The Australian wine industry is world renowned, and is one of the key tools used to promote the quality of the country’s agricultural produce around the globe.

However, hot summer conditions can have a huge effect on the sector as a whole. Prolonged dry spells will quickly damage vines, ultimately meaning that the yield of much-needed grapes is lessened.

Increased temperatures

Growers can go about protecting their efforts in two ways; effective canopies and proactive water control.

“[With] the increased temperatures, canopy management and water management are the key areas that [grape growers] really need to focus on,” explained consultant with AHA Viticulture Jim Campbell-Clause in an interview with ABC News.

“We’re finding with extreme temperatures that we’re getting sunburn and actually affecting fruit quality. In some cases, this has led to losses of yield,” he continued.

Any losses in grape yield will of course limit the quantity of the final product. Getting the most from vines can crucial, as the industry as a whole requires over 1.75 million tonnes of grapes annually, according to figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Water management is critical

Vines draw their ability to produce suitable grapes from the earth, with soil dampness also a key consideration for wine makers looking to encourage the best possible growth.

“Water management is critical, that helps the vines transpire and keep cool. The combination of canopy management and irrigation management is very important,” Mr Campbell-Clause concluded.

Getting the most from water is a challenge that can be overcome in viticulture through the use of a Hydrosmart water conditioner.

A Hydrosmart solution can help grape growers unlock the bioavailble nutrients in their water supplies, while also proving itself to be the environmentally friendly option thanks to the fact that no chemicals are used and waste is kept to the absolute minimum.