Planting grafted vines is one tool in your farm-gate hygiene arsenal that can increase protection against various pests such as nematodes and phylloxera, and combat other management issues such as drought, salty soils, soil acidity or alkalinity.
We looked back over our Register of South Australian vineyard plantings over the last 10 years (2012-13 compared to 2022-23) to observe changes in reported rootstock plantings over this time.
This is what we found:
- From a state level, there has only been a 3% increase in the percentage of total vine area planted to rootstock – from 25-28%, with the greater change in rootstock plantings coming in the five years from 2012-13 to 2017-18.
- By far the greatest increase in rootstock planting area has come in the Coonawarra and Padthaway regions (Figure 1):
- This has been an 11-12% increase over the last 10 years in both regions.
- For Coonawarra, there has been a consistent increase in rootstock plantings over the last 10 years, with a 6% increase in planted area to rootstocks from 2012-13 to 2017-18 (highest in the state) and a 5% increase from 2017-18 to 2022-23.
- For Padthaway, there was a 4% increase between 2012-13 to 2017-18, and then an 8% increase from 2017-18 to 2022-23 (highest in the state).
- None of the regions reviewed saw a decrease in planted area to rootstock over the past 10 year period.
- The area of vines planted in each region has changed over the last 10 years but has not considerably impacted the trends reported.
- Looking at the actual rootstocks planted over the last 10 years:
- Teleki 5C and 101-14 plantings have increased in Adelaide Hills .
- 1103 Paulsen and 140 Ruggeri plantings have increased in the Barossa.
- 101-14, Schwarzmann and 110 Richter plantings have increased in Coonawarra.
- 1103 Paulsen and 110 Richter plantings have increased in McLaren Vale.
- 1103 Paulsen, 101-14 and 110 Richter plantings have increased in Padthaway.
- Some regions have seen no changes in preferred three rootstocks over time:
- In Clare Valley, preferred rootstocks are 1103 Paulsen, Schwarzmann and 110 Richter.
- In Langhorne Creek, preferred rootstocks are Schwarzmann, Teleki 5C and 1103 Paulsen.
- In Riverland, preferred rootstocks are Ramsey, 1103 Paulsen and 140 Ruggeri.
