Dr Rob Walker
Program Leader
Horticultural Systems Research Program
CSIRO Plant Industry
Merbein Victoria 3505
Email: Rob.Walker@csiro.au
To increase water use efficiency (WUE) of grapevines and to improve salt tolerance of grapevines and citrus. To investigate the potential of rootstocks to confer WUE and drought and salinity tolerance. To model vine response to water deficit and salinity.
The Big Question
Economic and environmental sustainability are critical issues for the future of irrigated horticulture. Further expansion of the grape and citrus industries is dependent on access to additional water, which in the Murray Darling Basin will be achieved through greater efficiencies of use in existing vineyards and orchards and traded entitlements. Improving water use efficiency will therefore enhance both economic and environmental sustainability. By understanding the physiological controls of WUE in relation to scion genotype, management and rootstock effects it will be possible to recommend more efficient stock/scion combinations and management systems. Salinity is also an increasing threat to sustainable grapevine and citrus production in some regions. Understanding the basis for genetic variation in salt tolerance and screening for more salt tolerant varieties will reduce the risks associated with this difficult problem.
The Short-term goals
- Grapevines
- Understanding the chloride exclusion mechanism in grapevines
- Physiology of salt tolerance
- Simulation modeling of water use and salt tolerance
- Traits associated with water use efficiency
Citrus
Physiology of salt tolerance
| Group (lab) Members and areas of research
|
|
- Rob Walker: WUE, salt tolerance and simulation modeling
- Deidre Blackmore: WUE, salt tolerance and simulation modeling
- Joanna Tregeagle: Sustainable salt exclusion by salt tolerant rootstocks
Current :
- CRC for Viticulture
- Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation
Applications submitted or planned
- Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation
| Techniques in the Laboratory
|
|
Currently active :
- Xylem sap extraction
- ICP ion analysis
- Gas exchange
- Simulation modeling
- Physiology
- Water relations
- Osmoregulation
- Ion uptake and transport
Top three areas of knowledge :
- Salt tolerance
- WUE
- Rootstocks
Top three technical skills
| Publications - Last 5 years
|
|
-
Lu, P., Yunusa, I.A.M., Walker, R.R. and Muller, W.J. (2003) Regulation of canopy conductance and transpiration and their modeling in irrigated grapevines. Functional Plant Biology 30(6), 689-698.
-
Gibberd, M.R., Walker , R.R. and Condon, A.G. (2003) Whole-plant transpiration efficiency of Sultana grapevine grown under saline conditions is increased through the use of a C1 - - excluding rootstock. Functional Plant Biology 30(6), 643-652.
-
Zhang, X., Walker, R.R., Stevens, R.M. and Prior, L.D. (2003) Yield - salinity relationships of different grapevine ( Vitis vinifera L.) scion - rootstock combinations. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 8, 150-156.
-
Stevens, R.M. and Walker , R.R. (2002) Response of grapevines to irrigation-induced saline-sodic soil conditions. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 42(3), 323-331.
-
Walker, R.R., Blackmore, D.H., Clingeleffer, P.R., and Correll, R.L. (2002) Rootstock effects on salt tolerance of irrigated field-grown grapevines ( Vitis vinifera L. cv. Sultana) I. Yield and vigour inter-relationships. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 8, 3-14.
-
Gibberd, M.R., Walker , R.R., Blackmore, D.H. and Condon, A. (2001). Transpiration efficiency and carbon-istope discrimination of grapevines grown under well watered conditions. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 7, 110-117.
-
Walker, R.R, Read, P.E. and Blackmore, D.H. (2000) Rootstock and salinity effects on rates of berry maturation, in accumulation and colour development in Shiraz grapes. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 6, 227-239.
-
Story, R. and Walker, R.R. (1999) Citrus and salinity. Scientia Horticulturae 78, 39-81.
|
