Australian vineyards face significant challenges, including rising chemical costs, a labor shortage, and a marked decline in global wine consumption over the past two decades. In their defense, local innovators are looking to the latest technology to help minimize chemical applications and better manage their vineyards. Such change will likely create demand for new customers and increase the bottom line for grape growers.
According to Charles Simons, an industry veteran and expert on vineyard management, there was a growing need for innovative solutions to vineyard management. He explained that conventional approaches are prone to guessing, which results in questions about pathogens that can damage crops. “You look at the environment and you look at the crop and you make the decision on gut-feel … yet you don’t know what the pathogens are, which is the missing link,” he stated. With the advent of autonomous vehicles and air-scanning devices, we now have a better, more efficient way to address these challenges.
The Role of Technology in Reducing Chemical Use
In a demonstration of how innovative technology can help save vineyards money and minimize chemicals use, Agri Automation’s Cam Clifford narrated a precision spraying demo. He took us through the steps of applying UV-C light, which zaps the DNA of infected cells, effectively stopping them from regenerating. “It works by destroying the DNA of the [diseased] cell, so it will damage it to a point that it can’t rebuild itself,” Clifford said. This approach is helping growers achieve long term economic viability and is proving to be the best fit for ecological purposes.
Australian start-up BioScout has created a device that scans the air around vineyards every 12 hours for pathogens. With vineyard managers making more informed decisions based on real-time data, this technology helps minimize chemical use even more. Mr. Simons pointed to the advantages to this approach. He said the program would eventually lead to a dramatic reduction in chemical usage.
Attracting New Customers and Enhancing Marketability
That could be technology’s greatest promise — the ability to lure new customers. Increasing the chemical use puts in danger those opportunities to attract environmentally conscientious consumers, according, as vineyard owner Boris Ostini pointed out. “It will help with the marketing side of things,” he said. Ostini believes that as consumers become increasingly aware of product origins and chemical residues, vineyards can differentiate themselves by adopting more sustainable practices.
“It will definitely help out with the profitability and the impact of disease,” Ostini added. Renewable energy progress His outlook underscores an important shift in the industry. Businesses have recognized that if they are to survive and thrive in this new, competitive, global economy, they must all become more innovative. He added that anything that can give growers an advantage in terms of marketing is a good thing.
Global Context and Future Implications
The pressures experienced by Australian vineyards are indicative of the realities being seen around the world. New Zealand and the United Kingdom are in the midst of trialing comparable technologies. This is part of a bigger global trend toward more sustainable agricultural practices. The U.S. isn’t alone in this; global wine consumption is in decline. As vineyards look to remain globally competitive and environmentally sustainable, they too need to find ways to be innovative.
The soaring expenses for chemicals as well as a lack of labor have put tremendous operational pressures. As Ostini pointed out, “It is getting harder to find decent vineyard workers.” This situation renders automation and advanced technology not just beneficial, but essential for today’s grape farming.
