education & training

Research to Practice®

The Research to Practice® Viticulture workshop series commenced in late 1996, and involved a team of scientists and educators. It was initially designed to facilitate practical training for grape growers and associated sector personnel involved in integrated pest management, with a view to improving levels of adoption and assisting with informed decision making. Research to Practice® Viticulture has evolved to become a national 'flagship’ program for the grape and wine sector covering a broad series of topics focused primarily on sustainable economic growth along with sound natural resource management. It involves researchers and experts from many agencies and organisations across Australia.

Current workshops include:

Grapevine nutrition: This workshop focuses on how to achieve best practice in nutrition management for wine grape production.

Integrated Pest Management: This workshop is designed to help test, modify and validate pest and disease management strategies for reduced chemical use, quality improvement and risk management. In addition to general information on Integrated Pest Management-related topics, specific approaches to the management of major pest and disease problems in Australian viticulture are covered.

Spray application: This workshop focuses on developing a plan and procedures for implementing a chemical spray program for the vineyard. Underpinning the plan are practical methods for improving the efficiency of spray application in the vineyard.

Water management: This workshop focuses on how to efficiently produce the end product without adversely affecting land and water resources.

Winegrape Quality Management: This workshop focuses on how it is possible to influence the characteristics of grapes towards meeting specifications for the desired wine style through appropriate measurements and manipulation of the grapevine during its annual growth cycle.

Getting started with environmental management in viticulture: This workshop focuses on an introduction to environmental management and why it is important to the Australian wine sector to adopt sound environmental practices.

To enable unlimited access to the Research to Practice® workshop series by the Australian grape and wine sector, the AWRI is offering licences to training providers across the country. Organisations that are registered training organisations (RTOs) and others that satisfy AWRI’s accreditation are eligible to deliver the Research to Practice® workshop materials.

For more details about the Research to Practice® workshop series or to obtain a licence, please contact Dr Roxanne Portolesi on (08) 8303 6600 or via email roxanne.portolesi@awri.com.au.