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  • Rights: Kiwi Innovation Network Limited
    Published 9 June 2014 Referencing Hub media
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    Grasslanz Technology develops innovative solutions to improve pasture on New Zealand farms. Traditionally, the company has focused on varieties of ryegrass, white clover and fescue that are well suited in New Zealand conditions1 – but recently, Grasslanz has also been actively working with endophytes2 that help pasture plants to survive against pests and diseases3.

    In this video clip, Sam Livesey (Grasslanz) and Dr John Caradus (CEO, Grasslanz) highlight a recent success for the company – a ryegrass containing an endophyte (Avanex) that repels both insects and birds. Avanex has been developed with airports in mind, and its use in land surrounding airport runways decreases bird numbers and limits the risk of bird strike.

    Jargon alert
    An endophyte is a bacterium4 or fungus5 that lives within a plant. Endophytes often provide benefits to the host6 plant, such as resistance7 to pathogens8.

    Transcript

    Sam Livesey
    New Zealand is an agricultural country. It’s based on pasture, and the research and development that we tend to fund is based around improving pasture genetics9 and therefore improving the returns to New Zealand farmers.

    Dr John Caradus
    This has, in the first instance, been around developing cultivars or varieties that are better suited to New Zealand pastoral conditions, and we’re talking here about species10 such as ryegrass, white clover, fescue. We’ve also, in more recent times, developed technologies that in fact the farmer can’t see, and these actually live inside the plant and are called endophytes, and these endophytes, in fact, help the plant to survive against pests and diseases.

    Sam Livesey
    One of our exciting developments of recent times has been Avanex branded perennial11 ryegrass and tall fescue. Its application is for airport use and also high-performing sports grounds. What it does is basically is able to repel both insects and birds and therefore reduce bird strike. It’s taking an idea or a concept, being endophyte for animals that are friendly for animals and insects, turning that on its head, saying, “Well, how about having something that nothing likes and then finding an application for it?” And that’s quite neat, and I think that goes to show the innovation12 and the ideas that Grasslanz Technologies creates.

    Dr John Caradus
    We talked to end-user farmers, and we also talked to commercial companies, and it’s through those conversations we understand what are challenging farmers, particularly in terms of growing pasture that is persistent and high yielding.

    Sam Livesey
    Our research shows that we were having increased liveweight gains, increased milk production, and so therefore it means more money in the back pocket of New Zealand farmers.

    Dr John Caradus
    We do deliver products and technologies that make a difference in, not just the commercial world but to the end-user, the New Zealand farmer.

    Acknowledgement
    Video courtesy of Kiwi Innovation Network Limited
    © Kiwi Innovation Network Limited, 2013

    1. condition: An existing state or situation; a mode or state of being.
    2. endophyte: An organism, often a bacterium or fungus, living inside a plant.
    3. diseases: 1. An abnormal condition of an organism that impairs bodily functions. 2. In plants, an abnormal condition that interferes with vital physiological processes.
    4. bacteria: (Singular: bacterium) Single-celled microorganisms that have no nucleus.
    5. fungi: The Fungi are a kingdom separate from plants and animals. Like animals, a fungus (or fungi – plural) is an organism that cannot make its own food. It can be multicellular such as mushrooms and moulds, or unicellular such as yeasts. Fungi may be decomposers, parasites, or mutualists (helping plants to grow).
    6. host: An organism that contains a parasite or other dependent organism. Hosts usually provide the dependent organism with food and shelter.
    7. resistance: 1. The opposition to the flow of electric current through a circuit. 2. The ability to withstand harmful or unfavourable conditions, such as an infectious disease.
    8. pathogen: A disease-causing organism.
    9. genetics: The study of heredity and variation in living organisms.
    10. species: (Abbreviation sp. or spp.) A division used in the Linnean system of classification or taxonomy. A group of living organisms that can interbreed to produce viable offspring.
    11. perennial: Living for 2 years or longer.
    12. Innovation: The development of a new process or product that is then used by others.
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      condition

    1. + Create new collection
    2. An existing state or situation; a mode or state of being.

      bacteria

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    4. (Singular: bacterium) Single-celled microorganisms that have no nucleus.

      resistance

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    6. 1. The opposition to the flow of electric current through a circuit.

      2. The ability to withstand harmful or unfavourable conditions, such as an infectious disease.

      species

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    8. (Abbreviation sp. or spp.) A division used in the Linnean system of classification or taxonomy. A group of living organisms that can interbreed to produce viable offspring.

      endophyte

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    10. An organism, often a bacterium or fungus, living inside a plant.

      fungi

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    12. The Fungi are a kingdom separate from plants and animals. Like animals, a fungus (or fungi – plural) is an organism that cannot make its own food. It can be multicellular such as mushrooms and moulds, or unicellular such as yeasts. Fungi may be decomposers, parasites, or mutualists (helping plants to grow).

      pathogen

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    14. A disease-causing organism.

      perennial

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    16. Living for 2 years or longer.

      diseases

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    18. 1. An abnormal condition of an organism that impairs bodily functions.

      2. In plants, an abnormal condition that interferes with vital physiological processes.

      host

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    20. An organism that contains a parasite or other dependent organism. Hosts usually provide the dependent organism with food and shelter.

      genetics

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    22. The study of heredity and variation in living organisms.

      Innovation

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    24. The development of a new process or product that is then used by others.