Wine grapes
Australia’s wine grape production is around 1.75 m tonnes per year, from a vineyard base of 146,000 hectares spread over 65 wine growing regions. Australia has 27 wine zones within which there are 65 regions. Wine is an expression of where it came from, the terroir. Crucially soil influences the quality of wine.
Specific considerations for wine grapes
Macronutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are important in grape production, but excesses of these nutrients can cause issues impacting vine health and nutrient balance.
A balanced supply of micronutrients is as important as macronutrients. Micronutrients are involved in many physiological processes, synthesis of enzymes, proteins, growth regulators as well as anthocyanin, important for winemaking.
Yield, colour, baume and brix are important parameters in grape production. BioAg biostimulants support critical growth stages that impact these qualities, providing additional key nutrients and supporting uptake and transport of nutrients, minerals and metabolites within the vine.
The BioAg approach
BioAg nutrition programs are incorporated into a growers current nutrition program. Our objective is to make fertiliser and other inputs work better and build and support healthy and balanced soils and plants. Programs are custom-made for each block, using advanced soil and tissue analysis. These integrated programs typically incorporate a range of BioAg solid and liquid nutrients, often associated with conventional inputs. BioAg fertility programs can be developed to meet organic certification requirements.
Soil test
An experienced and Fertcare accredited BioAg agronomist works with you and provides technical expertise on your crop. If you don’t already have recent soil test data, we arrange a soil test for you. The results provide essential information about the soil fertility and soil structure for better performance. Download the BioAg soil sampling procedure here.
A tailored program
Based on the results of soil tests, crop requirements and other factors such as soil structure, climate, history of the block, and targets that you are trying to achieve, we provide a tailored program that aims to improve soil fertility and maximise yield response. We support you through the program to ensure that inputs are applied at the right time, in the right way.
Leaf and tissue testing
Any nutritional program cannot foresee the changes in weather, disease, or pests, that may impact a crop. During the season, growers may observe issues or evidence of stress in their crop. This may be due to greater growth or yields than planned, a trace element shortage or abiotic stresses. An on-farm inspection and associated leaf or tissue tests will promptly identify any issues, which can quickly be addressed by applying the appropriate inputs. Download the BioAg leaf sampling procedure here.
High yielding crops require fertile balanced soils
Key to highly productive crops is the function of soils. Soil structure, chemistry and biology are critical in supporting crops throughout the growing season. By improving all aspects of the soil, crops will benefit from improved access to moisture, due to improved infiltration and water holding capacity, improved access to nutrition through improved nutrient cycling, fixation (for N) and a reduction in loss pathways, improved resilience to abiotic stresses and disease, improved root growth providing access to additional moisture and nutrients as well as improved carbon sequestration and a range of other benefits (click for more on soil health).
Beneficial microorganisms stimulate the plant’s root growth and help protect it from abiotic stresses. This is made possible through mutually beneficial relationships that microbes develop with plants, for example mycorrhizal associations. BioAg products programs supply essential macronutrients (N, P, K, S, Ca), trace elements (B, Zn, Cu etc.), microbial food and metabolites beneficial microorganisms that colonise root systems, improving soil function, plant health and productivity.
Wine grapes – key features of a BioAg program
The following table illustrates the cropping process and potential solutions depending on soil test results and other contributing factors. Call your BioAg Area Manager to discuss your individual needs.
Wine grape resources
- Impactful results even in challenging seasons
In BioAg’s Winter/Spring Newsletter 2022, we wrote about a leading Australian wine producer seeking ways to improve the yield and quality of their organically grown grape crop. BioAg readily accepted this opportunity/challenge and has been working with the producer in t...
- Riverina Organic Wine Grape Vine demonstration
Investigating the benefits of a BioAg nutrition program for organic grapes, to evaluate the impact on grape harvest yield and quality.
- Viticulture case study, Red Cliffs VIC
Running a small vineyard planted to two hectares of Chardonnay and 3.5ha of Shiraz grapevines, the Wrates are achieving yields and quality well in excess of the district average. John attributes his success to his willingness to use external consultants and adopt new id...
- Soil carbon
Like most elements carbon can be present in soils in different forms. Carbon is present as organic or inorganic carbon. Inorganic carbon is mineral based with its most common form being calcium carbonate. The carbon present in soil organic matter is referred to as organ...
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