Research
Vegetable Research and Innovation Board Current Research Projects
The Fresh Vegetable Product Group believes that investment in leading edge research and technology is essential to achieve the desired 2011 industry characteristics that have been identified in the Fresh Vegetable Industry 2011 vision document. Key characteristics include having growers who are operating sustainably to world's best practice, and the industry has products that can be targeted to affluent customers in less developed markets contributing to future export earnings of $1B.
Integrated pest management in vegetable brassicas – a guide and handbook
The Fresh Vegetable Product Group of Horticulture New Zealand has been involved since 2004 in a MAF Sustainable Farming Fund Project for the development of an IPM programme for vegetable brassicas. The aim was to identify the best methods to minimise growth in pest populations, identify associated problems, and base pest and disease control decisions on information gained through crop scouting and monitoring.
This project is now complete and a copy of the grower and non-grower order forms for the IPM guide, on a CD-ROM, "Information guide for integrated pest management in vegetable brassicas" and a handbook (for pest and disease identification is included for use in the field) can be downloaded by clicking here.
We thank the contributing partners, both in terms of funding and in-kind support. We acknowledge the generous support of the MAF Sustainable Farming Fund over the course of this project plus the support and sponsorship of a number of companies within the industry.
Funding
Levy funding is approx $150,000 annually or 22% of the total levy collected ($10 per $10,000 of sales). This levy funding is used to leverage from various sources for example:
- MAF Sustainable Farming Fund (SFF): Co-funded projects worth close to $2million from this fund;
- Foundation for Research Science and Technology (FRST): Onions, broccoli and capsicums are four focus crops of Future Vegetables - a project which will attract nearly $38 M over its life.
The Fresh Vegetable Product Group Research and Development Committee members are:
Keith Vallabh (Chair), Pat Murphy (Alliums), William Young (Brassicas), Chris Sinnott (Covered Crops), Stuart Davis (Leafy Crops), Andre de Bruin (Root & Tuber), John Clarke (Stalks, Vines, Bulbs & Herbs), Steve McArthur (independent industry advisor) Ian Scott (Researcher) and Ken Milne (Vice Chancellors Committee representative).
Vegetable Research and Innovation Board
The Fresh Vegetable Product Group also contributes to the Vegetable Research and Innovation (R & I) Board. The Board was established early in 2006 and the other contributing groups are Fresh Vegetable Product Group, Fresh Tomato Product Group, Process Vegetable Product Group, Onions New Zealand Inc. and New Zealand Asparagus Council. The R&I Board is currently chaired by Dr Mike Dunbier (previously Chief Executive of Crop & Food Research) and Murray Turley currently represents the Potato Product Group. Dr Sonia Whiteman was appointed to the position of Vegetable R&I Manager in late May 2006.
The R&I Board has delegated responsibility from the Product Groups to:
- Grow the focus on strategic R&I across the Vegetable Product Groups.
- Recommend an R&I strategy and from this an investment portfolio across the Vegetable Product Groups.
- Coordinate the operation of this portfolio with key research providers.
- Develop and coordinate proposals with key investment agencies to grow strategic investment into vegetable R&I.
- Communicate vegetable industry R&I strategies and outcomes to key industry stakeholders.
- Manage the vegetable R&I portfolio for the achievement of outcomes desired by growers.
- Coordinate with other related portfolios, especially those Product Groups within Horticulture NZ and the wider horticulture industry.
The R&I Board does not make decisions on investment in individual projects by the Product Groups. Product Groups retain the right to make their own funding decisions via their R&D Committees but the goal is to develop a more strategic approach to this investment by incorporating the advice of the R&I Board and Manager.
Current Research Projects
The Fresh Vegetable R&D committee has invested in the following projects:
Holding it Together:
New Zealand's vegetable industry relies heavily on the surface 15 cm of soil. However, there are increasing concerns about the environmental and economic sustainability of current production practices which can expose this soil surface to damage from rainfall, irrigation and wind. Surface runoff carries eroded sediment, nutrients and chemical residues either into low-lying parts of the field (causing localized flooding and yield reductions by up to 60%) or into drainage ditches and streams (increasing the costs of maintaining drainage schemes and reducing water quality). Similarly, wind erosion reduces air quality, removes productive top soil and causes physical damage to crops. This project aims to identify and implement improved best management practices for sustainable soil surfaces that address the challenges of key regions and land uses. Click here for information on research being done on the impact of different crop cover, or click here for information on work being done on managing soil compaction. A recent article from The Grower on reducing surface ponding can be downloaded by clicking here.
Fresh Vegetable Product Group invests in scientists of tomorrow:
Loreto Hernandez Maldonado - "Manipulating plant defences for improved clubroot control". Loreto is from Chile and has completed a BSc with honours in biochemistry and she comes from an agricultural background. Loreto will be based at Lincoln University under the supervision of Professor Richard Falloon and Professor Tony Conner and Dr. Simon Bulman. Clubroot is an ongoing disease problem for growers of vegetable brassicas caused by the soilborne pathogen, Plasmodiophora brassicae. Disease free fields are becoming rare and few chemical control options exist. Loreto will explore an alternative approach to disease management by stimulation of the host plant defence systems.
Nitrogen Managers for Environmental Accountability:
A Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Sustainable Farming Fund (MAF SFF) project supported by a number of Regional Councils and other producer groups (including fruit and arable) designed to develop a system that will provide accountability with regard to nitrogen inputs and resulting nitrate leaching losses across a wide range of production scenarios. A technically robust tool designed to provide for the needs of both growers and regional councils will underpin this system. The end result will be a system that allows growers to demonstrate responsible use of nitrogen inputs and thereby satisfy Regional Councils that activities are consistent with the requirements of Regional Plans.
Vital Vegetables® :
A trans-Tasman collaboration to produce the complete vegetable: fresh, flavoursome and functional is a joint research collaboration between Crop & Food Research and the Department of Primary Industries Victoria funded by both the Australian and New Zealand vegetable industries and government agencies.All Approved Suppliers are independently audited and monitored by AgriQuality New Zealand, and must continuously meet the New Zealand GAP criteria to ensure on-going accreditation.
Integrating energy efficiency and pest management of vegetable covered crops:
A joint MAF SFF with Fresh Tomato Product Group designed to achieve integrated crop management to achieve sustainable levels of pest management in covered crops under reduced energy input regimes.
Development of an information sheet for growers on managing black rot in kumara.
Validation of a molecular diagnostic tools:
For rapidly assessing insecticide resistance status of aphid pests to enable growers to apply appropriate insecticides to avoid further resistance development.
Compilation of Nutrition & Health Benefits of vegetables for use in resource material by www.vegetables.co.nz
Investment in a joint project to produce a Land Management Index which measures changes in soil structures through land use changes
Hot water treatments for Kumara Storage Rots
Impacts of Soil nutrition and the development of brown centre in kumara
The development of Novel biopesticides
A project to test the ability of Silicon as a fertiliser or foliar spray to reduce the severity of several diseases that are difficult to control by conventional methods. This is a joint project with Australian researchers
Identification and management of parsley root rot. This a project being undertaken by Australian researcher which the Product Group is co funding
Contributing to the IPM in Alliums project which is a major MAF SFF project managed by Onions NZ
Survey for potential biological control agents of Diamond back Moth
Funding has been confirmed for the following projects:
- Fumigation options for Violet Root Rot of carrots (click here for more information)
- Novel control options for soft rots of kumara caused by Rhizopus spp.
- The development of cost-effctive, insecticide free, thrips control strategies for export onion and asparagus crops
Funding sources
Businesses or individuals interested in exploring funding options for research or industry development activities should click here.
