Know before you buy – A guide to sourcing high-quality planting material
The long-term performance of your vineyard starts with one of its most important assets – the vines you plant. Decisions made before planting can influence vineyard health, productivity and profitability for decades. Before placing an order, it is important to understand where your planting material comes from and what nursery assurance, hygiene, traceability and testing […]
Water quality and spray performance
Effective spray application starts with more than the right chemical, sprayer and nozzle set-up – water quality can impact the the efficacy of chemical sprays. Water quality varies depending on its source and can change throughout the year, particularly after heavy rainfall or drought. Poor water quality can: Testing your spray water can help identify […]
ATGA submission to the Murray–Darling Basin Plan Review
The Murray–Darling Basin Authority has released its 2026 Basin Plan Review – What We Heard Report, summarising feedback from Basin communities following consultation on the future of the Basin Plan. Earlier this year, the Australian Table Grape Association made a submission on behalf of the table grape industry, advocating for a healthy river system that […]
Evapotranspiration updates for Sunraysia
Understanding how much water your vines are using is key to effective irrigation. The ATGA publishes weekly Evapotranspiration updates, to help Sunraysia table grape producers improve irrigation planning and decision-making. This tool has been provided by Agriculture Victoria. ETo figures What is Evapotranspiration? Evapotranspiration refers to the combined loss of water from a vegetative surface […]
Maximising postharvest carbohydrate storage
Growing a crop is exhausting – for the grapevine. Nurturing vines through autumn helps maximise their performance in spring. After growing a heavy crop, table grape vines need to recover and start storing carbohydrate andnutrient reserves, so postharvest care is an important consideration. How can you assess carbohydrate reserves? Starch is stored as tiny granules […]
Optimising Spray Application Part 3: Droplets
Droplet size matters. In Part 3 of our Optimising Spray Application video series, Alison MacGregor and New Zealand spray application expert David Manktelow explore droplets – droplet size, droplet behaviour, the term spray quality, and how all that comes together to determine the success of your coverage.
Optimising Spray Application Part 2: Targets
Understanding targets when you’re setting up your sprayer is key to improving spray application. As the canopy changes through the season, targets change and so adjusting your air and water is critical to ensuring the target is always met.
Optimising Spray Application Part 1: Basic Principles
Growers spend a lot of time and money on their spray program, so enhancing spray application in vineyards is critical. The ATGA produced a series of videos on optimising vineyard spray application as a result of some spray application workshops hosted in 2022. The first of these videos looks at the big picture, and the […]
Beneficial insects and the impact of some pesticides on grapes: at a glance
As an extension of the Beneficial insects and the toxicity of pesticides guide released by the Australian Table Grape Association, Cherry Growers Australia and Summerfruit Australia Limited, the ATGA condensed the guide to form an at-a-glance, one-page resource on the toxicity of a small selection of commonly used agrichemical products on table grapes. This list […]
Beneficial insects and the toxicity of some pesticides guide
Beneficial insects can be broadly defined as pollinators, predatory mites, predatory beetles and parasitoids. Agricultural chemicals can often have a negative impact on these beneficial species. The effects of these agrichemicals may be different for different insect groups. Cherry Growers Australia, the Australian Table Grape Association, and Summerfruit Australia Limited have worked to create a […]