The Australian Wine Research Institute

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AWRI Annual Report now available

16 December 2024 >

16 December 2024

The 2023/24 AWRI Annual Report is now available. Download it from the AWRI website now to explore the cutting-edge research and specialised services delivered for the Australian wine industry during the year.

Get your copy now from:  https://www.awri.com.au/about_the_awri/annual-reports/

Just a few of the highlights from this year’s report are included below, but you’ll have to read through the full report to discover them all!

  • Helping Australian producers comply with new regulations
    Following the introduction of new rules for wines exported to the EU to include energy and nutritional information on labels, internal research demonstrated that no additional analysis was needed to meet the requirements, saving costs and speeding up time to market for Australian wine.
  • Engagement with Punjabi growers
    The extension team developed a new relationship with the Punjabi- speaking grower community in the Riverland, SA. Resources on irrigation were translated into Punjabi and a tailored workshop was presented, with assistance from a translator.
  • Prototyping a kit for preventative Brettanomyces detection
    Development of a winery-deployable detection kit for detecting Brettanomyces in wine has progressed significantly, including successful manufacturing of the kits by project partners. The next step is for these prototypes to be trialled in wineries.
  • Protection against cold instability from red wine pigments
    Accelerated ageing experiments with red wines showed that wine pigments retain protective effects against KHT crystallisation, even when they are converted into different forms during ageing.
  • Expanding regional network
    Affinity Labs launched a new facility in Merbein, Victoria, to support viticulture and horticulture clients with reliable testing and diagnostic services. Regular sample pick-up services are now set up in the Hunter Valley and Yarra Valley, partnering with local businesses. These are augmented by ad hoc pick-up services with regional partners in Geelong and Mornington Peninsula.
  • NOLO product development
    Twenty-seven potential new NOLO wine products were developed and packaged by industry clients accessing the NOLO trial-scale facility within WIC Winemaking Services on the Waite Campus.

For more information on any of AWRI’s activities, please contact enquiries@awri.com.au.

Acknowledgments
AWRI acknowledges support from Wine Australia, with levies from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers and matching funds from the Australian Government. AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, SA.

Agrochemical update – Reminder of off-label grapevine permits currently active for viticulture

12 December 2024 >

12 December 2024 – updated 13 December 2024

All agricultural and veterinary products sold in Australia must be registered for use by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA). In most states, registered products must only be used for those approved purposes that are listed on the label. However, situations do arise whereby chemicals are needed for a use not specified on the label. In such instances an ‘off-label’ permit may be obtained through the APVMA. Such permits allow the use of chemicals in ways that are different from the uses specified on the product label and/or allow limited use of an unregistered chemical.

The following table lists the current off-label permits issued for use on wine-grapes in various situations. It is essential to read ALL the conditions attached to a permit prior to use. Permits can be downloaded from the APVMA website by clicking on the links in the table or visiting https://portal.apvma.gov.au/permits.

AWRI advises growers to contact their winery or grape purchaser prior to the application of any chemical covered by an off-label permit, and prior to the application of any 1A, 1B, 2B, 3A, 4A or 4C insecticide.

 

Pest/purpose Active constituent Permit link
European wasp 100 or 200 g/L fipronil as a meat bait PER89402
For use in TAS only
Expires: 31 Mar 2025
Mediterranean fruit fly
and Queensland fruit fly		 0.24 g/L spinosad as a bait concentrate

Target foliage, avoiding direct spray contact with fruit, nuts and vegetables.

Phytotoxocity can occur.

 PER80719
For use in SA, NSW,
TAS, VIC and WA ONLY
Expires: 31 Mar 2025
Mediterranean fruit fly
and Queensland fruit fly		 250 g/L lambda-cyhalothrin as a soil drench

Apply to ground under larvae-infested trees during fruit fly activity while fruit is at a stage
that is susceptible to infestation.

Toxic to bees.

 PER12961
For use in NSW, NT, SA, TAS,
VIC and WA ONLY by officers or
other persons operating under the direction of the state or territory
Department of Agriculture
or Primary Industries
Expires: 31 Mar 2025
Mediterranean fruit fly
and Queensland fruit fly		 400 g/L dimethoate

Produce treated under this permit must not be harvested, collected or supplied for human or
animal consumption.

DO NOT treat any host plants until after final harvest for the given season within a designated block.

DO NOT allow spray drift onto adjacent crops/blocks that are still being harvested or that bear fruit (irrespective of growth stage) intended for harvest at a future time. Particular attention should be paid to immediately adjacent blocks where harvesting activities are still being or are to be conducted in the season.

 PER13859
For use in all states
and territories
Expires: 30 Jun 2025
Mediterranean fruit fly
and Queensland fruit fly		 0.24 g/L spinosad as a bait concentrate

Target foliage, avoiding direct spray contact
with fruit, nuts and vegetables.

Phytotoxocity can occur.

 PER93557
For use in WA ONLY by persons under the direction of the Chief
Plant Biosecurity Officer,
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
Expires: 30 Nov 2025
Mediterranean fruit fly Lures containing:
0.48 g/kg deltamethrin
286 g/kg ammonium acetate
121.5 g/kg trimethylamine hydrochloride
2.23 g/kg putrescine

DO NOT place devices near or above developing fruits to avoid direct contact and any rain wash-off contaminating fruit.

 PER92548
For use in WA only
Expires: 30 Sep 2025
Bunch removal in
wine-grape vines		 calcium nitrate
containing
15.5% nitrogen,
19% calcium and
14.4% total nitrate

Apply by air-blast sprayer using spray volume 200-600 L/ha and between E-L 12 (5 leaves separated) and E-L 15 (8 leaves separated). Repeat no earlier than 10 days after the first application if required.

DO NOT apply more than two applications per season.

After use, empty, rinse and drain tank.

 PER92820
For use in all states
and territories
Expires: 30 Sep 2025
Bunch removal in
wine-grape vines		 480, 720, 900 g/L ethephon

Apply by air-blast sprayer using sufficient spray volume to achieve run-off.

Apply at E-L 25 (80% caps off) and no later than E-L 27.

DO NOT apply more than one application per crop.

Thoroughly wash equipment after ethephon application to ensure all residue is removed before use on non-target vines.

 PER92913
For use in all
states and territories.
Expires: 31 Oct 2026
Removal of unwanted
and abandoned vines
to minimise the risk
of phylloxera		 360, 450, 470, 480,
490, 495, 500, 510,
517, 535, 540, 570,
600 or 625 g/L glyphosate

Apply as a cut stump method.

 PER12770
For use in QLD only
Expires: 31 Dec 2026

For more information on any technical winemaking or viticulture questions or to request a copy of the ‘Dog book’, please contact the AWRI helpdesk on (08) 8313 6600 or email helpdesk@awri.com.au.

This information is provided to inform the Australian grape and wine sector and should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any product.

Acknowledgement
This work is supported by Wine Australia, with levies from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers and matching funds from the Australian Government. AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, SA.

Start of summer prompts planning for possible bushfires and smoke in 2024/25 season

5 December 2024 >

5 December 2024

As we start another summer in Australia, it’s time to start thinking about plans for dealing with the possibility of bushfires and smoke. This eBulletin provides a reminder of the resources available to support growers and winemakers preparing for and managing smoke events.

Resources available on bushfires and smoke taint

Heatwave and bushfire weather tools

A number of agencies provide tools for tracking heatwaves, fires and air quality measures:

 

Smoke testing

  • AWRI recommends that sampling of grapes for smoke testing be conducted around three weeks before harvest, to allow enough time for transport of grapes to a testing facility and for the analytical testing of grapes. Provided the same analytical methods are used, results can be compared to AWRI’s comprehensive background database of smoke marker compounds to assist with interpretation. The publicly available database now contains data for 21 grape varieties grown in Australia.
  • Pre-veraison grapes or leaf samples should not be tested, because there is no background database for these samples to support results interpretation.
  • All results from testing by Affinity Labs (AWRI’s commercial arm) include graphical representations of the results in relation to the background levels database, to assist with interpretation. See this ‘Ask the AWRI’ article for more information.
  • Verbal interpretations of smoke analysis from any laboratories using the same methods as those used to establish the background levels can also be requested from the AWRI helpdesk.

Capacity to deal with a significant smoke event

  • If a major smoke event occurs, AWRI will work with stakeholders and regional associations to share the most relevant technical information and optimise sample collection and transport.
  • Question & answer events can be scheduled in affected regions, where needed, in consultation with local regional associations. These will most likely be delivered online or in a hybrid format.
  • There is an option for sample preparation in-region to be supported to speed up testing.
  • Affinity Labs has increased its smoke testing capability since 2020 and plans are in place to quickly ramp up analysis if a major smoke event occurs.

Greater understanding of the risk of smoky wines based on testing of grapes

  • Following a major collaborative research project conducted during the 2020 vintage, more information is now available to help producers assess the risk of smoky wines based on grape analysis.
  • Results have been peer-reviewed and published as an open access article in the Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research. There is also an industry article Recent smoke research and what it means for industry that summarises the knowledge gained since 2020.
  • This work confirmed that the current suite of 13 smoke exposure markers in grapes could predict smoky flavour in wine in three varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz).
  • Table 5 of the paper summarises the concentrations of smoke markers in grapes that produced smoky wines in the study, noting that the trial did not apply any remediation to address the smoke impact. This information will be kept up-to-date on the AWRI website as information about aged smoke-affected wines becomes available. Other studies have shown that applying remediation techniques can reduce the impact of smoke in some wines.

For more information or assistance with planning for future smoke events, please contact the AWRI helpdesk on helpdesk@awri.com.au or 08 8313 6600.

 AWRI’s eBulletin is supported by Wine Australia, with levies from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers and matching funds from the Australian Government.

Android users – time to redownload your AWRI apps

2 December 2024 >

2 December 2024

AWRI has recently updated its two apps on the Google Play Store: the AWRI Agrochemical & MRL Search app and the AWRI Winemaking Calculator app.

For Android users − to ensure you continue to receive updates for these apps, please delete your current versions and redownload them from the Google Play Store.

Apple users (iPhone or iPad) do not need to take any action – the Apple version remains up to date.

The AWRI Agrochemical & MRL Search app is a free app that allows you to rapidly access the information contained in the ‘Agrochemicals registered for use in Australian viticulture’ booklet (‘Dog book’). You can:

  • search by target pest or disease in conjunction with your current crop growth stage, to identify registered options for use against each target
  • search by active constituent to identify MRLs for Australia’s key export markets
  • search by export market and target pest or disease to identify registered options for use and associated MRLs against each target

The same information is searchable via an online tool available here. Additional information on agrochemicals can be found on the agrochemicals page of the AWRI website. Download the AWRI Agrochemical & MRL Search app on the Google Play Store here.

 

The AWRI Winemaking Calculator app allows you to take the guesswork out of a wide range of calculations needed to make red, white and fortified wine. This app is free for Australian-based users and can be purchased by users outside Australia. The app contains tools for calculating:

  • acid addition and removal
  • SO2 addition and reduction
  • wine additions – DAP, copper, oxygen
  • wine fining rates – tannin, PVPP, isinglass, gelatine, carbon, bentonite, potassium hydrogen tartrate
  • heat and cold stabilisation requirements
  • wine fortification and sweetening
  • wine label and export requirements – methanol level, standard drinks calculator
  • conversions – mass, volume and concentration equivalents, acidity conversions
  • For more information on this app, visit the winemaking calculators page on the AWRI website. Download the AWRI Winemaking Calculator app on the Google Play Store here.

For more information or assistance with AWRI apps, please contact the AWRI helpdesk on 08 8313 6600 or helpdesk@awri.com.au.

Acknowledgements

This eBulletin is supported by Wine Australia with levies from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers and matching funds from the Australian Government. AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, SA.

Agrochemical update – Downy mildew considerations 

28 November 2024 >

28 November 2024

A number of regions have reported wet weather over the past few days, resulting in increased risk of downy mildew infection. This eBulletin provides a reminder of strategies to reduce the risk and severity of downy mildew. 

Understand your risk  

  1. Know the conditions (temperature, rainfall and time) conducive to triggering a downy mildew infection event. (Refer to this Vitinote on downy mildew characteristics and this fact sheet on managing downy mildew). Monitor the weather or your local ‘crop watch’ service for disease alerts and understand the risk of disease in your region.
  2. Know what tissue is susceptible at different stages of the season: 
    1. Three to four weeks after fruit set, berries gain resistance to infection and by pea-size (E-L 31) are immune. 
    2. Green tissue remains susceptible to downy mildew (leaves, stems, berry stalks).  
    3. Assess how much vine tissue is uncovered since your last spray.
  3. Monitor your vineyard for signs of downy mildew. (Refer to this Vitinote on downy mildew characteristics and this fact sheet on managing downy mildew).
  4. If you are considering application of agrochemicals as part of your management strategy, refer to the ‘Dog book’ for guidance: 
    1. Apply only products registered for downy mildew on grapevines 
    2. Monitor the growth stage of your block(s) using the E-L system to ensure you only apply chemical options appropriate for the current growth stage to minimise the risk of agrochemical residues. 
    3. Adhere to the CropLife Resistance Management Strategy for downy mildew (page 16 ‘Dog book’).  
    4. If you have had a downy mildew infection event and are using a metalaxyl or metalaxyl-M (group 4) for curative control 
      • apply as soon as possible after an infection event and before the first sign of oil spots 
      • apply a second group 4 spray seven to ten days after the first application  
      • always apply group 4 fungicides in mixtures (e.g. with copper)  
      • IF THE DOWNY MILDEW EVENT OCCURS EARLY ENOUGH IN THE SEASON and assuming sensitivity remains, after applying a group 4 fungicide, use a follow-up fungicide from groups 40, 45, 21, 49 or 11 prior to the next period of infection to ensure control (your options across these chemical groups are reduced later in the season) 
      • Contact your grape purchaser or winery to discuss options if required. 

AWRI is in conversation with a range of chemical companies to understand the current availability of metalaxyl and metalaxyl-M products and will provide further updates on this if needed.  

Additional resources  

 

For more information or assistance, please contact the AWRI helpdesk on 08 8313 6600 or helpdesk@awri.com.au. 

 This eBulletin is supported by Wine Australia with levies from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers and matching funds from the Australian Government. AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, SA. 

Agrochemical update – temporary change to Ontario’s maximum residue limit for phosphorous acid

27 November 2024 >

27 November 2024 

AWRI and Australian Grape & Wine have successfully negotiated a temporary change to the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) maximum residue limit (MRL) for phosphorous acid for wines produced from vintages leading up to and including the 2025 vintage.  

This change means that the LCBO will again accept Canada’s tolerance of phosphorous acid in Australian wines produced from vintages leading up to and including the 2025 vintage, provided that: 

  • any phosphorous acid residues found in the finished, commercial wines imported by the LCBO are within the MRL of 21 mg/kg expressed as phosphorous acid (or 30 mg/kg expressed as fosetyl-Al) 
  • prior to export, prospective Australian exporters test their wines (that have been produced from grapes that have had phosphorous acid applied) to ensure compliance with the relevant MRL 
  • exporters provide the LCBO with a copy of the relevant Certificate of Analysis, upon the LCBO’s request. 

Exporters should note that the changes to the LCBO’s MRL for phosphorous acid apply to wines produced from vintages leading up to and including the 2025 vintage and are subject to its further review.  

About phosphorous acid
Phosphorous acid is a registered fungicide with post-infection capabilities against downy mildew, but residues in wine are to be expected if it is used at any time during the growing season. For this reason, many exporting wineries have no tolerance for fruit that has been treated with this active ingredient. 

AWRI’s general recommendation for phosphorous acid on grapes destined for export wine remains as DO NOT USE, CONSULT YOUR WINERY OR GRAPE PURCHASER

Export market tolerance
Tolerance for phosphorous acid residues varies across Australia’s export markets. Accordingly, grapegrowers and winemakers should exercise care if intending to use phosphorous acid on grapes eventually destined for export, and ensure they are aware of the limits that apply for each relevant export market.

Where phosphorous acid is applied on grapes against downy mildew, the withholding period of ‘DO NOT apply after E-L 33’ applies.

Groupings of similar MRLs are presented below: 

Group A
Three export markets − European Union member countries, New Zealand and United States of America − accept residue levels equal to or greater than the Australian MRL of 200mg/kg of phosphorous acid (phosphonate) in grapes.  

  • If grapes are being grown for the domestic market or for export to these three markets only, the only requirement regarding the use of phosphorous acid is that label directions are followed.  

Note: in New Zealand and the USA, phosphorous acid is exempt from the requirement of an MRL. 

Group B
11 export markets – Great Britain and Turkey (100 mg/kg); Japan (70 mg/kg); Chile, Malaysia, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam (60 mg/kg) − accept phosphorous acid residue levels greater than 50 mg/kg but less than 200 mg/kg.  

  • If exporting to these markets it is recommended that no more than three phosphorous acid sprays are applied and the last spray is applied no later than  E-L 33, berries still hard and green. 

Group C
Eight export markets – Korea and South Africa (25 mg/kg); LCBO [temporary] and Canada (21 mg/kg); Taiwan (20 mg/kg); Hong Kong and India (10 mg/kg); China (T 7.5 mg/kg) – have residue tolerances lower than 50 mg/kg. 

  • Trials indicate that residues of phosphorous acid are highly variable and a reliable recommended use for phosphorous acid cannot be made for these markets.  

Group D
Four export markets – Argentina, Indonesia Brazil, Israel – have no or very low tolerance for any phosphorous acid residues.  

  • Phosphorous acid should not be applied to grapes when final wine is destined for these markets. 

For assistance
AWRI’s agrochemical online search facility provides the latest information on MRLs in different markets.  

For assistance with any technical grapegrowing or winemaking questions, contact the AWRI helpdesk on helpdesk@awri.com.au or 08 8313 6600.  

For further information on the export of Australian wine to Ontario, consult Wine Australia’s Export Market Guide – Canada or contact exports@wineaustralia.com. 

This information is correct as of November 2024. 

Acknowledgements
This eBulletin is supported by Wine Australia with levies from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers and matching funds from the Australian Government. AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, SA. 

 

Agrochemical update: diazinon use in vineyards to be phased out

21 October 2024 >

21 October 2024

In a Special Gazette dated 10 September 2024, The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) handed down its final regulatory decision on the broad-spectrum organophosphate insecticide diazinon. This AWRI eBulletin summarises implications of this decision for the wine industry.

Decision and implications for use
The APVMA has determined that as of 10 September 2024, the continued use of diazinon for food-producing situations, including use on grapevines, is NOT SUPPORTED.

A 12-month phase-out period has now begun, where products bearing the previously approved labels may continue to be sold and used. After 10 September 2025, it will be an offence to have possession or custody of, supply, or to use the cancelled active constituents, chemical products and products bearing the previously approved labels.

Use on nursery plants as a drench against pests including aphids, thrips, mealybugs and scale has been retained.

Aligned with current recommendations in the Agrochemicals registered for use in Australian viticulture 24/25 (‘Dog book’) and as a result of this final decision, any vineyard owners considering applications of diazinon stock on hand prior to 10 September 2025 must do so in consultation with their winery/grape purchaser.

Maximum residue limits (MRLs)

As a result of this decision, Australia’s current temporary MRL for diazinon of 2 mg/kg for grapes (applicable to both wine-grapes and table grapes) will be removed from Schedule 20 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code at some point after 10 September 2025, effectively leaving a ‘nil detect’ in place. Once this occurs, wines without a ‘nil detect’ may not be suitable for sale in the Australian market. AWRI encourages testing to determine actual residue levels in any wine products for which there may be a concern.

‘Dog book’
The current online version of Agrochemicals registered for use in Australian viticulture 24/25 (‘Dog book’) will remain unchanged as a result of the APVMA’s final decision on diazinon, given there is a one-year phase-out period applicable for use on grapevines. Changes will be included in the 2025/26 version.

Managing custody of de-registered agrochemicals awaiting disposal
The following steps should be followed to safely manage storage and disposal of de-registered agrochemicals and fulfil requirements of certified membership of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia:

  • Segregate de-registered products awaiting disposal to avoid accidental use.
  • Register these products for collection with ChemClear via phone 1800 008 182 or online. You will need to know the manufacturer’s name, product name, product registration number, size (volume) of the container, an estimation of the remaining quantity, and the condition of the container.
  • Apply storage stickers to the containers awaiting disposal. These will be issued to you by ChemClear displaying your registration reference number.
  • Retain a current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for each product awaiting collection.
  • As part of your chemical inventory, retain records of the ChemClear disposal lodgement, including date, product name, active and volume awaiting disposal.
  • Retain record of disposal once ChemClear collection has been completed.

Note: to determine the product registration number, enter ‘diazinon’ into the search box on the APVMA PubCRIS database. Under ‘search terms to include’, tick ‘active constituent’, then press the ‘search’ button. A product list will be displayed showing the registration number as ‘No.’ for each product name.

Background to the decision
For many years in the wine industry, diazinon use has been negligible, and many wine companies have prohibited its use. Notwithstanding, prior to this final regulatory decision, chemical products containing diazinon were registered for use on grapevines against mealybugs and Australian plague locust. Alternative chemical control options for these pests are available.

Diazinon active constituents, chemical products and labels were first nominated for review in 1994 due to possible risks associated with worker health and safety, residues in food and risks to the environment; with the formal review commencing in 1996. Interim and draft reports were subsequently released in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2006 prior to the Final Review Technical Report in September 2024, from which the above summary is drawn.

For enquiries about the final decision on diazinon, please email enquiries@apvma.gov.au, and for all other technical viticulture or winemaking enquiries, including those relating to Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, please contact the AWRI helpdesk on 08 8313 6600 or helpdesk@awri.com.au.

Acknowledgements

This work is supported by Wine Australia, with levies from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers and matching funds from the Australian Government. The AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, SA.

Agrochemical update: APVMA announces final decision on chlorpyrifos – use on grapevines to end

9 October 2024 >

9 October 2024

In a Special Gazette dated 3 October 2024, The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) handed down its final regulatory decision on the organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos. This AWRI eBulletin summarises implications of this decision for the wine industry.

Decision and implications for use
The APVMA has determined that as of 30 September 2024, the continued use of chlorpyrifos on grapevines is NOT SUPPORTED. A 12-month phase-out period has now begun, where products bearing the previously approved labels may continue to be sold and used. After 30 September 2025, it will be an offence to have possession or custody of, supply, or to use the cancelled active constituents, chemical products and products bearing the previously approved labels.

Aligned with current recommendations in the Agrochemicals registered for use in Australian viticulture 24/25 (‘Dog book’) and as a result of this final decision, any vineyard owners considering applications of chlorpyrifos stock on hand prior to 30 September 2025 must do so in consultation with their winery/grape purchaser.

Maximum residue limits (MRLs)
MRLs for registered uses not supported by the APVMA’s final review on chlorpyrifos will be deleted after the phase-out period. For grapes (both wine-grapes and table grapes), Australia’s current temporary MRL for chlorpyrifos of 1 mg/kg will be removed after 30 September 2025, effectively meaning a ‘nil detect’ will be in place.

‘Dog book’
The current online version of Agrochemicals registered for use in Australian viticulture 24/25 (‘Dog book’) will remain unchanged as a result of the APVMA’s final decision on chlorpyrifos, given there is a one-year phase-out period applicable for use on grapevines. Changes will be included in the 2025/26 version.

Managing custody of de-registered agrochemicals awaiting disposal
The following steps should be followed to safely manage storage and disposal of de-registered agrochemicals and fulfil requirements of certified membership of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia:

  • Segregate de-registered products awaiting disposal to avoid accidental use.
  • Register these products for collection with ChemClear via phone 1800 008 182 or online. You will need to know the manufacturer’s name, product name, product registration number, size (volume) of the container, an estimation of the remaining quantity, and the condition of the container.
  • Apply storage stickers to the containers awaiting disposal. These will be issued to you by ChemClear displaying your registration reference number.
  • Retain a current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for each product awaiting collection.
  • As part of your chemical inventory, retain records of the ChemClear disposal lodgement, including date, product name, active and volume awaiting disposal.
  • Retain record of disposal once ChemClear collection has been completed.

Note: to determine the product registration number, enter ‘chlorpyrifos’ into the search box on the APVMA PubCRIS database. Under ‘search terms to include’, tick ‘active constituent’, then press the ‘search’ button. A product list will be displayed showing the registration number as ‘No.’ for each product name.

Background to the decision
The APVMA’s final decision has removed most agricultural and urban pest control uses of chlorpyrifos (79 of 91 uses), due to worker health and safety and environmental risks. A summary of these assessment outcomes is available on the APVMA website. This final decision follows the APVMA’s cancellation of registrations of all home and domestic garden products containing chlorpyrifos in 2019.

In the wine industry, application of broad-spectrum insecticides such as chlorpyrifos has declined significantly and wine companies for many years have imposed restrictions on the use of this type of agrochemical. Notwithstanding, prior to this final regulatory decision, products containing chlorpyrifos were registered for use on grapevines against a range of pests – grapevine moth, grapevine scale, light brown apple moth, mealybug, tuber mealybug – and for use on grapevine rootlings against African black beetle. Alternative control options for most of these pests are listed in the 2024/25 ‘Dog book’.

Chlorpyrifos active constituents, chemical products and labels were first nominated for review in 1994 due to possible risks associated with worker health and safety, residues in food and risks to the environment, with the formal review commencing in 1996. Interim and draft reports were subsequently released in January 2000 and in December 2023, prior to the Final Review Technical Report in October 2024, from which the above summary is drawn.

For enquiries about the final decision on chlorpyrifos, please email enquiries@apvma.gov.au, and for all other technical viticulture or winemaking enquiries, including those relating to Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, please contact the AWRI helpdesk on 08 8313 6600 or helpdesk@awri.com.au.

Acknowledgements

This work is supported by Wine Australia, with levies from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers and matching funds from the Australian Government. The AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, SA.

October 2024 Technical Review available now

8 October 2024 >

8 October 2024

The October 2024 issue of Technical Review is now available online! Read the latest AWRI publications on ‘flinty’ aroma and 2,4-D herbicides, and browse the most recent grape and wine literature recommended by AWRI Emeritus Fellow, Dr Peter Dry and Senior Oenologist, Matt Holdstock.

Australian winemakers and grapegrowers can log in to read abstracts and request the latest non-open access journal articles from the AWRI Library, free of charge. Register a new login or use the forgotten password link to reset your password.

We welcome your feedback on Technical Review and you can reach us at infoservices@awri.com.au.

AWRI publications

  • Bianco d’Alessano [Read full-text online] Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker
  • The impact of 2,4-D herbicides on grapevines [Read full-text online] Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker
  • Modulation of the ‘flinty’ aroma compound phenylmethanethiol during fermentation: impacts of yeast starter culture and nitrogen supplementation [Read full-text online] OENO One

Oenology

Sustainability

  • Cold cuts: Slashing winery refrigeration energy costs by 20-50% [Request copy from AWRI Library] Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker
  • Environmental sustainability in the wine industry, a literature review [Read full-text online] Cleaner Production Letters
  • Pesticides use and its effects on grape production: A review [Read full-text online] Sustainable Environment
  • To what extent can a phase-out of pesticides in viticulture be achieved? Learning from the efforts of a large farm network after 10 years [Read full-text online] OENO One

Viticulture

  • Life cycle assessment of active spring frost protection methods in viticulture: A framework to compare different technologies [Read full-text online] Cleaner Environmental Systems
  • Turning up the heat: climate change consequences for Pinot Noir berry quality [Request copy from AWRI Library] Wine & Viticulture Journal
  • Artificial intelligence in the vineyard [Read full-text online] Wine Business Monthly
  • Best practices for monitoring visual symptoms of grapevine red blotch disease in black-fruited winegrape cultivars [Read full-text online] American Journal of Enology and Viticulture
  • Botrytis risk: new access to weather rules [Request copy from AWRI Library] Wine & Viticulture Journal
  • Evaluation of a laser-guided intelligent sprayer for disease and insect management on grapes [Read full-text online] American Journal of Enology and Viticulture
  • Identifying downy and powdery mildew resistance in the clones produced in the Sauvignon Blanc 2.0 Programme using high-throughput phenotyping [Read full-text online] New Zealand Winegrower
  • Effects of winery wastewater to soils on mineral properties and soil carbon [Read full-text online] Land
  • Is the choice of grapevine training system affected by climate change? [Request copy from AWRI Library] Wine & Viticulture Journal
  • Screening of drought-tolerant grape cultivars using multivariate discrimination based on physiological, biochemical and anatomical traits [Read abstract online] [Request copy from AWRI Library] Applied Fruit Science

Acknowledgments

This work is supported by Wine Australia, with levies from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers and matching funds from the Australian Government. AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, SA.

Managing frost-affected vines

18 September 2024 >

18 September 2024

The AWRI is aware of a number of regions having been impacted by frost over the past week. This eBulletin outlines key factors to consider when deciding what action to take after a frost, and points to some useful resources to learn more about frosts and how to mitigate against them.

Due to the variable nature of frosts (temperature and duration) combined with the variability of vineyards (growth-stage, variety, pruning system, target yield, value and quality etc) and the variability in growing season length between regions, there is no single or simple answer to the question of how to respond to a frosted vineyard situation. The key factors to consider are outlined below using a few different scenarios.

The desire to act quickly after a frost is strong because you are seeing your vines in trouble and you want to do something. The best thing you can do is wait at least a week to assess the extent of the damage. Frost symptoms on leaves can show after a few days, while the impact on inflorescences can take a week or more to appear. Conduct a careful vineyard assessment of where the damaged vines are and the extent and severity of the damage. If you decide to take action, it is then recommended not to delay because the vine is expending energy to adjust to what has occurred.

Scenario 1. Light frost
If the assessment reveals the damage to the crop is light overall, no immediate action is required. The damaged tissue may be susceptible to Botrytis if wet weather follows the frost, so this should be considered in future disease management strategies.

Scenario 2. Severe frost early in the season (up to E-L 11)
If the shoots were small and subjected to a severe frost (up to E-L 11, four leaves separated), there is no need to act because the vine will replace the lost primary shoots with a secondary shoot and the damaged shoot will shrivel up over time. The replacement shoot will not be as fruitful as the primary shoot, but there should be a crop and fruit development should be relatively uniform. The secondary shoots should have time to lignify at the end of the season and provide good pruning options. Once new growth emerges and has reached E-L 12, a nitrogen application can assist the new growth as the vines used up their early season reserves.

Scenario 3. Frost damage post E-L 11
The most difficult situation to manage is where a moderate frost occurs in a vineyard at a growth stage later than E-L 12. When well-developed primary shoots are only partially damaged and the shoot tip killed, lateral shoots will be strongly stimulated to grow from the leaf axis on the healthy parts of the primary shoot. In this situation, there is the possibility of fruit setting from the inflorescences that survived on the primary shoots as well as those coming from the secondary shoots that burst plus any fruit from laterals. At harvest, this leads to variable ripeness and poor quality fruit. This lateral growth can also lead to a crowded canopy and those shoots provide poor pruning material for the following season.

Trials that have assessed post-frost options (largely ‘do nothing’ vs removing damaged primary shoots) have had variable outcomes. In terms of yield the following season, neither approach is consistently better. A ‘do nothing’ strategy is cost-effective in the season in which the frost occurred, but it can come at the expense of the following season when pruning options are poorer and yield is impacted as a result. Action to remove the damaged primary shoots down to the compound bud to encourage a secondary shoot is an expense that needs to be considered in terms of the impact it has on fruit quality in the current season as will as at pruning time. For cane-pruned vineyards, having good replacement canes is critical and the ‘do nothing’ strategy may not be conducive to this.

Considerations when deciding what action to take:

  • Length of the growing season: in a cool region, is there time to fully ripen a new crop? If not, the only option for a ripe crop this season is to focus on the fruit remaining on primary shoots after the frost.
  • Wine quality expectations: can you tolerate a lower grade of fruit caused by uneven ripening? If not, removing green bunches at veraison may be necessary.
  • Pruning: can you tolerate poor-quality replacement canes and spurs? If not, then intervening post-frost may be necessary.
  • Assess the cost of any proposed action: a small trial can tell you the time it takes to undertake a post-frost intervention. Assign a value to the time investment required and assess this against the value of the crop or other potential benefits.
  • Inputs: is there an opportunity to reduce some inputs to reflect the lighter crop? The cost/benefit ratio of managing a lower yielding crop needs to be considered. The season has already started and is potentially starting over. It is difficult to spend more than what was intended for the year, so consider if some management operations and vineyard passes are necessary.

Frost warnings
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) provides 7-day forecasts in MetEye. Some regions and associations have additional weather and/or frost warning services.

Ways to reduce the risk of frost damage
Passive methods include site selection, soil management, trellis design, variety choice and pruning method/timing. For established vineyards, active methods require energy to reduce longwave radiation loss to the sky, or to directly warm the air near to he soil. These include sprinklers, air mixing, heating and foliar sprays. More information on these methods can be found in the following resources:

Additional information

Further assistance

For assistance with frost or any other technical viticulture or winemaking topic, contact the AWRI helpdesk on (08) 8313 6600 or helpdesk@awri.com.au.

Acknowledgements

Liz Riley (Vitibit) and Dr Peter Dry are thanked for their contributions to the original eBulletin dated 3 November 2023.

This work is supported by Wine Australia, with levies from Australia’s grapegrowers and winemakers and matching funds from the Australian Government. The AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster in Adelaide, SA.