Some of the ways in which those in horticulture and viticulture can adapt to the changing climate include:
- Review regional climate projections before establishing new vineyards/orchards
- Explore alternative species, varieties and/or rootstocks
- Modify canopy and floor management practices to conserve soil moisture
- Manipulate harvest dates, for example by changing pruning
- Review human resource and other needs to adapt to shorter harvest times
- Review requirements for chilling
- Use netting to reduce the risk of sun as well as pest damage
Research
Projects underway include:
- CSIRO’s research into alternate grape varieties
- Managing wine pH in a changing climate
- Impact of elevated CO₂ and its interaction with elevated temperature on production and physiology of Shiraz
In practice
- Keith Tulloch Wines’ Alisdair Tulloch on becoming carbon neutral
- Piñata Farms’ Gavin Scurr on managing climate change
