Collaborative biocontrol project wins AgResearch science prize
A paper co-authored by members of one of the Centre’s research teams has been awarded the 2019 AgResearch Science Prize, recognising outstanding achievement in research quality.
“Intensified agriculture favors evolved resistance to biological control” was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, in 2017, outlining the project’s findings that the Argentine stem weevil (Listronotus bonariensis) had evolved resistance to the introduced parasitoid wasp Microtonus aethiopoides. It was later the basis of an editorial in Science magazine. Read more...
|
|
|
Exotic insects in NZ not known in their own countries
The discovery and description of two new insects suggests that New Zealand may be home to more exotic insects than we know about.
Scientists from the Bio-Protection Research Centre have described and named two new exotic insects present in New Zealand that weren’t previously known about even in their native countries. Read more...
|
|
|
Research breaks new ground for Trichoderma
You could say that Bio-Protection Research Centre Masters student Olivia Prouse really knows her onions.
She has spent more than a decade working in horticulture, much of it in the onion industry, after graduating from the University of Auckland with a BSc in Biological Sciences. Now she is researching a new role for Trichoderma. Read more...
|
|
|
An accidental molecular geneticist
Becoming a molecular geneticist was somewhat accidental for Barry Scott.
While studying at the University of Otago for his PhD in biochemistry, Barry decided to sit in on an undergraduate course in genetics. He was hooked.
“That course opened my eyes to the power of genetics, especially combined with biochemistry,” says Barry. “I still have the text book [Molecular Genetics: an Introductory Narrative, by Gunther Stent].” Read more
|
|
|
Sundar's sacrifices pay off
Like many international postgraduate students, Sundar Tiwari has made big sacrifices to study for his PhD with the Bio-Protection Research Centre.
Previously an assistant professor at Agriculture and Forestry University in Rampur, Nepal, Sundar arrived at Lincoln University in February 2016, funded by a New Zealand Aid scholarship (now New Zealand Scholarship). His wife and young son, then just 3, stayed in Nepal. Read more...
|
|
|
Centre scientists crucial to fruit fly response
When two species of fruit fly were found in Auckland earlier this year, Centre scientists played a crucial role in getting information out to the public.
Karen Armstrong, a Senior Research Officer with the Centre, provided detailed but easily understood answers for the Science Media Centre, and was quoted extensively by print, radio, and online journalists throughout the country. Centre colleague Peter Holder also gave several interviews on commercial radio. Read more
|
|
|
|
Training researchers in battle against kauri dieback
In the battle to save our kauri forests, the Bio-Protection Research Centre is helping to train the next generation of researchers – while increasing our understanding of kauri dieback.
In 2019, the Centre is funding two new masters students and one honours student, aiming to expand our knowledge of Phytophthora agathidicida, the pathogen responsible for the disease.
In Auckland, Kimberley D’Souza is in the fourth and final year of study for a BSc (Hons) in Applied Conservation and Environmental Science, at Auckland University of Technology (AUT). Read more...
|
|
|
Conference to make a difference
The Bio-Protection Research Centre will hold its biennial conference at Lincoln University on November 13 and 14, with the theme of “Making a difference”.
The conference brings together all Centre staff and students from across the country to share their research and explore opportunities for collaboration. They are joined by industry and government stakeholders on the first day.
“As in previous years, the conference is the showcase of our advances in bioprotection research,” says Centre director Prof Travis Glare. “It will highlight the role fundamental research plays in finding future solutions for New Zealand’s pests, weeds, and disease problems.”
|
|
|
|
Dr Jonathan Tonkin (University of Canterbury) who was awarded a Rutherford Discovery Fellowship by the Royal Society Te Apārangi, for research titled: ‘Rethinking ecological networks in changing environments.’
University of Canterbury PhD candidate Ralph Wainer, who won the Ross Beever Memorial Mycological Award from the Fungal Network of New Zealand.
Dr Hossein Alizadeh and Prof John Hampton, both of Lincoln University, who were awarded gold status by MBIE for the annual report of their project, “Supressing urea-N wastage using a bio-inoculant”.
Lincoln University PhD candidate Thomas Carlin who was awarded the Dan Watkins Scholarship in Weed Science by the New Zealand Plant Protection Society.
Dr Barbara Barratt, principal scientist at AgResearch, who was awarded the New Zealand Plant Protection Medal for exceptional contributions to plant protection.
Aroa Rey Campa, a PhD student at the University of Otago, who won the top poster prize in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Otago Research Celebration.
Lincoln University’s Prof Steve Wratten and Massey University’s Prof Murray Cox, who have been invited to sit on the Rutherford Discovery Fellowship life sciences panel for 2019.
|
Dr Amanda Black (Lincoln University) who was awarded the Te Tupu-ā-Rangi Award for Health and Science at the Māori Television Matariki Awards, for her work on the pathogen Phytophthora agathidicida, which causes kauri dieback.
Lincoln University PhD candidate Alexa Byers, who won a Student Travel Award to attend Rhizosphere 5 in Canada this month. She gave an oral presentation on “Identifying disease suppressive soil properties to protect New Zealand’s iconic kauri (Agathis australis) against dieback disease”.
Prof Peter Fineran (University of Otago) has received an Alexander von Humboldt Experienced Researcher Fellowship to work with Profs Cynthia Sharma and Chase Beisel in Würzburg, Germany. He plans to learn new specialist skills and techniques to apply to various projects on CRISPR-Cas function and regulation.
Prof Steve Wratten, of Lincoln University, who was awarded the Canterbury Horticultural Society's John Taylor award, for demonstrating outstanding leadership and service to horticulture in Christchurch and Canterbury. He has also been awarded the title of Distinguished Professor by Lincoln University.
The Next Generation Biopesticide MBIE programme, led by Dr Maureen O’Callaghan (AgResearch) and involving BPRC researchers from AgResearch, Plant & Food Research and Lincoln University, which was also awarded gold status for its annual report.
|
|
The following papers authored or co-authored by BPRC researchers were published in the first half of 2019.
Bernard-Verdier M, Hulme PE (2019). Alien plants can be associated with a decrease in local and regional native richness even when at low abundance. Journal of Ecology 107 (3) pp1343-1354 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2745.13124
Black A, Shadbolt M, Garner G, Green J, Malcolm T, Marsh A, Ropata H, Waipara N, Wood W (2019). How an Indigenous community responded to the incursion and spread of myrtle rust (Austropuccinia psidii) that threatens culturally significant plant species – a case study from New Zealand Pacific Conservation Biology DOI: 10.1071/pc18052
Black A, Wakelin S, Hamonts K, Gerard E, Condron L (2019). Impacts of long term copper exposure on abundance of nitrogen cycling genes and denitrification activity in pasture soils. Applied Soil Ecology 138 pp253-261 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2019.03.009
Bowie MH, Stokvis E, Barber K, Marris J, Hodge S (2019). Identification of potential invertebrate bioindicators of restoration trajectory at a quarry site in Hunua, Auckland, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 43(1) pp3360 DOI: 10.20417/nzjecol.43.5
Bradshaw RE, Sim AD, Chettri P, Dupont P, Guo Y, Hunziker L, McDougal RL, Van der Nest A, Fourie A, Wheeler D, Cox MP, Barnes I (2019). Global population genomics of the forest pathogen Dothistroma septosporum reveal chromosome duplications in high dothistromin-producing strains. Molecular Plant Pathology (20) pp784-799 DOI: 10.111/mpp.12791
Cruz-Magalhaes V, Nieto-Jacobo MF, van Zijll de Jong E, Rostas M, Padilla-Arizmendi F, Kandula D, Kandula J, Hampton J, Herrera-Estrella A, Steyaert JM, Stewart A, Lopes Loguercio L, Mendoza-Mendoza A (2019). The NADPH oxidases Nox1 and Nox2 differentially regulate volatile organic compounds, fungitastic activity, plant growth promotion and nutrient assimilation in Trichoderma atroviride. Frontiers in Microbiology 9 pp3271 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.03271
Cui X, Alam MA, Perry GLW, Paterson AM, Wyse SV, Curran TJ (2019). Green firebreaks as a management tool for wildfires: Lessons from China. Journal of Environmental Management 233 pp329-336 DOI 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.12.043
Dharmaraj K, Cui W, Rikkerink EHA, Templeton MD (2019). Construction of a kiwifruit yeast two-hybrid cDNA library to identify host targets of the Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae effector AvrPto5. BMC Research Notes 12 (63) DOI: 10.1186/s13104-019-4102-x
Dickie IA, Wakelin AM, Martínez-García LB, Richardson SJ, Makiola A, Tylianakis JM (2019). Oomycetes along a 120,000 year temperate rainforest ecosystem development chronosequence. Fungal Ecology 39 pp192-200 DOI: 10.1016/j.funeco.2019.02.007
Fagerlund RD, Ferguson TJ, Maxwell HWR, Opel-Reading HK, Krause KL, Fineran PC (2019). Reconstitution of CRISPR adaptation in vitro and its detection by PCR. Volume 617: CRISPR-Cas Enzymes. Methods in Enzymology 616 pp411-433 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2018.10.024
Gardner PP, Watson RJ, Morgan XC, Draper JL, Finn RD, Morales SE, Stott MB (2019). Identifying accurate metagenome and amplicon software via a meta-analysis of sequence to taxonomy benchmarking studies. PeerJ 7:e6160 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6160
Glare TR, Durrant A, Berry C, Palma L, Ormskirk MM, Cox MP (2019). Phylogenetic determinants of toxin gene distribution in genomes of Brevibacillus laterosporus. Genomics DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2019.06.020
González-Chang M, Tiwari S, Sharma S, Wratten SD (2019). Habitat management for pest management: Limitations and prospects. Annals of the Entomological Society of America DOI: 10.1093/aesa/saz020
Green KA, Eaton CJ, Savoian MS, Scott B (2019). A homologue of the fungal tetraspanin Pls1 is required for Epichloë festucae expressorium formation and establishment of a mutualistic interaction with Lolium perenne. Molecular Plant Pathology DOI: 10.1111/mpp.12805
Griffiths AG, Moraga R, Tausen M, Gupta V, Bilton TP, Campbell MA, Ashby R, Nagy I, Khan A, Larking A, Anderson C, Franzmayr B, Hancock K, Scott A, Ellison NW, Cox MP, Asp T, Mailund T, Schierup MH, Andersen SU, (2019). Breaking free: the genomics of allopolyploidy-facilitated niche expansion in White Clover. The Plant Cell 20 (7) pp961-975 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.18.00606
Hassing B, Winter D, Becker Y, Mesarich CH, Eaton CJ, Scott B (2019). Analysis of Epichloë festucae small secreted proteins in the interaction with Lolium perenne. PLoS One 14(2):e0209463 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209463
Jones MS, Fu Z, Reganold JP, Karp DS, Besser TE, Tylianakis JM, Snyder WE (2019). Organic farming promotes biotic resistance to food-borne human pathogens. Journal of Applied Ecology 56 pp1117-1127 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13365
Jun H, Kurenbach B, Aitken J, Wasa A, Remus-Emsermann MNP, Godsoe W, Heinemann JA (2019). Effects of sub-lethal concentrations of copper ammonium acetate, pyrethrins and atrazine on the response of Escherichia coli to antibiotics [version 1; peer review: 2 approved, 1 approved with reservations]. F1000Research DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.17652.1
Kohn DD, Ruhsam M, Hulme PE, Barrett SCH, Hollingsworth PM (2019). Paternity analysis reveals constraints on hybridization potential between native and introduced bluebells (Hyacinthoides) Conservation Genetics 20 (3) pp571-584 DOI: 10.1007/s10592-019-01158-4
Lewis KSJ, Black A, Condron LM, Waipara NW, Scott P, Williams N, O’Callaghan M (2019). Land-use changes influence the sporulation and survival of Phytophthora agathidicida, a lethal pathogen of New Zealand kauri (Agathis australis). Forest Pathology 49:e12502 DOI: 10.1111/efp.12502
Littlejohn CP, Hofmann RW, Wratten SD (2019). Delivery of multiple ecosystem services in pasture by shelter created from the hybrid sterile bioenergy grass Miscanthus x giganteus. Scientific Reports 9 pp5575 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40696-2
Marris J, Hawke D, Glenny D (2019). Eating at high elevation: An herbivorous beetle from alpine rock outcrops relies on ammonia-absorbing lichens. Ecology 100 (5) DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2598
Martoni F, Armstrong KF (2019). Acizzia errabunda sp. nov. and Ctenarytaina insularis sp. nov.: Descriptions of two new species of psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) discovered on exotic host plants in New Zealand. PLoS ONE 14(4): e0214220. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214220
Mc Namara L, Dolan SK, Walsh JMD, Stephens JC, Glare TR, Kavanagh K, Griffin CT (2019). Oosporein, an abundant metabolite in Beauveria caledonica, with a feedback induction mechanism and a role in insect virulence. Fungal Biology DOI:10.1016/j.funbio.2019.01.004
Narciso J, Ormskirk M, Jones S, Rolston P, Moran-Diez ME, Hurst MRH, Brookes J, Glare T (2019). Using multiple insecticidal microbial agents against diamondback moth larvae - does it increase toxicity? New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research DOI: 10.1080/00288233.2019.1582074
Nielsen M-C, Sansom CE, Larsen L, Worner SP, Rostás M, Chapman RB, Butler RC, de Kogel WJ, Davidson MM,
|
Perry NB, Teulon DAJ (2019). Volatile compounds as insect lures: factors affecting release from passive dispenser systems. New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticulture Science 1-16 DOI: 10.1080/01140671.2019.1604554
Nixon LJ, Tabb A, Morrison WR, Rice KB, Brockerhoff EG, Leskey TC, van Koten C, Goldson S, Rostas M (2019). Volatile release, mobility, and mortality of diapausing Halyomorpha halys during simulated shipping movements and temperature changes. Journal of Biological Pest Control DOI: 10.1007/s10340-019-01084-x
Norberg A, Abrego N, Blanchet FG, Adler FR, Anderson BJ, Anttila J, Araújo MB, Dallas T, Dunson D, Elith J, Foster SD, Fox R, Franklin J, Godsoe W, Guisan A, O'Hara B, Hill NA, Holt RD, Hui FKC, Husby M, Kålås JA, Lehikoinen A, Luoto M, Mod HK, Newell G, Renner I, Roslin T, Soininen J, Thuiller W, Vanhatalo J, Warton D, White M, Zimmermann NE, Gravel D, Ovaskainen O (2019). A comprehensive evaluation of predictive performance of 33 species distribution models at species and community levels. Ecological Monographs e01370. DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1370
Nsor CA, Godsoe W, Chapman HM (2019). Promiscuous pollinators—Evidence from an Afromontane sunbird–plant pollen transport network. Biotropica DOI: 10.1111/btp.12669
Ormskirk MM, Narciso J, Hampton JG, Glare TR (2019). Endophytic ability of the insecticidal bacterium Brevibacillus laterosporus in brassica. PLoS One 14(5): e0216341 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216341
Ozturk IK, Dupont P-Y, Chettri P, McDougal RL, Böhl OJ, Cox RJ, Bradshaw RE (2019). Evolutionary relics dominate the small number of secondary metabolism genes in the hemibiotrophic fungus Dothistroma septosporum. Fungal Biology (123) pp397-407 DOI 10.1016/j.funbio.2019.02.006
Raad M, Glare TR, Brochero HL, Müller C, Rostás M (2019). Transcriptional reprogramming of Arabidopsis thaliana defence pathways by the entomopathogen Beauveria bassiana correlates with resistance against a fungal pathogen but not against insects. Frontiers in Microbiology DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00615
Rivas-Franco F, Hampton JG, Morán-Diez ME, Narciso J, Rostás M, Wessman P, Jackson TA, Glare TR (2019). Effect of coating maize seed with entomopathogenic fungi on plant growth and resistance against Fusarium graminearum and Costelytra giveni Biocontrol Science and Technology DOI: 10.1080/09583157.2019.1611736
Roy HE, Bacher S, Essl F, Adriaens T, Aldridge DC, Bishop JDD, Blackburn TM, Branquart E, Brodie J, Carboneras C, Cottier-Cook EJ, Copp GH, Dean HJ, Eilenberg J, Gallardo B, Garcia M, García-Berthou E, Genovesi P, Hulme PE, Kenis M, Kerckhof F, Kettunen M, Minchin D, Nentwig W, Nieto A, Pergl J, Pescott OL, Peyton JM, Preda C, Roques A, Rorke SL, Scalera R, Schindler S, Schönrogge K, Sewell J, Solarz W, Stewart AJA, Tricarico E, Vanderhoeven S, van der Velde G, Vilà M, Wood CA, Zenetos A, Rabitsch W (2019). Developing a list of invasive alien species likely to threaten biodiversity and ecosystems in the European Union Global Change. Biology 25(3) pp1032-1048 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14537
Rezania S, Alizadeh H, Cho J, Darajeh N, Park J, Hashemi B, Din MFM, Krishnan S, Yadav KK, Gupta N, et al. (2019). Changes in composition and structure of water hyacinth based on various pretreatment methods BioResources 14(3) pp6088-6099 DOI: TBC
Rezania S, Alizadeh H, Park J, Din MFM, Darajeh N, Ebrahimi SS, Saha BB, Kamyab H. Effect of various pretreatment methods on sugar and ethanol production from cellulosic water hyacinth BioResources 14(1) pp592-606 2019 DOI: 10.15376/biores.14.1.592-606
Shields MW, Johnson AC, Pandey, Sunita, Cullen R, González-Chang M, Wratten SD, Gurr GM (2019). History, current situation and challenges for conservation biological control. Biological Control 131 pp25-35 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2018.12.010
Skelly J, Pushparajan C, Duncan EJ, Dearden PK (2019). Evolution of the Torso activation cassette; a pathway required for terminal patterning and moulting. Insect Molecular Biology 28(3) pp392-408 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12560
Smith AB, Godsoe W, Rodríguez-Sánchez F, Wang HH, Warren D (2019). Niche Estimation Above and Below the Species Level. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 33 (3) pp260-273 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2018.10.012
Sprague R, Godsoe W, Hulme PE (2019). Assessing the utility of aerial imagery to quantify the density, age structure and spatial pattern of alien conifer invasions. Biological Invasions 21(6) DOI: 10.1007/s10530-019-01960-8
Teixeira CSP, Hampton JG, Moot DJ (2019). Thermal time requirements for germination of four subterranean clover cultivars. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research DOI: 10.1080/00288233.2019.1614074
Tian J, Boitt G, Black A, Wakelin S, Chen L, Cai K, Condron L (2019). Mass balance assessment of phosphorus dynamics in a fertilizer trial with 57 years of superphosphate application under irrigated grazed pasture. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 114 (33) DOI: 10.1007/s10705-019-09992-1
Tiegs SD. et al. (incl. Tonkin, JD). (2019). Global patterns and drivers of ecosystem functioning in rivers and riparian zones. Science Advances 5(1): eaav0486. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aav0486
Tomasetto F, Duncan RP, Hulme PE (2019). Resolving the invasion paradox: Pervasive scale and study dependence in the native-alien species richness relationship. Ecology Letters 22 (6) DOI: 10.1111/ele.13261
Van Hamelsveld S, Adewale ME, Kurenbach B, Godsoe W, Harding JS, Remus-Emsermann MNP, Heinemann JA (2019). Prevalence of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from urban and agricultural streams in Canterbury, New Zealand. FEMS Microbiology Letters 366 (8) DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnz104
Warrington S, Ellis A, Novoa A, Wandrag EM, Hulme PE, Duncan RP, Valentine A, Le Roux JJ (2019). Cointroductions of Australian acacias and their rhizobial mutualists in the Southern Hemisphere Journal of Biogeography 46 pp1519–1531 DOI: 10.1111/jbi.13602
Watson BNJ, Easingwood RA, Tong B, Wolf M, Salmond GPC, Staals RHJ, Bostina M, Fineran PC (2019). Different genetic and morphological outcomes for phages targeted by single or multiple CRISPR-Cas spacers. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 374(1772) DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0090
Watts C, Dopheide A, Holdaway R, Davis C, Wood J, Thornburrow D, Dickie IA. (2019). DNA metabarcoding as a tool for invertebrate community monitoring: a case study comparison with conventional techniques. Austral Entomology DOI: 10.1111/aen.12384
Worthy FR, Hulme PE (2019). Scale dependence shapes how plant traits differentially affect levels of pre- and post-dispersal seed predation in Scots pine European. Journal of Forest Research DOI: 10.1007/s10342-019-01198-y
Wyckhuys KAG, Pozsgai G, Lovei GL, Vasseur L, Wratten SD, Gurr GM, Reynolds OL, Goettel M (2019). Global disparity in public awareness of the biological control potential of invertebrates. Science of the Total Environment 660 pp799-806 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.077
Yletyinen J, Brown P, Pech R, Hodges D, Hulme PE, Malcolm TF, Maseyk FJF, Peltzer DA, Perry GLW, Richardson SJ, Smaill SJ, Stanley MC, Todd JH, Walsh PJ, Wright W, Tylianakis JM (2019). Understanding and Managing Social-Ecological Tipping Points in Primary Industries. Bioscience 69 (5) pp335-347 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biz031
|
|
|
|
