(Scoop) - More than 30 weather monitoring sites have been installed around Marlborough vineyards in a University of Canterbury (UC) research project to help improve New Zealand’s wine production.

UC weather expert Professor Andy Sturman is heading a $500,000 international research project into Marlborough’s climate and vineyards which could result in an increase of up to 10 percent in income for the New Zealand wine industry.

The research team includes scientists from Plant and Food Research and the National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA).

New Zealand is better placed than most other established wine producing nations to adapt to climate change and a long term trend towards dryer warmer summers.

As part of the project, the research team has installed 11 automatic weather stations and 42 soil and air temperature loggers at 21 locations, as well as 38 temperature loggers at another 19 locations.