Aimed at encouraging the emerging crop of talented agricultural scientists to consider a future in the local wine industry, the Tasmanian Wine Show’s University of Tasmania Foundation Honours Scholarship is awarded each year to a promising honours student.

Enquries about the scholarship may be directed to the President, Phil Laing on 0400 079 384.

Helene Mitchelson studied water use efficiency at Frogmore Creek vineyard in the Coal River Valley by hanging blue food dye from a number of emitters in Frogmore Creek’s drip irrigation system and monitoring where the dye travelled in the soil profile. She measured wetting patterns under the drippers and soil infiltration rates and bulk density. These and some other soil physical data will then be used to model ideal irrigation scenarios.

Miss Mitchelson hoped that her project will improve Frogmore Creek’s irrigation efficiency. “Through gaining a better understanding of how the water is moving through the soil will end up saving them water and money and improve their yield, as water is related to yield,” she said.

An article describing Helene's work can be downloaded here

The 2010 recipient Richie Butler’s study investigated cane and spur pruning on pinot noir and chardonnay at the Tolpuddle commercial sparkling vineyard in the Coal River Valley in southern Tasmania.

An article describing Mr Butler's work can be downloaded here