Bioprospecting Australian microbial genetic diversity

Management and diagnosis of grapevine trunk disease in vineyards and nurseries

Understanding the formation and fate of key volatile compounds is a core capability that requires continuation in our sector, as these compounds provide researchers and producers with quality targets for improvements in vineyard and winemaking practices. Volatiles contribute specific varietal and regional characters and contribute greatly to the overall in-mouth sensory experience. The volatiles of wine can be the mark of its quality for a consumer when drinking or the basis of its rejection and are influenced at every stage of handling or processing. At the core of an innovative sector is the ability to understand and measure key volatiles, while developing practices to influence or control flavours associated with wine quality and style.

Grapevine planting material represents a major investment and critical production asset for the Australian wine industry, but the genetic diversity that is present in Australia is poorly understood. Furthermore, while grapevine cultivars can be unequivocally typed by ampelography and/or genetic tests, clonal identification solely relies on the tracing of supply records to the point of origin. Such records are not always available or reliable, particularly for older accessions. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) provides the most highly detailed methodology for defining grapevine cultivars and more importantly, clones of those cultivars.