An Australian researcher has found wine grapes are not just ripening earlier because of increased temperatures, but also due to dry soil and intensified pruning, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported.

Researcher Dr Leanne Webb from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the University of Melbourne, said the three factors led to early grape ripening equally, the story reported.

"If we think we can manage the timing of maturity to try to reverse this shift to early ripening or at least slow this shift, it would be advantageous to winegrape growers," she was quoted as saying.

She said higher pruning was undertaken to get lighter crops and produce premium wine, while 43 out of 44 sample vineyards in southern Australia surveyed were ripening early, the story reported.

Photo: www.barossa-valley-australia.com.au

Source: www.freshfruitportal.com