GrowStrong Viti Fundamentals
Are you a dedicated grower eager to enhance your viticulture business?
Welcome to GrowStrong Viti Fundamentals- a dynamic course tailored to specific regions.
At only $200 (ex GST), you'll gain access to a course worth thousands of dollars. With 95% of the course funded by state and federal grants, you get a huge return on your investment.
Welcome to GrowStrong Viti Fundamentals- a dynamic course tailored to specific regions.
At only $200 (ex GST), you'll gain access to a course worth thousands of dollars. With 95% of the course funded by state and federal grants, you get a huge return on your investment.
Program Content.
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In-Depth AWRI Sessions: Spend two consecutive days with the Australian Wine Research Institute, where region-specific topics are discussed in an intensive, practical course to build regional resilience.
The course is aimed at practising viticulturists wishing to build capacity, reduce vulnerabilities and promote financially and environmentally sustainable practices in their businesses. Participants will visit local vineyards each day (via bus) and a dinner will take place in between the 2 days. The sessions will be tailored for each region and may include a range of topics including but not limited to: |
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Take a moment to tune in to our conversation below, in which CEO Lisa Bennier discusses the GrowStrong Viti Fundamentals Course alongside Dr. Mardi Longbottom and Robyn Dixon from the Australian Wine Research Institute. |
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Tools, techniques and practices to increase water use efficiency
This session will consist of a mix of presentations and case studies from the region, with participants given plenty of opportunities to ask questions and discuss topics relevant to their region where possible.
Session content will be tailored to each region to ensure that specific challenges/intricacies of each region are addressed (e.g., water availability, water quality, production targets, water sources, key varieties etc.).
Alternate varieties for a warming climate (Including a tasting with a regional winemaker)
Australia’s wine industry is already feeling the effects of climate change. Summers are becoming steadily hotter and drier, leading to changes in vine phenology, with grapes ripening earlier and over a shorter period. This can result in vintage compression and grapes being harvested at increasingly high sugar levels. In the longer term, we may start to see changes in the suitability of traditional wine-grape varieties in some regions.
This session will begin with a presentation on the specific climate change projections for the region. From here, we will look at potential varieties that may be suited to the projected climate and the specific attributes of these varieties that influence their suitability.
The session will finish with a tasting of a selection of alternative varieties for the region to consider.
Soil health and covercrops
This session will focus on the importance of building soil health to improve vineyard resilience. Practices to build soil carbon and improve soil structure, water infiltration rates, and soil fertility will be discussed. Participants will be provided with an overview of a range of options for non-chemical weed control, including the use of undervine cover crops, mulch and mechanical weeding to reduce herbicide use and improve yield and soil quality.
This session will consist of a mix of presentations and case studies with participants and given plenty of opportunity to ask questions and discuss topics relevant to their region. Where possible this session will be tailored to each region to ensure specific challenges/intricacies of each region are addressed (e.g., soil type, climate, key soil quality issues, water quality, production targets, water sources, key varieties, key weed etc.).
Pest and disease management
In this session, we cover the life cycle and the interventions to aid control including cultural practices and chemical applications for each of the key diseases and pests. We provide an update on the regulatory environment and how it impacts access to chemicals and explain why chemical solutions are not fixed.
Carbon neutrality and energy usage in the vineyard
Australia’s wine industry is already feeling the effects of climate change, with our weather becoming increasingly variable. There are two responses to climate change, adaptation and mitigation. Adaptation is dealing with the effects of climate change and mitigation is taking action to reduce the emissions that cause climate change.
This session will take an in-depth look at the climate change projections for each region and the impacts on grape and wine production. It will then discuss carbon accounting in vineyards and the challenges and opportunities associated with the Government’s Emissions Reduction Fund.
Participants will then be led through a series of presentations discussing strategies for vineyards to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and/or adapt to climate change.
Tools for weather monitoring and a better prediction of extreme events
Australia’s wine industry is already feeling the effects of climate change, with our weather becoming increasingly variable. In this session, participants will be provided with information about new climate forecasting products developed for the wine industry. The products include forecasts of the chances of the driest or wettest, coldest, and warmest two deciles, presented in a range of maps and location-based charts and graphs. Participants will also be provided with guidance on how to use these and other forecasts to improve user confidence.
Resting, top-working and pruning for crop management
With the current oversupply scenario affecting most grape-growing regions in Australia, growers across Australia are wondering what they can do to manage their crop.
This session will involve a series of presentations followed by a facilitated discussion session with participants.
Topics covered will include:
- Irrigation system design
- Irrigation system monitoring and maintenance
- Irrigation scheduling tools
This session will consist of a mix of presentations and case studies from the region, with participants given plenty of opportunities to ask questions and discuss topics relevant to their region where possible.
Session content will be tailored to each region to ensure that specific challenges/intricacies of each region are addressed (e.g., water availability, water quality, production targets, water sources, key varieties etc.).
Alternate varieties for a warming climate (Including a tasting with a regional winemaker)
Australia’s wine industry is already feeling the effects of climate change. Summers are becoming steadily hotter and drier, leading to changes in vine phenology, with grapes ripening earlier and over a shorter period. This can result in vintage compression and grapes being harvested at increasingly high sugar levels. In the longer term, we may start to see changes in the suitability of traditional wine-grape varieties in some regions.
This session will begin with a presentation on the specific climate change projections for the region. From here, we will look at potential varieties that may be suited to the projected climate and the specific attributes of these varieties that influence their suitability.
The session will finish with a tasting of a selection of alternative varieties for the region to consider.
Soil health and covercrops
- What is soil health, why is it important, and how do we improve it?
- What is soil carbon, why is it important, and how do we increase it?
- Covercrops – benefits, uses, establishment and maintenance.
- Tools and techniques for non-chemical weed control
This session will focus on the importance of building soil health to improve vineyard resilience. Practices to build soil carbon and improve soil structure, water infiltration rates, and soil fertility will be discussed. Participants will be provided with an overview of a range of options for non-chemical weed control, including the use of undervine cover crops, mulch and mechanical weeding to reduce herbicide use and improve yield and soil quality.
This session will consist of a mix of presentations and case studies with participants and given plenty of opportunity to ask questions and discuss topics relevant to their region. Where possible this session will be tailored to each region to ensure specific challenges/intricacies of each region are addressed (e.g., soil type, climate, key soil quality issues, water quality, production targets, water sources, key varieties, key weed etc.).
Pest and disease management
- Evaluate: Powdery, Downy and Botrytis and pests LBAM and Mealybug/Scale.
- Understanding regulatory trade barriers.
In this session, we cover the life cycle and the interventions to aid control including cultural practices and chemical applications for each of the key diseases and pests. We provide an update on the regulatory environment and how it impacts access to chemicals and explain why chemical solutions are not fixed.
Carbon neutrality and energy usage in the vineyard
- Carbon accounting and an introduction to the Emissions Reduction Fund
- New technology to improve energy efficiency and reduce vineyard greenhouse gas emissions.
- Practice change to reduce vineyard greenhouse gas emissions.
- Practices to increase nitrogen use efficiency and reduce vineyard greenhouse gas emissions.
Australia’s wine industry is already feeling the effects of climate change, with our weather becoming increasingly variable. There are two responses to climate change, adaptation and mitigation. Adaptation is dealing with the effects of climate change and mitigation is taking action to reduce the emissions that cause climate change.
This session will take an in-depth look at the climate change projections for each region and the impacts on grape and wine production. It will then discuss carbon accounting in vineyards and the challenges and opportunities associated with the Government’s Emissions Reduction Fund.
Participants will then be led through a series of presentations discussing strategies for vineyards to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and/or adapt to climate change.
Tools for weather monitoring and a better prediction of extreme events
Australia’s wine industry is already feeling the effects of climate change, with our weather becoming increasingly variable. In this session, participants will be provided with information about new climate forecasting products developed for the wine industry. The products include forecasts of the chances of the driest or wettest, coldest, and warmest two deciles, presented in a range of maps and location-based charts and graphs. Participants will also be provided with guidance on how to use these and other forecasts to improve user confidence.
Resting, top-working and pruning for crop management
With the current oversupply scenario affecting most grape-growing regions in Australia, growers across Australia are wondering what they can do to manage their crop.
This session will involve a series of presentations followed by a facilitated discussion session with participants.
Topics covered will include:
- Management options available to rest vineyards - learnings from the 2023 season.
- Heavy pruning
- Irrigation
- Crop removal with Growth regulators or Calcium Nitrate
- Considerations with resting vineyards
- Pest and disease
- Vine nutrition
- Scenario-based planning.
This program is supported by the Wine Grape Council of South Australia, through funding from the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund and the
Government of South Australia.
Government of South Australia.
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Program Partners
