Joint Graduate School in Plant and Food Science
Viticulture and wine research
Find below a description of our research in this area, and a list of potential supervisers.
About our research in viticulture and wine research
Plant & Food Research is the primary research provider to the Marlborough Wine Research Centre in Blenheim. Wine grape research covers vine and berry physiology, environmental and crop protection of grape production, and the relationships between viticulture and wine qualities, including a substantial component of sensory science and metabolomics.
The University of Auckland is strong on the microbiology of winemaking. We specialize in describing the ecology and population biology of microbes naturally associated with vines and wine in New Zealand, and understanding and harnessing their properties. We also go onto to examine, test and understand the population biology of microbial fermentation, and the interactions between different microbes in this niche. We are also interested in the genetics of wine microbes. We explore these areas with an array of methods.
If you have any queries, please email jgs-auckland@plantandfood.co.nz
Associate Professor David Greenwood
Plant & Food Research
The University of Auckland
Areas of supervision:
- Proteomics and metabolomics analysis of microbes, plants and animals
- Development of Systems Biology tools for analysis of metabolic pathways
- Chemical ecology of plants and animals
- Biosynthesis of natural products
- Development of high resolution mass spectrometry technologies
Associate Professor Paul Kilmartin
University of Auckland, School of Chemical Sciences
Areas of supervision:
- Wine maturation processes - aroma development and oxidation issues
- Harvesting effects on aroma profiles of New Zealand wines
- Development of sensor systems for beverage antioxidants
- Smart packaging for prolonging food and beverage shelf-life
- Interactions of antioxidant and aroma compounds with beverage polyphenols
Dr Robin MacDiarmid
Plant & Food Research
University of Auckland, School of Biological Sciences
Areas of supervision:
- Antiviral mechanisms of plants
- Detection, identification and impact of plant viruses (e.g. generic detection methods, next generation sequencing, and drought tolerance or heat tolerance)
- Signal cross-talk in plant stress responses (e.g. intersection of bacterial, viral and abiotic stress responses)
- Methods to manage viruses (e.g. mild strain cross-protection, identification of resistance genes)
- Identification, impact and management of viruses of bees and other insects important to horticulture
