12 February 2009 European viticulture network membership will add to Lincoln's international research strength

Lincoln University has been accepted to join a cooperative European scientific and technical research network dealing with viticulture and specifically issues of grape development.

Known by the acronym COST  -  standing for Cooperation in Scientific and Technical  Research  -  the network has a secretariat provided by the Council of the European Union and is one of the longest-running European instruments supporting cooperation among scientists and researchers across Europe. While COST's mission is to strengthen Europe in scientific and technical research and maximise European synergies, it also encourages participation in COST actions by institutions from non-COST countries.

Cooperative efforts by COST networks are called “Actions”. Lincoln University's connection will be under Action 858: Viticulture: Biotic and abiotic stress -  grapevine defence mechanism and grape development.

The main objective of this particular Action is to increase knowledge about the biological phenomena involved in the key stages of  grape ripening, defence against fungal diseases and resistance to drought. The overall aim of this increase in knowledge is to significantly improve viticultural practices during vine development and berry ripening.

Lincoln University's Professor of Plant Biotechnology, Brian Jordan, who has promoted  association with COST ACTION 858, sees membership as strengthening the University's  international connections with leading edge viticultural research. The COST ACTION is supported by the Royal Society of New Zealand.

The COST ACTION 858 network is spread across 17 countries and 85 laboratories and brings together expertise from a wide body of researchers including grapevine growers, agronomists, plant physiologists, biochemists, molecular biologists  and geneticists. Lincoln University can contribute significantly in several of these fields, says Professor Jordan.

One of the existing member institutions of COST ACTION 858 is the Institute for Vine and Wine Sciences in Bordeaux, France. The institute's Director is Professor Serge Delrot and he visited Lincoln University recently, where he was hosted by Professor Jordan. Professor Delrot chairs COST ACTION 858 and Professor Jordan sees his visit as a clear example of the international connections Lincoln University can benefit from given its well-established involvement in viticulture and oenology.

At Lincoln University Professor Delrot met viticulture and oenology staff and postgraduates and held a seminar on  “Grape and wine research from a European perspective”.

Professor Delrot was also able to visit Marlborough with Professor Jordan. They were hosted by Andy Frost of Pernod Ricard who explained to Professor Delrot the viticulture and winemaking developments in the region. The visit also helped illustrate for him the strong involvement of Lincoln University in the New Zealand wine industry.

The institute which Professor Delrot heads has 250 staff and carries out research in the areas of grape ecophysiology, physiology, molecular biology, chemistry, oenology and wine marketing.

“We are looking forward to an on-going collaboration with Professor Delrot and his institute and with other partners within the EU through our membership of COST ACTION 858,” says Professor Jordan.

The COST ACTION is supported by the Royal Society of New Zealand.