Joanne Pech
Senior Research Officer
Phone: + 61 8 85959100
Email: joanne.pech@sa.gov.au
Experience:
- My research has been investigating the response of grapevine and vegetable crops to variations in irrigation strategies, water stress, salinity, crop load, and boron tolerance.
- I have skills in biotechnology, field and glasshouse experimentation, collation and statistical analysis of large data sets, measurement of water relations and leaf gas exchange, and assessment of fruit quality.
Current and recent projects:
- Application of carbon isotope discrimination technology to understanding and managing wine grape water use efficiency.
- Improving the quality of Cabernet Sauvignon grown in warm and hot irrigated regions.
- Saline Horticulture comprising 3 separate projects: Screening Vitis Genus for Tolerance to Boron and Salinity, Irrigation strategies for saline sprinkling in vegetables and Identifying post-salinity losses (Carryover) in potted grapevines.
- Enhancing the resilience of permanent horticulture in the dry, irrigated regions of South Australia.
Awards:
- 2004 Riverlink Scientific Team Award, CRCV-MDBC Water use efficiency project team for research and extension in the Sunraysia-Riverland.
Recent publications:
- Pech, J.M.; McCarthy, M.; Hall, A.; Ratcliff, A.; Strachan, R.; Collins, M.; De Bei, R.; Fuentes, S. and Cozzolino, D. 2009. Large scale irrigation cutback and grapevine recovery in the Riverland: report from season 1. Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower and Winemaker Annual Technical Issue. 37: 21-23.
- Pech, J.M., Stevens, R.M. and Nicholas, P.R. 2008. Four Seasons of Sustained Deficit Irrigation: Impacts on Chardonnay and Shiraz Vines Grafted to Five Rootstocks. Acta Hort 792, 519-527.
- Stevens, R.M., Pech, J.M., Gibberd, M.R., Walker, R.R., Jones, J.A., Taylor, J., and Nicholas, P. 2008. Effect of reduced irrigation on growth, yield, ripening rates and water relations of Chardonnay vines grafted to five rootstocks. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 14:177-190.
- Stevens, R.M., Pech, J.M., and Grigson, G.J. (2008). Improving yield of vegetables grown with over-canopy, saline irrigation Acta Hort 792, 639-646.