VITICULT 7002WT - Viticultural Science A

Waite Campus - Semester 2 - 2015

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.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code VITICULT 7002WT
    Course Viticultural Science A
    Coordinating Unit School of Agriculture, Food and Wine
    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: Professor Stephen Tyerman

    Course Timetable

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

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    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)
    Knowledge and understanding of the content and techniques of a chosen discipline at advanced levels that are internationally recognised. 1-6
    The ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources in a planned and timely manner. 7,8
    An ability to apply effective, creative and innovative solutions, both independently and cooperatively, to current and future problems. 7.8
    Skills of a high order in interpersonal understanding, teamwork and communication. 8
    A proficiency in the appropriate use of contemporary technologies. 7,8
    A commitment to continuous learning and the capacity to maintain intellectual curiosity throughout life. 7
    A commitment to the highest standards of professional endeavour and the ability to take a leadership role in the community. 8
    An awareness of ethical, social and cultural issues within a global context and their importance in the exercise of professional skills and responsibilities. 1-8
  • 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.
  • Assessment

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

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

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Task Task Type Due Weighting Learning Outcome
    Bud
    Dissection Report
     Formative & Summative 

    Week 4

    5% 1,5
    Mid term exam Summative  Week 7  20% 1,5
    Phenology
    & Fruitfulness Report 
    Formative & Summative  Week 10 15% 1,5
    Vine
    Biology Project (Poster)
    Formative Week 12 20% 3,4,7,8
    Final Exam Summative Exam period 40% 1,2,3,4,5,6
    Assessment Detail
    Bud dissection report: 1000-1500 word report with Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion and References. Marking rubric presented to students in course information booklet.

    Phenology & Fruitfulness report: 2000-2500 word report (set out as above) on students’ measurements of phonological changes in selected varieties and their predicted frutifullness. Marking rubric presented to students in course information booklet.

    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. Marking rubric presented to students in course information booklet.

    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 Access Adelaide.

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    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.

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  • Policies & Guidelines
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