Bulletin

Issue: August 2004

Scholarships

Improving the fruit of the vine

La Trobe University Bachelor of Viticultural Science honours student, Catherine Cox, has won one of the first two research scholarships funded by the Cooperative Research Centre for Viticulture. The honours scholarship is one of seven awarded by the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation. Ms Cox will use the scholarship for research at CSIRO Merbein, near Mildura, and the Departments of Agriculture in Sunraysia, Victoria, and Riverland in South Australia.

She will study the role of hormones in stimulating pollen tube growth, critical to grape fertilization 'Poor pollen tube growth results in poor seed production which means lesser developed berries - which in turn affects wine quality,' Ms Cox said.

Although raised in the Yarra Valley, Ms Cox had no previous connection with viticulture until she enrolled in La Trobe's Bachelor of Viticultural Science (Hons) degree which she will complete this year.

She has already helped in a number of research projects with the Department of Primary Industries at Mildura and has spent eight months as assistant manager of the 150 acre T'Gallant vineyard run by Beringer Blass on the Mornington Peninsula.

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