Better rootstocks for better wine

Winegrape vines are often grafted onto rootstock as a way of regulating vigor and fighting soil-borne pests and stresses. Modern selection techniques have allowed new traits to be introduced that improve production efficiency and even wine quality.

A team led by researcher Peter Clingeleffer, from CSIRO Plant Industry's Merbein, Victoria Laboratory, has continued more than 30 years of CSIRO grapevine breeding by releasing three new CSIRO-bred rootstocks for the Australian wine industry.

As well as improved tolerance to nematodes and phylloxera relative to ungrafted winegrape cultivars, the new rootstocks are low to medium vigour, which reduces the negative impacts of dense canopies on winegrape composition and improves water use efficiency.

Trials of the rootstocks grafted with Shiraz in Sunraysia Victoria also demonstrated improved wine colour, as well as lower potassium uptake and therefore lower juice pH, meaning winemakers add less tartaric acid to correct pH during the winemaking process.

While the Sunraysia trials have been very positive for the Merbein team, more data would be helpful for finetuning management strategies for other environments. As the first supplies of the new rootstocks are limited, preference is being given to growers willing to share their results with Peter and his team.

The new rootstocks are known as Merbein 5489, Merbein 5512 and Merbein 6262. Growers interested in participating should contact Boulevarde Nurseries on 03 5024 9000 or at alan@boulevarde.com.au ; or in Western Australia, contact Agribusiness Research and Management on 08 9752 5444 or at steve@agribusiness.com.au.

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