing. ‘So many of the people we visited used the opportunity to ask us questions, get our input on their systems and business’, he said. ‘They wanted to know what we were doing in Australia, particularly when faced with similar problems, just as much as we wanted to see what they were doing. ‘It made me realise that I should be better tapping into the knowledge of those who come to visit us in the Yering vineyards. ‘I don’t think I realised, until now, how important it is to open yourself up to other people’s observations and experiences. Whether they can contribute or not to your day-to-day operations, it can never hurt to see how others see your work and region.’ Andy is now preparing for a personal four-week study trip to Europe in mid-September, where he will visit vineyards in Spain, France and Germany. Another four-weeks next year in the United States will round out the scholarship. The trip will see him focusing on his nominated study topic, the management of challenging soils.

Riverland Wine’s united approach to Regional Program

September 10, 2015, 7:11 pm

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Managing weeds and budgets, finding the right clones and rootstocks and planning for the region’s grape and wine future are key priorities for the Riverland in the Regional Program 2015–16, funded by Wine Australia. Riverland Wine will host its first regional conference in 2016, since officially launching nine months ago. The association is the combination of the Riverland Wine Industry Development Council (RWIDC) and the Riverland Winegrape Growers Association (RWGA), and after years of working closely together the two entities now meet at the same table and function as a single united entity. Riverland Wine Business Manager Andrew Weeks said the conference will address the unique challenges Riverland wine businesses face and seek to identify the path forward by focusing on the things that currently make the Riverland remarkable, and things that will make the region remarkable in the future. ‘Having the one voice helps and having growers and wineries at the same table means we can identify those key challenges and find solutions together that will benefit the whole region’, Mr Weeks said. ‘We want to be able to offer ideas and advice on how this region can work toward business sustainability, either by increasing efficiency of production, increasing the value of wine sold, or both.’

Business and budgets

The Regional Program 2015–16 in the Riverland will also support a number of Technical and Business Tools Workshops to be held throughout the year. ‘We want to provide the tools and programs that are easy to learn and use and that most businesses will already be familiar with’, he said. ‘Using Excel spreadsheets, the workshops will show ways to plan and budget for different scenarios of application of nutrition, water, herbicide, and fungicide and help identify desired viticulture outcomes and costs. ‘By combining planning tools with budget costs of the planned chemicals and inputs we want the growers to be able to easily plan “what if” scenarios and arrive at the desired technical outcome at the lowest possible cost.’ The tools will also include technical information sections, such as web links and factsheets.

Clones and rootstocks

The clonal and rootstock trials that began three years ago will continue, with plans to use the existing data to identify and narrow the focus to the clones and rootstocks best suited to the Riverland’s conditions. Mr Weeks said viticulture parameters and small-lot winemaking assessments will help identify the most suitable of the 57 clones of Chardonnay, Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc originally included in the trial. ‘Along with the winemaking assessments, we plan to use the data already collected over two years regarding canopy balance, bunch architecture and yield, and seasonal variations to help triage out clones that are deemed low value to the region. ‘The intent in the coming season is to concentrate on the more promising fruit and adopt a standardised assessment method for appraisal of the wine, in order to reduce the variation that is typical during sensory assessment.’ The rootstock trial will also be narrowed down, with the best performing rootstocks identified.

Weed management

The Riverland continues its search for the ideal weed control method, particularly in its battle to stop the spread of the Gazania species. The State Government’s decision to make Gazania a declared weed earlier this year has been welcomed, as the plant is a major concern for many Riverland growers. As a declared weed, Gazanias are now prohibited from sale anywhere in South Australia. ‘For typical weeds, growers apply herbicides as the primary method of control but in the case of some drought-tolerant weeds, such as the Gazania species and Fleabane, the characteristics that make these weeds drought tolerant also restrict uptake of herbicide’, Mr Weeks said. ‘This can also lead to increased chance of herbicide resistance, as well as reduced vine performance.’ Last year’s trial and feedback from growers showed either unreliable or variable control with herbicide applications. Weather also affected the trial results. This year, the trial will continue to apply different herbicide treatments in a replicated random plot design. The applications, with generous water rates to ensure coverage, will involve:

• different types of herbicides
• different rates
• different adjuvants, and
• use in some treatments of ‘double knock’ herbicide application.

‘The adjuvants are used to help penetrate the waxy protective layer of the Gazania plant,’ he said. ‘This next stage of the trial will help us establish which active groups, adjuvants and application rates will allow control of these weeds in a cost-effective manner.’

Top 10 tips for effective spraying

September 10, 2015, 11:42 pm

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Use these top 10 tips for when spraying to improve the efficacy of your spray program this season.

1. Check your equipment

Make sure your equipment is ready to go before the spray season gets underway. This includes a thorough check over of all bearings, tank condition and ensuring all lines and filters have been cleaned and flushed.

2. Spray program review

Review last year’s pest and disease monitoring results and spray program and ascertain if control was adequate. Consider spray timing and coverage as well as chemicals when making any changes to the program.

3. Spray calibration

Your sprayer should be calibrated to suit the canopy prior to each spray. For more information on selecting and changing nozzles (air blast) watch this video here, and for information on measuring liquid flow (output) watch this video here.

4. Adjust air volume

Modify your sprayer air volume during the season to match canopy size. Air should allow the spray onto the canopy rather than passing through the canopy into the adjoining row. Air direction should be adjusted to minimise spray loss above the canopy.

5. Check coverage

Water sensitive papers, fluorescent dye or particle film technology (sunscreen) are simple and easy ways to assess spray coverage. If required, change sprayer output, nozzle size and direction to get the best coverage possible.

6. Follow label directions

Agrochemical labels contain information on how to safely apply the product. Recommendations in the AWRI’s ‘Dogbook’, found online here (PDF) or via the app, will ensure you comply with maximum residue limits for international wine markets.

7. Avoid off-target spray

Be aware of sensitive areas (e.g. public roads, dams, neighbours) and avoid spray drift by reducing fan speed, turning off sprayer on downwind side or waiting for wind direction to blow away from sensitive area.

8. Water quality

Ensure the quality of water you’re mixing agrochemicals with is good enough, especially turbidity and pH.

9. Tank mixes

Before tank mixing multiple agrochemicals, including foliar nutrients, consult the manufacturer or on-seller for guidance.

10. Avoid resistance

Apply agrochemicals as per label instructions to avoid vineyard pest and disease resistance. The AWRI ‘dogbook’ has recommendations to avoid resistance. If you suspect that you may have a resistance issue, contact the AWRI helpdesk on (08) 8313 6600 or helpdesk@awri.com.au. helpdesk@awri.com.au

More information

Click here for more information on spray application and watch our principles of spray application video here. For more information, contact Adrian Loschiavo, Wine Australia R&D Program Manager, Adrian.Loschiavo@wineaustralia.com  

Region in focus: Greater Victoria

October 8, 2015, 10:58 pm

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Victoria has a strong extension program planned over the coming months, as part of the Regional Program funded by Wine Australia, with the first major event for ‘Greater Victoria’ just weeks away. A workshop will be held in the Pyrenees region in mid-November to look at management strategies for helping a vineyard recover from fire damage and the decisions that have to be made along the way. ‘This is not just about smoke taint, it is about what happens when a fire goes through your vineyard, destroying your irrigation infrastructure and damaging or even killing vines’, said the Victorian Node Manager for the Australian Wine Research Institute, Dr Mark Krstic. ‘An unfortunate fire last December burnt out a 14-and-a-half-hectare vineyard. With the owner’s support we have been able to go back regularly since then to collect data and monitor the recovery patterns of vines. It’s been a valuable exercise and we have a lot to pass on to local vineyard managers.’ Smoke taint remains a pressing issue for much of Victoria. Dr Krstic and his colleagues have an increasing role working with fire and government authorities to ensure the interests of viticulturists are understood and respected in the implementation of the planned burn program in the state. ‘There has been a two or three-fold increase in planned burns in Victoria in recent years and we are working closely with the relevant people to minimise their impact’, Dr Krstic said. ‘It’s about strategic co-ordination to avoid conflict and ensure the right outcomes are achieved for everybody.’ Another research priority is trunk disease, which is a major issue in cooler regions particularly with vines that are more than 15 years old. Six extension events held last December were very successful in raising awareness and providing insights into new management techniques that can be used to control trunk diseases. As a follow up – and in response to feedback – three practical demonstration workshops will be held next April to look in more depth at options for remediating affected vines. These sessions will be held in Ararat, Mornington Peninsula and Milawa in north-eastern Victoria, where Victorian researchers have been working with Dr Mark Sosnowski from the SA Research & Development Institute (SARDI) to trial specific management practices based around remedial pruning and the use of different wound treatments. A related project in Milawa is testing strategies for supporting vine regrowth after remedial surgery. ‘Sometimes vines struggle to reshoot, or reshoot unevenly, with only half happening one year and the rest the next’, Dr Krstic said. ‘This leads to uneven vineyard growth.’ To cap off the financial year, Greater Victoria will hold a Cool Climate Chardonnay Symposium in June, building on the success of a Shiraz event held last year. ‘It will have much the same format, with a mix of science and practical experiences’, Dr Krstic said. ‘It will be held in the Yarra Valley, which is very supportive of the concept, and we are working with the local sector to develop the program.’

Two early successes from incubator trial

October 8, 2015, 11:03 pm

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A trial program to support new wine sector research, particularly by early career researchers, is showing great potential. Five short-term projects were identified in 2014 to receive seed funding as part of a pilot Incubator Initiative at the University of Adelaide. Two have now been completed, with promising results. ‘We asked the university how best to assist early career researchers and they came forward with a series of good ideas’, said Wine Australia Senior R&D Program Manager Keith Hayes. ‘Each was for a 12-month project that would hopefully lay the groundwork for a future larger study.’ In one completed project, Dr Ashlea Doolette, a Research Fellow in the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine who specialises in soil science, investigated the feasibility of providing much needed phosphorus to vineyard soil by reusing the vineyard’s own by-products, rather than adding fertiliser. ‘I had already investigated a number of different systems, particularly in broadacre cropping, but the vineyard is unique because there is the potential to close the phosphorus loop’, she said. In many crops, particularly grains, a great deal of phosphorus is lost from the system because it is contained in the final harvested product. However, with wine grapes much of the phosphorus is found in leaves and prunings, and what finds its way to the fruit is largely in the skins and stalks rather than the juice and thus can be returned to the vineyard as grape marc. Dr Doolette’s research set out to determine the amount and chemical state of the phosphorous in senesced leaves, prunings and marc. In the first phase she analysed prunings from nine vineyards in the Barossa Valley during vine dormancy. The second involved analysing grapevine biomass from three sites throughout the growing season and different sources of grape marc. In all she visited each site five times and says everyone involved 'learned a lot from each other'. The research findings give us the clearest picture yet of how phosphorous transforms in vines. The next stage would be to get more comprehensive knowledge of each process and, in particular, to understand the transformations that occur when the plant biomass is added to the soil and how quickly phosphorous might be released. The second project, carried out by wine microbiologists Drs Michelle Walker and Tommaso Liccioli, focused on identifying and characterising the genes in yeast that can affect the colour of red wines. It is well known that different yeast strains can influence colour, but we don’t yet understand which strains do what and why. And pinning that down is tricky as there are thousands of genes in each genome and thus a complex network of interactions. As a first step, Drs Walker and Liccioli set out to determine which regions of the genome are linked to colour change. To do this they analysed 96 hybrid wine yeasts, evaluated their fermentation performance in synthetic red juice and subsequent impact on the resultant 'wine', then correlated their data against genome sequences developed by researchers at the University of Auckland. More than 300 individual small wine samples were created and had to be monitored 2 or 3 times a day. This allowed the researchers to make the first large-scale use of an automated fermentation platform known as the Tee-Bot, which was created at the University with support from the then GWRDC. It passed with flying colours. A great deal of specific data from the project is still being analysed, but it has clearly identified two specific regions of the genome that are linked to colour change. This creates the platform for researchers to make a more detailed characterisation of the genes included in that area of the genome. The potential is to be able to identify new ‘sector ready’ candidate yeast strains that can be cost-effectively used by winemakers to influence wine colour.

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Online yield forecasting tool hungry for data

October 8, 2015, 11:07 pm

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Two Sydney researchers can already make a pretty accurate prediction of what Shiraz yields will be like in the Barossa next year, but their vision is even greater. Drs Steve Van Sluyter and Alex Ferry from Macquarie University are one year into a three-year, Wine Australia-funded project designed to develop an online tool for predicting yields at the block level that could eventually be adapted to any region and grape style. They know about the Barossa because that’s where most of their initial data has come from, courtesy of Treasury Wine Estates. They now need more – and more varied – data for two reasons. The first is that a reliable tool for a given region will need key data about that region and its various grape varieties. The second is that if all the data comes from vineyards in close proximity to each other, it is not sufficiently independent (in a statistical sense) to use for broader modelling. ‘Essentially we need to more accurately measure our accuracy’, Dr Van Sluyter  said. ‘With these small datasets we’re using to train and test the models. The numbers are looking really good, but we have no way of knowing how that would extend to larger models across more regions and cultivars. ‘We’re reaching out to wineries in other regions now to get the data we’re looking for, including historical yield data and dates for budburst and flowering.’ Three sector partners are already involved with the project, which is both ambitious and complicated. Previous work in New Zealand has shown the potential of the concept, but it used a simple model and only two variables. Adding more variables, such as weather at key vine stages, adds a lot more complexity and requires use of a technique known as machine learning. ‘Modelling this level of complexity at the block level is not trivial and has not been undertaken in the past, nor has the development of a yield estimation tool from an understanding of these interactions been previously attempted’,  Dr Van Sluyter said. ‘A lot of people think it’s impossible and the reason they think that is because it’s human psychology that we overweight anomalies. When something expected happens we just say “of course” and ignore it, but when something unexpected happens we place huge importance on that. ‘The reality is that the vast majority of the time the grapevines are behaving on average and we can predict that.’ The final tool will incorporate weather data interactions with vine characteristics at key developmental stages. Crop forecasts will be available as early as winter pruning and will be continually updated with increasing precision as the season progresses. The aim is to only include data that growers are likely to collect for other reasons, so that the labour required to use the tool will be minimised. A browser interface will be developed to make the yield predictions easily accessible.

Study path proves busy but beneficial

October 8, 2015, 11:13 pm

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Applications are closing soon for Wine Australia’s PhD, Masters and Honours scholarships. Previous recipient Dr Tony Robinson, discusses his experience as a scholarship holder. Tony was not just a Wine Australia PhD scholarship holder, he was also a recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship. After receiving the inaugural Fulbright Western Australia Scholarship in 2008, he spent what can only be described as a whirlwind 12 months working alongside the best in his field, while also finding time to be an ambassador for Australian wine, to learn more about what the US sector has to offer, to judge at wine shows, and to swap ideas with students from many disciplines and all corners of the globe. And this was all while starting a PhD supported by a Wine Australia (then GWRDC) scholarship. And when he discovered there was ‘more to be done’, he self-funded a further six-month stint at the University of California Davis, again working alongside Professor Hildegarde Heymann, a world leader in the field of sensory evaluation of food. She was happy to be a partner as well as a mentor, and together they co-wrote 10 peer-reviewed papers, one of which won the Best Enology Paper of the Year for the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture. ‘It was a fantastic experience, a great chance to grow academically, and the opportunity to collaborate at such a high level was a bonus’, he said. His resulting PhD thesis, which looked at the environmental influences that drive flavour formation in grapes, largely comprised chapters that had already been published. Now the Technical Winemaker for Treasury Wine Estates based in Nuriootpa, Tony already had a strong background in the sector when he decided to take on a PhD. Over eight years from 2000, he had jobs in Margaret River, the Swan Valley, the Barossa and McLaren Vale, and also worked vintages in the Hunter Valley and New Zealand. However, it was a role as project manager for an ARC Linkage project looking at Margaret River Chardonnay at the University of Western Australia that pointed him in the direction of further study. His PhD was carried out jointly at Murdoch University in Perth and at the CSIRO in Adelaide. ‘The Wine Australia scholarship provided me with an invaluable opportunity to further my studies and develop a better understanding of wine’, he said. ‘I believe that Wine Australia scholarships that support further education are an important investment in the future of our sector and in the next generation of researchers and practitioners’. Applications for the next round of Wine Australia scholarships to support PhD, Masters and Honours studies close on 6 November 2015. The scholarships aim to attract postgraduate students to study in wine- and viticulture-related fields. It is anticipated that recipients of these scholarships will represent the future leaders in grape and wine research and will make positive contributions to the wine community and Australian agricultural sector. Click here for more information about Wine Australia’s PhD, Masters and Honours scholarships.   (Image credit: Sasha Key)

RD&E call for applications

October 8, 2015, 11:14 pm

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Wine Australia is inviting research, development and extension project applications in climate adaptation, economic sustainability and quality and provenance – three high-priority areas identified in its five-year strategic plan. The call for collaborative multi-disciplinary proposals will help achieve Wine Australia’s goal of a prosperous Australian grape and wine community and is the second targeted call in 2015, with applications sought earlier in the year for project proposals in customer and market insights and digital viticulture. For the priority area of climate adaptation, Wine Australia is seeking projects that focus on viticultural treatments to manage the effects of climate change. In the priority area of economic sustainability, projects are sought that focus on information, innovations and tools that enhance winery profitability and thus economic sustainability. In quality and provenance, projects are sought that focus on better understanding how and why fine Australian wines reflect their provenance and terroir and what changes in management practices can be adopted to more optimally express unique Australian terroirs. Wine Australia is also seeking projects that contribute to the development of objective measures of wine quality. Projects should build on international research and current Wine Australia-funded projects, particularly those that will be finalised by July 2016. Preliminary project applications are due by Friday 6 November 2015. If you wish to discuss a potential research project, please contact Keith Hayes or Liz Waters on 08 8228 2000. Click here for more information.

New tool to help manage grapevines

October 21, 2015, 9:44 pm

≫ Next: More (app) power for viticulturists

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A new, free phone app developed by University of Adelaide researchers will help grapegrowers and viticulturists manage their vines by giving a quick measure of vine canopy size and density. The iPad and iPhone app uses the devices’ camera and GPS capability to calculate the size and density of the vine canopy and its location in the vineyard. The aim is to help users monitor their vines and manage the required balance between vegetative growth and fruit production. The development of the app – called VitiCanopy – has been supported by Wine Australia as part of a wider project investigating the relationships between vine balance and wine quality. “Overcropped vines or vines with excessive canopy are referred to as ‘out-of-balance’ – generally being associated with lower quality fruit and hence lower returns,” says project leader Dr Cassandra Collins, Senior Lecturer in Viticulture with the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine. “To achieve vine balance, grapevines require enough leaf area to ripen the fruit and produce a desired fruit quality, but not too much that it’s detrimental to fruit development through shading or a higher incidence of disease.” Vine balance can be measured as a ratio of leaf area to fruit yield. Traditional ways, however, of measuring leaf area are tedious, laborious and time-consuming and can damage the vines – or alternatively it can require expensive and complex instruments. “Our app offers a very simple way to measure leaf area index (LAI),” says chief investigator Dr Roberta De Bei. “This measurement can then be related to fruit yield for an assessment of vine balance as well as capture canopy variation across a vineyard. The GPS capability of the app means that information gathered can also be mapped.” The research and development team also included Professor Steve Tyerman and Associate Professor Matthew Gilliham, University of Adelaide, and Dr Sigfredo Fuentes, University of Melbourne, and Treasury Wine Estates. Wine Australia’s Research Development and Extension Portfolio Manager, Dr Liz Waters, says this new app will help viticulturists optimise vine balance for best grape quality. “Wine Australia is committed to helping viticulturists manage their vines to maximise quality, profit and sustainability and to improve competitiveness across the grape and wine community. We encourage growers to explore this new tool to help them get the most from their vineyards,” says Dr Waters. The app is available from Apple’s app store. To use the app a grower takes a standardised image of the vine canopy. The app then analyses the image and calculates LAI, taking into account the canopy shape and density, and recording the time and location of the image. An android version of the app is being developed. The University’s commercialisation company, Adelaide Research & Innovation (ARI), has supported the release of the app. The project was supported by Wine Australia, the University of Adelaide Wine Future initiative (formerly the Wine2030 Research Network) and The Vineyard of the Future. [Ends]   This is a joint media release from the University of Adelaide and Wine Australia.

More (app) power for viticulturists

November 12, 2015, 9:12 pm

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More hi-tech help is here for Australia’s viticulturists. Two free apps developed at the University of Adelaide will soon be available to download for use on smartphones and other portable devices. VitiCanopy, which allows users to obtain canopy architectural parameters for grapevines using cover digital photography and automated analysis, is now available for Apple devices in the App Store, with an android version to follow soon. There’s also an instructional video on YouTube (search for VitiCanopy). PMapp, which will help growers, consultants, wineries and researchers to assess powdery mildew on grape bunches, is scheduled for release during November. An Apple version will be accessed via the App Store and an android version from the Google Play store. The PMapp initiative, a Wine Australia project that we featured in the February edition of RD&E News, has been supported by a number of wine companies and is part of a broader project at the university seeking to establish objective measures for assessing powdery mildew. ‘While our primary focus is on developing objective molecular and spectroscopic measures for powdery mildew, we all acknowledge that assessing disease visually in the field, and sometimes also at the winery, is going to be with us for some time’, said Prof Eileen Scott, Deputy Head of the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine. ‘The aim was to create a simple tool that will allow assessors to capture information more accurately and efficiently in the vineyard and improve their disease assessment skills.’ The prototype app was released for trial soon after the February edition of RD&E News and, following feedback, a number of enhancements have been made for general release. One of these is the inclusion of a diagrammatic assessment key to help commercial users differentiate increments in powdery mildew severity in the low range. The VitiCanopy app is part of a much larger Wine Australia project being carried out at the University of Adelaide, in this case in collaboration with the University of Melbourne and with support from Treasury Wine Estates and DJs Growers. The leaders are Chief Investigator Dr Cassandra Collins and Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Roberta De Bei. Dr De Bei said the app was just ‘the first part of the toolkit’ the team wanted to develop. ‘It looks at structure and vigour of the canopy and allows you to calculate some measures that are used to decide if the vine is in balance or not’, she said. The key is algorithms originally developed in the forestry industry that can analyse a photograph you have taken and provide details such as leaf area index and canopy porosity. However, the code in its basic form was too difficult and expensive for practical use. ‘The challenge was getting code that’s been written for complex, expensive software and putting it into an iPhone or iPad that is easy to use and with us every day’, Dr De Bei said. While this work has been going on, others in the research team have been looking at where such a tool can be used to best effect in assessing quality in terms of canopy measurements.