ScienceNZ: Flora

Professorial Fellowship marks revival of plant breeding education

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 03:24:44 GMT

Dr Warren Williams has been appointed as the AgResearch Professorial Fellow in Plant Breeding at Massey University, primarily to support the new post-graduate qualification in plant breeding offered by Massey and Lincoln Universities.

A website with 10,000 legs!

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 23:57:45 GMT

A FREE, easy-to-use, on-line invertebrate and host plant database will shortly open up the world of plant-feeding insects to all New Zealanders. The database pulls together information that has traditionally been scattered in scientific literature, biological collections and scientific libraries – making it accessible to anyone around the world via the web.

Time for action on troublesome trees

Thu, 10 May 2007 05:51:47 GMT

Wilding conifers are increasingly a scourge on the landscape. Now for the first time, all agencies and land managers concerned about the pest trees have banded together. Landcare Research is helping to find out the extent of the wilding problem and how best to deal with it.

Fungal Foray celebrates 21st birthday in Masterton

Wed, 09 May 2007 08:10:27 GMT

The Fungal Foray is an annual event organised by Landcare Research, and attracts both amateur and professional mycologists from New Zealand and overseas. This year’s Foray will be held in Masterton.

Botanists honoured for role in understanding New Zealand plants

Wed, 20 Dec 2006 21:52:34 GMT

Two botanists who specialise in rare and endangered native plants have been awarded top honours in their field. They are: Peter de Lange of DOC in Auckland, and Dr Brian Molloy, Research Associate, Landcare Research.

Possum in a pickle

Sun, 29 Oct 2006 23:02:32 GMT

A recent trip to the UK to present breakthrough research in possum biocontrol led to an unlikely meeting for AgResearch scientist Dr Gail Shuttleworth.

NZ horticulture quietly takes export spotlight

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 23:07:27 GMT

Apart from flagships Kiwifruit and wine, NZ horticulture exports are seldom high profile. But look closer: in the year to March 2006 horticulture exports quietly hit $2.3 billion. That’s 7% of all NZ exports and a huge $100 million gain on the previous year. Strong growth owes much to ground-breaking new products, where HortResearch takes a driving role.

Biting back against billion dollar blights

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 21:42:59 GMT

The enemy never rests. Clover root weevil, Argentine stem weevil, New Zealand grass grub and Californian Thistles collectively cost NZ pastoral farmers over a billion dollars a year. Now scientists are showing that the right pest controls not only reduce losses – they can actually make money. It’s a virtuous circle from science that’ll give the little blighters something to chew over.

The apple of Europes eye?

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 20:52:03 GMT

Healthy lifestyles, based on what we eat, is the coming thing. New Zealand’s leadership is recognized by having Crown Research Institute HortResearch as one of only two bodies outside the EU in a “farm to fork” programme seeking to deliver the taste, texture and nutrition EU consumers want.

Stunning NZ red-fleshed apple is healthier to the core

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 04:43:52 GMT

Get ready to crunch in! A stunning red-fleshed apple, packed with health-promoting antioxidants, was recently unveiled by Crown Research Institute, HortResearch. The new (non GE) apple’s scrumptious flesh is rich red right to the core, due to the high level of the antioxidant anthocyanin.