The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited

We've partnered with The Breeze to put Kiwis’ knowledge of local foods to the test with Fact or Myth—a fun new game uncovering truths about food grown here in Aotearoa. For the next two weeks, listeners tuning in to The Breeze's afternoon drive show - from 3 pm weekdays - will discover more about Plant & Food Research. Each day, they’ll hear a statement about New Zealand-grown foods and can text FACT or MYTH to enter a daily draw for a $250 grocery voucher. This campaign is designed to share Plant & Food Research’s stories and highlight the sectors we support. We’re excited to connect with a wide New Zealand audience, encouraging them to explore more about our work through these fun facts. Catch Fact or Myth on The Breeze and learn more about our research on our website https://lnkd.in/gsY2_ZWz

Listen to our People | Planet | Food #podcast on our website https://bit.ly/3AloJKp or via your favourite podcast app.

🌱 We're hiring: Orchard Technician – Clyde 🌱 Are you experienced in horticulture and eager to support Aotearoa New Zealand’s growing research landscape? Plant & Food Research is hiring an Orchard Technician to join our Field Research Network in Clyde. This hands-on role is essential to supporting diverse orchard operations, ensuring excellence in plant health, maintenance, and sustainability. You'll be valued for your commitment to best practice orchard maintenance. The special twist on our orchard is our approach to supporting the development and growing of cultivars new to the region - the fruits of the future! 🔗 Apply Now https://bit.ly/3UtlUxL

It was great to see many of our Moananui partners come together at our Partner Forum event last week kindly hosted by Plant & Food Research. Held at their state-of-the-art research facility in Nelson, we got a sneak-peak at some of the exciting industry-changing innovation that’s helping drive the future of the blue economy here in New Zealand.   As well as a behind-the-scenes tour of the amazing facilities, we were treated to an energising and exciting evening showcasing innovative ways to repurpose byproducts from the seafood industry, a demonstration of the capabilities of the new flume tank with high-speed water flow, and a pioneering study on butterfish / greenbone and the work underway to support its farming potential.   This event exemplified the energy, generosity, and collaborative spirit of our partners – creative problem-solvers dedicated to creating a sustainable future. The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited Helen Palmer Mark Jarvis Susan Marshall Mathew Cumming Damian Moran Flavio Ribeiro Suzy Black Si Thu Paing Denver McGregor Cindy Steele Michael Robertson Paul Miller Matthew Kidson Darcy Paul Dan Field Ali Kennard Chris Rodley Dana Lambert Anastasija Zaiko Michelle Scriver Alex Pressman Brent Callaghan James Muir Scott Gillanders Dominc Boothroyd Ben Wall Paul Smith New Zealand King Salmon Trinder / Waimea Engineering Kernohan Engineering Pinpoint Earth SnapCore Harvest Hub Ltd Sequench Waikaitu Ltd AquaWatch MacLab (NZ) Ltd Kimer Med

Plant elicitors have huge potential to help protect Aotearoa New Zealand crops from disease. Acting much like a vaccine, these elicitors allow plants to defend themselves better against disease. Coming from a biological source like seaweed, they offer a more ecologically friendly crop protection option, too. In our latest Scigest podcast, host James Sainsbury speaks to Dr Joel Vanneste about his research on the recently Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment-funded project on plant elicitors led by Dr Marie Magnuson and Chris Glasson from The University of Waikato. Listen to learn more about plant elicitors and how they could help manage plant diseases, whether in crops or our native trees: https://lnkd.in/gndHBVxy #scigest #sciencepodcast #plantandfood

Congratulations to Dr Trish Fraser, Senior soil scientist and team leader for the Climate Smart Systems team, who was honoured with nomination as a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science for her long and committed career in agricultural and horticultural science. A passionate communicator of soil and crop science, Fraser has been at the forefront of research addressing a wide range of soil-related issues in the cropping sector, much of which has delivered practical knowledge to the farming community to balance productivity, environmental and system resilience outcomes. Awards for her contribution to farming include the Women of Influence Award rural category in 2020; the NZIAHS Agmardt technology transfer award in 2022 and the Norman Taylor Memorial Award for outstanding service to NZ soil science. Very well deserved 👏 #plantandfood

🌱 Empowering Cambodia’s Agricultural Sector for Food Security 🌱 Food insecurity remains a significant challenge for over 20% of Cambodia’s rural population. To address this, Plant & Food Research, in partnership with the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade, has led the Cambodia Quality Horticulture Project—a five-year initiative aimed at improving local production of safe, high-quality vegetables. Key achievements include: ▪ Training 5,500+ farmers in integrated pest management and sustainable agronomy practices, reducing chemical residues and improving environmental sustainability. ▪ Supporting the development of Cambodia’s national standards, based on ASEAN Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), with 1,000 farmers now GAP-certified. ▪ Introducing postharvest protocols and locally made CoolBot™ refrigeration units, improving the quality and safety of produce. The project has achieved remarkable results, including a significant reduction in pesticide residues and human pathogen contamination. Annual GAP-certified vegetable production increased to 600+ tonnes, with average farmer incomes more than doubling. This initiative not only supports improved food safety and security but is also enhancing the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and the wider agricultural community in Cambodia. 🔗 Learn more about this project: https://lnkd.in/gEi5gt9F #plantandfood

A new discovery by scientists at Plant & Food Research and Callaghan Innovation has revealed that a novel molecule found in New Zealand blackcurrants, named sarmentosin, acts as a natural inhibitor of the Monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) enzyme. MAO-B enzymes break down important chemicals in the brain, like dopamine, which plays a key role in mood and mental performance. The clinical study, recently  published in The Journal of Agricultural Chemistry, , identified sarmentosin as the primary inhibitor of MAO-B enzymes in the human brain after consuming blackcurrant products. This finding suggests that consuming blackcurrant powder and juice may positively affect mood and mental fatigue in healthy adults. In light of these exciting results, commercial partner Ārepa has patented the new molecule sarmentosin for use to support and improve mood and cognitive function, to further build on Ārepa’s mission to make brains work better through nutrition. Learn more 🔗 https://lnkd.in/geEskP3q #plantandfood

From biologicals to tech, there’s a vast range of new crop protection tools coming down the pipeline, but the key will be using them in an integrated programme, not looking for a single silver bullet. It was messages like this that attendees took home from the New Zealand Plant Protection Society symposium Growing a Greener Future, Crop Protection for Aotearoa 2050, co-hosted by A Lighter Touch, AgResearch and The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited. Presentations from speakers who were able to share their slides post-event are now available online here, including our opening session speakers, pictured. https://lnkd.in/gvtuB46S

🌍🎙️ New #PeoplePlanetFood podcast episode out now! Join us as Roger Robson-Williams PhD chats with Mike Casey about his journey to produce cherries without fossil fuels and his work as the driving force behind Rewiring Aotearoa🌱🍒 In this episode, Mike reveals what it takes to build a fully electrified orchard and how farmers and growers can meet the rising demand for renewable energy. ⚡️🌿 Plus, learn how Rewiring Aotearoa is helping Kiwis reduce carbon emissions, save on energy bills, and keep homes warm with resilient, clean energy solutions. 💡💚 Tune in now to explore the future of energy and food production! Listen on our website https://lnkd.in/gCBd2Pm6 or on your usual podcast app. #plantandfood #RewiringAotearoa #scigest