Displaying items by tag: Plant and Food Research

“We’ve just had the first decent shower in three months,” says Rob Agnew when we call him.

A one-year Erasmus Programme in France in year three of an agricultural degree introduced Victoria Raw to the wine industry, and changed her life.

New apricot varieties especially bred to give the New Zealand industry a shot in the arm are looking “amazing” in their first full commercial season, says grower Sharon Kirk.

With winter chills hitting, getting at least two servings of fruit each day is a great way to improve your health and wellbeing.

Well-known Plant and Food Research soil and environment scientist Brent Clothier is the new president of the Royal Society, Te Aparangi.

Along with several other organisations, Beef+Lamb NZ helped fund the catch crops for reduced nitrate leaching project. Sown as soon as possible after grazing has finished, catch crops have been the subject of a Sustainable Farming Fund project led by Peter Carey from Lincoln Agritech, with support from Brendon Malcolm and Shane Maley from Plant and Food Research and AgResearch.

Moves are well underway to establish a new Kiwifruit Breeding Centre (KBC) - a joint venture between Plant and Food Research (PFR) and Zespri - designed to speed up the process of developing new and improved kiwifruit varieties.

Seven vineyards, in Hawke’s Bay and Canterbury, are taking part in a new biosecurity research project examining the presence of potential insect vectors of Xylella fastidiosa, the bacterium which causes Pierce’s disease of grapevines, in vineyards and the adjoining natural vegetation.

Zespri and Plant and Food Research are discussing forming a 50/50 joint venture to fast track the development of breeding new cultivars of kiwifruit.

A technical journal edited by Plant and Food Research scientist Damian Martin has won an International Organisation of Vine and Wine award 2020.