CANBERRA, June 7 (Xinhua) -- A new research facility in Adelaide is set to consolidate South Australia's international reputation for fine wine.

The federal government pledged funding of 3.5 million USD towards a training facility at the University of Adelaide to ensure growers, winemakers and scientists remain globally competitive.

"We need to ensure our grape growers and winemakers are supported and have the pathways to expand and remain internationally competitive," Education and Training Minister Simon Birmingham said on Thursday when announcing the facility.

Disease and environmental impact are key areas affecting the industry that researchers will tackle.

"World-first research and technological breakthroughs in the vineyard, winemaking processes, marketing practices, and even bottle closures, have helped make Australia a world leader," Birmingham said.

The South Australian industry is responsible for more than half of total wine production in Australia and has garnered global renown over many decades as a producer of premium varieties.

The state's diverse geography and climate enables it to produce a range of grapes, from the cool-climate Riesling in the Clare Valley to the full-bodied Shiraz wines of the Barossa Valley.

Along with McLaren Vale and Coonawarra, these regions produce some of Australia's best-known wines, such as Penfolds Grange, Jacob's Creek, Yalumba and Henschke Hill of Grace.