VITICULT 7002WT - Viticultural Science A

Waite Campus - Semester 2 - 2025

Viticultural Science A covers the entire life cycle of the cultivated grapevine with an emphasis from bud burst through to the onset of veraison. The practical component of the course takes advantage of the vine growth phases that occur from bud burst, flowering and fruit-set leading up to harvest. Topics covered include: The growth cycle of the grapevine and the biology that underpins the different phenological stages. Grapevine physiology as it is relevant to growth and vine form, flowering, water use, mineral nutrition, and berry development. Grapevine anatomy of the vegetative and reproductive parts. Taxonomy of grapevines and vegetative variety identification. Practical sessions will focus in more depth on the following topics: pruning techniques, vine and bud anatomy, shoot based variety identification, shoot morphology and development, yield estimation, and mineral nutrition.

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Course Details

Course Code	VITICULT 7002WT
Course	Viticultural Science A
Coordinating Unit	Wine Science
Term	Semester 2
Level	Postgraduate Coursework
Location/s	Waite Campus
Units	3
Contact	Up to 6 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	Y
Assessment	Final exam, mid-Term exam, practical reports, practical exam

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Vinay Pagay

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from .

Course Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this course students should be able to:
1	Describe the growth cycle of the grapevine and the biology that underpins the different phenological stages.
2	Understand the taxonomy of grapevines.
3	Understand grapevine physiology as it is relevant to: mineral nutrition, water use, photosynthesis and ripening.
4	Describe grapevine anatomy of the vegetative and reproductive parts.
5	Use techniques to monitor grapevine phenological development and yield potential.
6	Understand the role of biotechnology in viticulture.
7	Plan, conduct and execute a basic project on grapevine physiology or anatomy with reference to background literature.
8	Work effectively as part of a team and to communicate their understanding and experimental results both verbally and in written form.

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.	1,2,3,4,5,6
Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.	7
Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.	8
Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.	7
Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.	7,8
Attribute 6: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency Graduates have an understanding of, and respect for, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, culture and knowledge.	.
Attribute 7: Digital capabilities Graduates are well prepared for living, learning and working in a digital society.	.
Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.	7,8

Learning Resources

Required Resources

Closed in footwear must be worn in the vineyard and laboratory at all times (nobare-feet, open-toed sandals etc). Safety goggles must be worn when undertakingwork in the vineyard and when required in the laboratory. It is strongly recommended that in the vineyard hats and sunglasses are worn. In the laboratory lab coats must beworn for personal safety from accidental spills. It is the students’ responsibility toprovide their own laboratory coat.

Recommended Resources

TEXTBOOK:
Iland P, Dry P, Proffit T and Tyerman S (2011) The Grapevine: from the science tothe practice of growing vines for wine, 310 pp, ISBN: 978-0-9581605-5-1 (One copyin reserve)

Online Learning

It is important that all students maintain active communication channels throughout the year. The primary communication channels to students in this course are as follows:

MyUni: Students should regularly login to MyUni via the MyUni website (http://myuni.adelaide.edu.au/) for important course-related announcements. All teaching materials, past examination papers and course documentation will be posted on this site.

Lecture notes on MyUni: Lectures will normally be made available on-line on the Myunisite (complete or selected components of them, depending on the lecturer). However, it will be the students’ responsibility to attend all lectures and prac classes to ensure they take the appropriate notes and instruction.
Learning & Teaching Activities

Learning & Teaching Modes

1 x 2 hour lecture and 1 x 4 hour practical (or equivalent project work) per week,
2 x 1 hour tutorials (in Lecture time slot)

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

A student enrolled in a 3 unit course, such as this, should expect to spend, on average 12 hours per week on the studies required. This includes both the formal contact time required to the course (e.g., lectures and practicals), as well as non-contact time (e.g., reading and revision).

Learning Activities Summary

LECTURES: Taxonomy of the grapevine family, Bud dormancy, Inflorescence initiation and development, Flowering & set, Bud burst and shoot growth, Grapevine structure, Vine Physiology (Water and the Vine), Vine Physiology (Carbon capture), Vine Physiology (Carbon use), Vine Physiology (Salinity), Vine Physiology (Vine Nutrition), Vine Improvement, Wine Sc. Biotechnology

PRACTICALS: Bud dissections, Setting Pruning Levels using Bud Dissections, Phenology & Fruitfulness, Vine Anatomy & Berry physiology, Mycorrhizas, Vine Water Relations

PROJECT WORK: Group projects selected by students from a list of projects and facilitated by academic mentors. Students get to use techniques available in research labs and glasshouse grown vines for their small group discovery projects projects.

TUTORIALS: Bud dissection, phenology and frutifulness, project presentation.

Specific Course Requirements

Some activities may need to be scheduled outside of the timetabled practicals.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Task	Task Type	Due	Weighting	Learning Outcome
Bud Dissection quiz	Summative	Week 2	5%	1,5
Mid term exam	Summative	Week 7	20%	1,5
Phenology & Fruitfulness Report	Formative & Summative	Week 10	10%	1,5
Vine Biology Project	Formative & Summative	Week 12	20%	3,4,7,8
Final Exam	Summative	Exam period	45%	1,2,3,4,5,6

Assessment Detail

Bud dissection quiz: In-class online quiz at the end of laboratory session in Week 2 to assess students' ability to identify bud structures and estimate potential yield.

Phenology & Fruitfulness report: Summary report (< 1000 words) on students’ measurements of phenological changes in selected varieties and their predicted frutifullness.

Mid-term exam: on components of the lecture material as an open book exam, in MyUni presented as multiple choice and short answer questions.

Vine biology report: Group project work over 4-5 practical sessions is presented as a poster by each student. This is displayed in a practical session so that all students may examine the work from other groups. The student lab notebook is also collected as part of the assessment.

Final written exam: Written 3 hour exam as short essays that integrates both lecture and practical material.

Submission

If an extension is not applied for, or not granted then a penalty for late submission will apply. A penalty of 10% of the value of the assignment for each calendar day that the assignment is late (i.e. weekends count as 2 days), up to a maximum of 50% of the available marks will be applied. This means that an assignment that is 5 days late or more without an approved extension can only receive a maximum of 50% of the marks available for that assignment.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through .

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student鈥檚 disciplinary procedures.

The 成人大片 is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The 成人大片 therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator

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