DRONES, robots and lasers could be used by Orange’s winemakers to manage their vineyards in the near future.
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Innovative approaches to vineyard management will feature at a free National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC) vine health workshop in the city.
NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) viticultural development officer Darren Fahey said vignerons will gain insights into the latest technology available to keep their vineyards productive and business on track.
“New app developments, disease modelling, drones, robotic yield assessment, lasers and synthetic yeast are some of the 21st century technologies we will explore,” Mr Fahey said.
“Keeping up with technology is a job in itself and we’ve focussed on the work of industry leaders and researchers across Australia, which is helping growers and winemakers drive innovation and save money and time in the vineyard.
“We’re keen to get feedback on the use and benefits of new apps on offer, including a disease modelling app to alert growers prior to the occurrence of management issues - botrytis, downy and powdery mildews, frost and heat events.
“It’s an opportunity for local vignerons to explore how technology can help the industry adopt new ways of thinking and doing things.”
Updates on the latest developments to dramatically improve the ability to forecast wine grape yields, including image analysis and neural networks, will be delivered by Doctor Greg Dunn.
The 2016 Spring Vine Health workshop will be held on Tuesday, September 13 at Highland Heritage Estate from 8.30am until 3pm.
