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Background and Aims: A region's suitability for viticulture is commonly categorised by thermal‐based bioclimatic indices during the growing season, of which the growing season temperature (GST) is the most widely used. Growing season temperature thresholds, however, were developed for a specific region and therefore may not translate to other established wine regions, including Australia. This paper aims to investigate and refine the application of GST in modelling spatial suitability of existing wine regions in south‐east Australia. Methods and Results: Locations suitable for winegrapes according to traditional GST were mapped and compared with established wine regions. Inconsistencies were identified, and a range of refinements was applied in order to improve the spatial representation. Conclusions: This study highlights the benefit of three improvements to the GST parameter in order to successfully represent Australian wine regions. First, a latitude adjustment was applied to the GST to account for varying day length. Second, significant temporal variability in GST over the last 15–20 years was identified, highlighting the challenge of selecting a period that represents 'average conditions' for such studies. Third, in order to model the spatial extent of Australian wine regions, the inclusion of a 'hot' GST classification (19–22°C) was needed. Significance of the Study: These refinements allow for the successful quantification of climatic conditions for Australian viticulture. Refined GST thresholds can be applied to future climate projections, providing the industry with vital information and guidance on how to react and adapt to the challenges of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims International quarantine rules prohibit exports of fruit from areas with fruit flies. Cold storage was tested from 1989 to 2012 as a postharvest treatment against the Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) in nine cultivars of Australian grown tablegrapes. The paper shows how market access was obtained. It reviews the methods, models and science that underpin fruit fly disinfestation. Methods and Results Tablegrapes were infested with immature stages of Medfly for large scale tests seeking 99.99% mortality at the upper 95% confidence level. Infested berries were exposed to 1, 2 and 3°C for 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18 and 20 days. No survivors were found in fruit held at 1°C for 16 days, 2°C for 18 days and 3°C for 20 days. Conclusion The data presented satisfy international requirements for access to quarantine-restricted markets. Several decades of research are reviewed to show how science and phytosanitary regulation can be used to harmonise cold disinfestation treatments. Significance of Study This work has enabled Australia's tablegrape industry to gain access to several international markets. The science used and presented is expected to benefit disinfestation research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]