University of Waikato

PhD graduate Yanan Li (supervisors: Megan Grainger, Merilyn Manley-Harris and Brendan Gill (Fonterra)), returned from Canada for his graduation ceremony. Kavitha Ranaweera recently completed the requirements for her PhD in chemistry with Michael Mucalo as Chief Supervisor and Megan Grainger, Amanda French (USA) and N. Sirimuthu (Sri Lanka) as co-supervisors. Her thesis was on the use of construction and demolition waste for removing heavy metals from water.

As always, the chemistry stand at the University Open Day, featuring liquid nitrogen displays, honey tasting and Soxhlet extraction, was a popular stop for students.

Scion

Developing innovative and sustainable plant-based production platforms

The InnCoCells project, funded by EU Horizon2020, aims to develop innovative and sustainable plant-based production platforms, such as plant cell cultures, aeroponics and hairy root cultures. These platforms are intended for the commercial exploitation of scientifically validated cosmetic ingredients derived from under-utilised plant resources. Dr Sanjeev Raiker (Scion) participated in the stakeholder group for this ambitious project to provide feedback on the processes. The group comprised members from industry, regulatory bodies, academia, farmers unions and research institutes – including Scion. The final meeting in Catania, Italy, reviewed the project's progress and discussed challenges, issues, risks and mitigation actions. It was also a chance to strengthen relationships and explore future proposals, including promoting plant cellular agriculture for sustainable production of high-value bio ingredients from plants.

World-leading gene editing research will benefit NZ

Scion has launched the world’s first field trial of gene-edited conifer as part of research aimed at improving wood quality and producing materials to support New Zealand’s bioeconomy.

The Crown Research Institute has developed and implemented an advanced gene-editing technique known as CRISPR that lets scientists turn off a specific gene within the pine’s complex genome. This helps them understand what that gene does – which in turn builds understanding of how wood develops. 

Two sets of trees have been planted, each with a separate gene turned off. This aims to enhance timber quality and improve the process of converting wood into fibre (pulping) and sustainable chemical feedstocks for the bioeconomy. One of these genes is involved in the synthesis of hemicellulose, a renewable biopolymer which is a molecule produced by plants with many versatile, high-value applications. The other is involved in the development of compression wood, which forms on leaning or bent stems to straighten them up. Compression wood behaves differently from normal wood during timber processing, leading to issues such as warping and reduced strength, as well as making the extraction of fibre and chemicals more difficult.

The trees in this trial were initially cultivated in a contained greenhouse, where their wood underwent a comprehensive analysis. This research yielded unique and fundamental insights into the mechanisms of cell wall formation. The trees have subsequently been planted in Scion’s Environment Protection Agency-approved GMO field test containment facility to help scientists better understand how they perform under real-world conditions and to collect sufficient wood for relevant biomechanical experiments. 

Scion senior scientist Glenn Thorlby says the trees’ growth and development continue to be meticulously monitored. “This research will allow us to produce trees that, with optimised wood properties, will support the export of high-value timber and the biomass needed to replace petrochemicals as New Zealand transitions to a low-emissions sustainable bioeconomy. 

Additionally, Scion has also developed gene-edited Douglas-fir to create sterile trees that could be planted without the risk of exacerbating New Zealand’s wilding pine issue. These sterile trees would potentially act as a form of biocontrol for future genetically modified trees. 

“This will enable Douglas-fir to grow normally but not reproduce, helping limit its spread,” Glenn says. “By targeting reproductive genes, we offer a potential solution to New Zealand’s wilding pine problem.”

Wilding pines occur when forest species such as Douglas-fir spread beyond planted areas, impacting native ecosystems and landscapes across New Zealand. 

Scion’s team is using advanced sequencing and analysis tools to pinpoint genes specifically involved in reproduction. Trees with these identified genes inactivated through gene editing have been developed and must now undergo field testing to confirm they grow normally but don’t produce the seeds responsible for spread.

Scion hopes to undertake these field trials when future regulations allow.

Alec Foster, Scion’s general manager for Forest to Biobased Products, highlighted the opportunity this work offers New Zealand. "This gene-editing achievement represents exactly the kind of transformative science New Zealand needs to secure its economic future. 

“We're solving today's forestry challenges and pioneering solutions that could be worth billions to our economy. The ability to create sterile Douglas-fir trees that grow normally but can't spread as wilding pines, combined with radiata pine optimised for higher-value timber and biomanufacturing, demonstrates how gene technology can simultaneously protect our environment and drive economic growth,” he says.

“With the government's modernisation of gene technology laws, we're hopeful we will finally be positioned to translate this world-leading science into real-world outcomes that will benefit every New Zealander."

Scion funding for continued NASA water, wildfire research collaboration

Two Scion programmes have received a second round of government funding for collaborative research with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) – aimed at increasing water flow and wildfire knowledge and preparedness in New Zealand.

The $2.35 million (excluding GST) from the government’s Catalyst fund will enable Scion to undertake three-year research programmes into observing water flows through forests and investigating wildfire and drought risks. Both programmes are based on feasibility studies completed thanks to the first stage of Catalyst funding.  

The water flows research builds on results from Scion’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment-fundedForest Flowsprogramme, which researched forest hydrology in study sites around New Zealand, including an 1800ha catchment in Northland’s Te Hiku Forest. The new programme, a collaboration with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, will focus on theAupōuri Peninsula’s Te Hiku region (Northland).

It will use data from multiple NASA satellite missions to generate a new way to accurately measure water use for different land uses and how it varies across the region. The programme will also monitor how water moves across the region above and below ground.  

Scion research lead Dean Meason says this research could provide new insights for freshwater management at scales previously not thought possible. “This gives us the opportunity to address concerns about water use and availability and increase understanding of water use and water flow throughout Te Hiku.”

The wildfire and drought risk study aims to build a publicly accessible near-real-time fuel moisture and fuel type system. Programme lead and Scion fire ecologist Shana Gross says accurate data on the moisture content within living vegetation can provide information on how fire could spread through vegetation and identify areas where insects and disease pose a risk to drought-stressed vegetation.  

“This can lead to more accurate wildfire predictions improving warning systems and reducing economic and environmental loss due to wildfire and drought.”

Scion is partnering with NASA’s Ames Research Center, the Australian National University, the US Forest Service, Fire and Emergency NZ and the University of Canterbury on this programme.

Both research programmes will now collect field and remotely sensed data to build models for development of the near-real-time systems.

The partnership with NASA on both programmes gives Scion’s teams access to state-of-the art technology and expertise to develop their research and build partnerships with a world leader in space research – and to help with solutions to climate change-driven challenges.