Dirt to Dish Autumn 2019

T R DI H S I D

SOUTH PACIFIC SEEDS

TO

019

AUTUMN 2

STANDARDISING PLANT PATHOGEN IDENTIFICATION BUNCHING CROPS & LETTUCE STRINGENT SEED TESTING ADDS COST AND TIME

SPINACH

PLUS SEED INNOVATIONSTM NEW SEED TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE WAVES

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The Royal Society at the end of last year sought feedback from the public on the use of gene editing in the primary industries. Two discussion papers are available on their website and can be viewed at the following link: www.royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/our-expert-advice/all-expertadvice-papers/gene-editing-for-the-primary-industries/ These papers explore five scenarios of where gene editing could be used in New Zealand's primary industries to:

NOLEY CHARLOTTE IRCOECNTO R

D MANAGING charlotte@spsnz.com 7 67 1 30 021

•

Reduce environmental impact (reduce wilding pines)

•

Respond to insect pests and environmental stress (improve forage grass)

•

Speed up innovation (develop new apple varieties faster)

•

Protect taonga species used in the primary industries (protect Mãnuka from disease)

•

Provide new human health benefits (remove potential allergens from milk)

Each scenario highlights agricultural, ethical/social and legal considerations as well as risks and potential benefits. Feedback about your thoughts, ideas, questions or concerns about this technology were sought.

This is a great discussion point.

South Pacific Seed Sales (NZ) Ltd 12 Alpito Place ∙ PO Box 804 Pukekohe 2340 Phone +64 9 239 0890 Freephone 0800 77 22 43 sales@spsnz.com www.spsnz.com

Scan me GLEN HAYNES

All primary sectors within New Zealand are going to have to address the topic of gene editing sooner or later. It is likely that key exporters such as Fonterra and Zespri will be key influencers in the conversation with government but equally important will be the feedback of individuals and organisations.

As we all know the planet is changing and plants have to adapt too if we are to provide enough food to feed future generations. We’ll likely have two billion more mouths to feed by mid-century—more than nine billion people. But sheer population growth isn’t the only reason we’ll need more food. The spread of prosperity across the world, especially in China and India, is driving an increased demand for meat, eggs and dairy, boosting pressure to grow more corn and soybeans to feed more cattle, pigs and chickens. If these trends continue, the double whammy of population growth and richer diets will require us to roughly double the amount of crops we grow by 2050.

The environmental challenges posed by agriculture are huge, and they’ll only become more pressing as we try to meet the growing need for food worldwide. Plant breeding is the essential platform for sustainable agriculture. Through innovation we can adapt to climate change whilst improving crop yields, food quality and food safety, benefiting everyone in the food chain, from farmers to consumers.

NORTHLAND, AUCKLAND, WAIKATO, BAY OF PLENTY 021 300 677 glen@spsnz.com

Whether gene editing has a place in this for New Zealand primary industries remains to be seen. As a primarily export nation we need to consider the implications of this technology in relation to our trading partners and their views.

FRANKLIN 021 540 677 steve@spsnz.com

It would appear that gene editing could be an incredible technology to drive key advances in plant breeding but whether that would detract from our ability to access markets, command high prices for our products and whether it would be accepted by New Zealand consumers is all up for discussion.

STEVE McCRAITH

RUSSELL KIDD

GISBORNE 021 242 6019 russell@spsnz.com

KATE MACLEAN

CENTRAL & LOWER NORTH ISLAND 029 771 0677 kate@spsnz.com

What will be interesting is that given 98% of the vegetables grown in New Zealand are from seed bred by global breeding companies, if these companies adopt gene editing then we as producers and consumers of vegetables will have no option but to embrace the technology as well, or be unable to import seed, grow crops and consume domestically produced vegetables.

PIP KENNY

SOUTH ISLAND 021 301 650 pip@spsnz.com

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MANAGING DIRECTOR

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CONTENTS

PAGE 2

2 News & Events

PAGE 14

PAGE 4

8

Stringent seed testing 12 adds cost and time

4

Standardising plant 10 Spinach pathogen identification

6

Bunching crops & lettuce

14

Planting the seeds of Greengrocer training in Australia Seed Innovations

DISCLAIMER Descriptions, recommendations and information provided are based on an average of data and observations collected from our trials, and shall correspond as closely as possible to practical experience. This information shall be provided to assist professional growers and users, whereby variable local conditions must be taken into account. Significant variations may occur in the performance of products due to a range of conditions including cultural/ management practices, climate, soil type and geographic location. Under no circumstances shall South Pacific Seed Sales (NZ) Ltd accept liability based on such information for deviating results in the cultivated product. The Purchaser shall itself determine whether the items are suitable for the intended cultivation and whether they can be used under local circumstances. www.spsnz.com | 01

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BROCCOLI

2019 EVENTS APRIL

TBC

SPS SALAD FIELD DAY

TRIAL VARIETY

MAY 10TH

SPS022-6

An extremely versatile variety, SPS022-6 is best suited to harvesting within the transitional period. Quicker to mature than Medley, SPS022-6 has an elevated head position and good tolerance to head rot.

Please contact your local rep for more detail on this exciting variety within our broccoli program and to request trial seed. Trial seed available.

YOUNG VEGETABLE GROWER OF THE YEAR PIA CENTRE, PUKEKOHE www.younggrower.co.nz

JUNE

PLANT RIGHTS LAW REVIEW STARTING

24TH - 26TH

HORT CONNECTIONS MELBOURNE CONVENTION CENTRE, AUSTRALIA www.hortconnections.com.au

JULY

7TH - 10TH

COSTA PCA CONFERENCE GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA www.protectedcroppingaustralia.com

JULY 31

ST

Seed breeders have welcomed further progress towards reform of New Zealand’s outdated plant laws.

- AUGUST 2

HORT NZ CONFERENCE www.hortnz.co.nz

4

TH

-6

TH

ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA - ASIAWORLD-EXPO HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LANTAU, HONG KONG www.asiafruitlogistica.com

SEPTEMBER

4TH - 5TH

YOUNG GROWER OF THE YEAR FINAL ASB BAYPARK, MT MAUNGANUI www.younggrower.co.nz

OCTOBER

17TH - 19TH

PMA FRESH SUMMIT ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA, USA www.pma.com

OCTOBER

17TH - 18TH

FUTURE FOOD-TECH LONDON www.futurefoodtechlondon.com

A Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment discussion paper is the latest step in the process to update the Plant Varieties Rights Act to align it with international standards.

Plant Breeding and Research Association general manager Thomas Chin said the review is long overdue with industry members keen to have input into change that will benefit the wider NZ primary sector.

MYSTERY CREEK, HAMILTON

SEPTEMBER

ND

“NZ’s seed industry underpins our pastoral, arable and horticulture industries.” “Without the very best seed we would struggle to maintain a successful agricultural base and our competitive edge,” Chin said.

The law encourages investment in development of new plant varieties for NZ farmers and growers by granting proprietary rights to breeders and developers. Ryegrass, clover, wheat, barley and forage brassicas are among key species for pastoral and arable production covered by the legislation.

Breeding and commercialising a new cultivar can take up to 10 years and incur more than $1 million of research and development costs.

Strong legal protections will encourage plant breeders to provide the latest advances in seed genetics to farmers and continue doing local research and development.

“At the end of the day we want to see our plant laws in step with international standards, which support our vital primary industry in NZ.” Global plant breeding and development is governed by the Convention of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants, known as UPOV 91. NZ has not yet ratified the convention.

NZ has obligations under the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership to modernise its regime to meet international standards for plant variety rights protection and must do that within three years of the agreement coming into force for NZ.

by Annette Scott www.farmersweekly.co.nz

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CHRISTMAS PARADE

The Pukekohe Santa parade was held on Sunday the 2nd of December under a cloudless sky! This year the parade recognised the centenary of the Pukekohe Vegetables Growers Association and South Pacific Seeds entered a float to show our support for the industry and our community. Our float entry was created and organised by our marketing guru, Elyse Price and she put together an outstanding creation that won the special prize for acknowledging the vegetable growers centenary! Our team at SPS and their families did a fantastic job at being involved on the day, dressing up in costume and getting into the spirit. We had vegetables donated from the local growers in our shopping trolleys to give out to the waiting crowds who took these with great enthusiasm. Overall it was an excellent event to be involved in and our thanks goes to Elyse for all her time and effort.

A big thank you to all the growers who donated vegetables!

MIKE PARKER SAYS FAREWELL TO THE FOUNDATION FOR ARABLE RESEARCH Earlier this year the Foundation for Arable Research said farewell and best wishes to Mike Parker, who had worked with the organisation for 14 years.

Mike led a range of maize, agrichemical and weed management trials and was the voice of Maize Action, identifying seasonal issues in maize crops across New Zealand and passing on information to growers and industry.

Mike has taken on some consultancy work in the Waikato to balance out time spent at home on his farm, fishing, cycling and playing with his grandchildren.

FAR’s Steven Payne is now responsible for the NCRS site; Allister Holmes for Maize action and Richard Chynoweth for agrichemicals.

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STANDARDISING

PLANT PATHOGEN

IDENTIFICATION

The Collaboration for Plant Pathogen Strain Identification (CPPSI) aims to regulate naming plant pathogen strains and races.

Consistent naming of plant pathogen strains and races is a recognised need in the vegetable seed industry. Until very recently there has been no recognised global body that regulates the naming of plant pathogen strains.

In 2007, a U.S. based effort was initiated by the International Seed Federation (ISF) in partnership with the American Phytopathological Society (APS) to address this issue with a focus on disease systems for which claims of disease resistance are made by the seed industry. In 2013, the effort took the name of the Collaboration for Plant Pathogen Strain Identification (CPPSI).

CPPSI is a science based, vegetable seed industry initiative developed to standardise the identification of plant pathogen strains and races. Each pathogen’s identification is based on a set of host differentials, each containing a source of disease resistance and reference plant pathogen strains, collectively referred to as Reference Materials.

Since early 2015, CPPSI has been based at the U C Davis Seed Biotechnology Center. A three-year commitment of funding from seven seed industry founding sponsors – Bayer Crop Science, Enza Zaden, HM.Clause, Monsanto, Rijk Zwaan, Sakata and Syngenta Seeds – provided the initial support for this initiative. These same sponsoring members continue to support the CPPSI initiative. In 2017, CPPSI was awarded a California Department of Food and Ag Specialty Crop Block Grant. These funds will facilitate the continued growth of this initiative.

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ADDRESSING AN ONGOING PROBLEM “Gaps and inconsistencies in plant pathogen strain naming and identification are an ongoing seed industry issue that can undermine published claims of disease resistance,” says Phyllis Himmel, Ph.D., CPPSI director.

“For example, claims of resistance to melon and tomato Fusarium wilt in the U.S. might be made against strains 1, 2 and 3, but in Europe, claims against these same strains are made as 0, I and 2. Because we have followed different strain naming guidelines, vegetable seed catalogues in the U.S. and Europe must list claims made in both regions.

CPPSI is collaborating with associations and organisations in Europe to bring uniformity and consistency to the naming of plant pathogen strains in disease systems as new differentiating hosts are developed,” Himmel says.

Without a variety registration system in the U.S. there has not been as much attention paid to consistent naming of pathogen strains. The same strain could have different names or different strains could be given the same name. These inconsistencies can become a problem for international seed companies wanting to register new varieties in Europe. To register a new variety, a breeder must be able to show the new variety is distinctive, unique and stable (DUS). The resistant and susceptible responses to designated plant pathogens is part of the criteria. The listed claims for resistance may not match up with what the European registration board might expect to find when resistance is identified by strains with different names.

“CPPSI’s effort to standardise plant pathogen strain naming and identification is important to the global seed industry,” says Staci A. Rosenberger, Applied Pathology Lead for North America at Monsanto Vegetable Seeds. “Using a standard reference host-pathogen set serves as a basis for equivalency testing across regions and builds confidence and clarity in disease resistance claims not only for seed companies, registration authorities and academia, but also for seed dealers and growers.”

Rosenberger says another critical function of CPPSI is to serve as a central repository for host differentials and pathogen collections which provide tremendous value when developing new detection methods for plant pathogens.

HUB AND SPOKE SYSTEM CPPSI’s Reference Materials enable pathologists to use a ‘common language’ when identifying new races/strains of a pathogen that has overcome commercially deployed resistance genes. These materials provide a reference for determining pathogen strain virulence.

CPPSI working group members developed a double hub and spokes system for germplasm and pathogen strain storage and distribution. Information and resources from each hub is available to CPPSI members at no additional cost. Non-members also have access to CPPSI information and resources as a fee-based service.

The USDA National Plant Germplasm System centers serve as a hub for deposit, storage and distributing of differentiating host sets. A network of public, private and USDA labs serve as the hub for culturing and distributing the reference plant pathogen strains. Linking the two hubs is www.cppsi.org.

CPPSI members are also participating in the ISF Disease Resistance Terminology working group. Members of this group represent the global seed industry and the working group meets regularly to address questions around

disease resistance and strain naming. A white paper of guidelines for the naming of new plant pathogen strains is in development. It is based on the criteria for new strain naming developed by the International Bremia Evaluation Board.

CPPSI MEMBERSHIP FOCUS

The CPPSI initiative depends on membership subscriptions and seed industry support to continue the development and distribution of Reference Materials for use by all members of the seed industry. Representatives from member companies make up the CPPSI working group.

The working group meets monthly by webinar to plan and initiate the seed increases, organise and culture associated reference plant pathogen strains and write up instructional white papers for targeted disease systems. Each white paper is reviewed by CPPSI working group members and at least one collaborating topical expert.

Located at the University of California at Davis provides CPPSI a neutral base from which to collaborate with all members of the seed industry equally without any perception of preference of one company over another.

“That neutrality is important to our credibility,” says Himmel.

“We recently changed our membership approach from a set fee to an adjustable fee linked to a company’s annual sales revenue to make CPPSI membership more attractive to smaller companies.”

In response to smaller companies that may question the value of CPPSI’s activities for them, Himmel replies: “Access to CPPSI information on disease systems reduces the effort needed to accumulate cultures of verified plant pathogen strains and sources of resistance. Providing these tools for plant pathogen strain evaluation saves time and redundant effort for smaller companies when developing new disease resistance programs and calibrating ongoing programs – why reinvent the wheel?”

“We have the knowledge and information to help companies start up and/or calibrate the virulence in their disease resistance programs,” she says.

CPPSI is in the process of developing an emerging diseases website that pools information about new pathogen strains and plant diseases into one location. The database will contain a searchable collection of information by crop and by pathogen. The site will be available to CPPSI members only and will also feature a forum for interaction and the exchange of information.

CPPSI is beginning to gather pathogen resistance information for row crops where diseases take a smaller bite out of yield than in vegetable crops. Generally, a great yield is not dependent on the appearance of the crop, but a few exceptions exist for some diseases in cotton and soy. In contrast, appearance is everything in vegetables because misshapen fruits, leaves, stalks and tubers are not marketable.

by Joe Funk www.seedworld.com www.spsnz.com | 05

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BUNCHING CROPS STILETTO STILETTO is a hybrid bunching onion for year round production.

STILETTO produces vigorous, dark green leaves with an attractive white stem. The cylindrical shanks are highly uniform and STILETTO has good tolerance to bulbing, important to achieve an attractively presented bunch. With a good upright growth habit, STILETTO is easy to pull and to clean.

VARIETY FEATURES • Highly uniform • Dark green leaves • Easy to pull • A hybrid variety

STILETTO

PARAGON PARAGON is a long time standard in New Zealand for bunching onion production. PARAGON gives vigorous growth to dark blue/ green leaves and shiny white stems which make for an attractive contrast. The versatility of PARAGON allows for year round use while its vigour makes it a particularly good choice for Winter production.

The quality of PARAGON is best illustrated under adverse conditions when its uniformity, upright habit and tolerance to bulbing are evident.

PARAGON

VARIETY FEATURES • Straightleaf type • Excellent quality • Robust and adaptable variety • An open pollinated variety

SUMO SUMO is a green-stemmed pak choi (also known as pak choy, bok choi or bok choy) variety that is very slow bolting. With wide adaptability, SUMO is able to be grown in most areas of New Zealand with quality heads being produced for year round harvesting. A hybrid variety, the heads produced are highly uniform in regards to head size, shape and maturity which makes for ease of harvesting with one pass possible. A compact and dense head with dark-green petioles and leaves.

VARIETY FEATURES • Superior bolting tolerance • High cut-out • Exceptional quality • Able to be grown in the field or hydroponically 06 | www.spsnz.com

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LETTUCE

ICEBREAKER

ICEFALL

CONTESSA

Due to its high vigour, ICEBREAKER is the only variety that provides consistently sweet tasting iceberg as we come out of Winter and, for this reason, processors ask for it by name. ICEBREAKER has sufficient vigour to produce a large frame and good sized heads in the cold while being tolerant enough to late Spring weather fluctuations so as not to go puffy. ICEBREAKER has proven itself to be the market standard for this slot with excellent vigour for earlier cutting, and enough versatility to be harvested well into late Spring (early November in Pukekohe).

ICEFALL is a more powerful Pedrola type that will harvest through until mid August in more Northern areas. ICEFALL will also suit Spring harvest as a fast maturing type but with darker colour. ICEFALL has a very high leaf count in the frame which gives protection against soil-borne diseases prevalent in late Autumn. In addition, it is sure heading in early Winter, often a problem with older varieties such as Winguard. ICEFALL has an excellent disease package (BI.1-32) and is Nasonovia resistant.

For cooler weather harvest in the Autumn and Spring, CONTESSA produces dense heads of dark green colour. The plant has a very upright habit and the heads will sit up off the ground with a flat butt. Uniform size and consistency of weight makes CONTESSA best suited to the variable conditions of Spring in more mild environments.

With a medium head size and uniform harvest time CONTESSA is well suited to bagging.

VARIETY FEATURES • Large head • Mid-dark green head colour • Large frame • Late Winter and early Spring harvest AGRONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS • Moderate tolerance to tipburn • Strong tolerance to bolting • Not suitable for early Winter harvest. We recommend transplanting no earlier than week 20 in northern areas

VARIETY FEATURES • Mid-dark green head colour • Medium-large head • Mid-large frame size • Late Autumn, Winter and Spring harvest AGRONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS • Moderate tolerance to tipburn • Strong tolerance to bolting • Strong vigour

VARIETY FEATURES • Medium head • Dark green heads • Medium-large frame • Autumn and Spring harvest AGRONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS • Moderate tolerance to tipburn • Moderate tolerance to bolting • A high internal core can develop under warm and humid conditions

DISEASE RESISTANCES

DISEASE RESISTANCES

High Resistance: BI:1-32/Nr:0

High Resistance: BI:1-27,29/Nr:0

DISEASE RESISTANCES High Resistance: BI:1-27,29 To request commercial seed or a sample for your evaluation of these varieties please contact the SPS office on

0800 77 22 43 www.spsnz.com | 07

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STRINGENT SEED TESTING

ADDS COST AND TIME Changes to the Import Health Standards for vegetable seed imports must be based on proven, well-established risks to New Zealand biosecurity, reliant on good science and balanced with commercial understanding.

The landscape vegetable seed importers now operate in is significantly different to even a couple of years ago, with more stringent testing standards and the resulting extra cost and time, says South Pacific Seed Sales (NZ) Ltd managing director, Charlotte Connoley.

The New Zealand vegetable industry relies on imported seed to produce vegetable crops, she told the HortNZ Conference in Christchurch.

“There is very little breeding activity within New Zealand and what does occur is generally for global companies who have research facilities here.

“Whilst New Zealand is a significant producer of vegetable seed, the majority of this is exported back to the breeding company who owns the genetics produced.”

The Ministry for Primary Industries and, in particular its plant imports team regulate the importation of seed for sowing.

MPI has developed the Import Health Standard (IHS) for seeds for sowing that effectively regulates what importers can and can’t do when importing seed to prevent the entry of unwanted organisms into New Zealand.

“As new threats to our biosecurity become known the risk these pose is assessed and if deemed appropriate changes to the IHS are made.

“Changes to the IHS can have significant implications not only for seed companies, but also the wider industry including growers, wholesalers, retailers and food service,” said Charlotte, who is vice-chairwoman of the New Zealand Grain and Seed Trade Association’s vegetable sector.

“In 2017 MPI consulted with industry on the risk posed to New Zealand by Fusarium race 3 that had been found in some United Kingdom lettuce crops. The measures they were proposing would have meant that no seed company within New Zealand would have been able to import lettuce seed for a period of at least 12 months. In this instance a good process was followed with information presented from all stakeholders, and as a result MPI did not put in place an emergency amendment and instead will do a thorough risk assessment for consultation possibly later this year.

“

New Zealand is a very small user of vegetable seed in a global context and it is therefore important that we don’t make it too hard for global breeding companies to do business with us,” she said.

“For many breeding companies they can easily sell our New Zealand requirements to one grower in the United States, for example.

“Changes to the IHS must be based on proven risks to New Zealand biosecurity that have been well established by good science and balanced with commercial understanding.

“Previously, most vegetable species were on “basic” entry requirements in the IHS. This meant a phytosanitary certificate was required for importation, but nothing else.

Nowadays, there are very few vegetable species that have a basic entry requirement and instead most species require additional declarations. These may include specific testing offshore or onshore, specific seed treatments, and inspections of seed or even the seed crop and parent plants.

“The implications of this are significant if included as a change to the IHS. Crops previously harvested or already in the ground may not be able to meet the revised IHS meaning it may be a whole crop cycle until seed can be imported again.

“Keep in mind the crop will not only be destined for New Zealand,” she said.

“The supplier needs to make sure the crop will meet the import requirements of all the countries they are likely to export the seed to.

“Testing times can be significant. Currently there is an eight to 10 week wait for some testing in the Netherlands as their laboratories try to manage the greater demand placed on them.

“

It is crucial growers consider this changing landscape in relation to acquiring seed of their required varieties. Forecast with your seed supplier and get your orders firmed up early.”

Charlotte said the costs to import some vegetable species into New Zealand have increased substantially, mainly as a result of the requirement for testing.

“The increased cost is not only as a result of the actual test, but takes into account the cost of seed that is destroyed during testing,” she said.

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“Most seed companies have had to review their product assortment and as a result it is no longer viable to import some varieties of vegetable.

“Of greater concern is the ability to be able to import new germplasm to carry out trials within New Zealand.

“Importing new varieties for research and development is critical to ensure New Zealand growers have access to the world’s best varieties, including those that may have competitive innovations such as disease resistance or shelf life.

“The current IHS makes it relatively challenging to import seed of trial varieties, as so much seed is taken for testing and the costs are so high with no guarantee of return on investment. Seed companies are having to wait until further into the process of developing new varieties before they can justify the importation costs,” Charlotte said.

As an example of the number of seeds that are required for testing of some species and the costs involved, the Apiaceae family is one in particular that has created significant headaches for seed importers. This includes carrots, celery, parsnip, parsley and fennel. The three options to import seed from this family include: •

•

•

Country freedom. Many countries are unable to meet this “Pest Free Place of Production” as CalSol is widespread in countries such as France where a lot of seed production is done, particularly for crops such as carrot.

Testing. Some countries may not have an NPPO-approved method and as such the testing declaration cannot be signed off on the phytosanitary certificate. Testing is complicated for crops that are pelleted, that is carrots, celery and fennel, as pelleted seed cannot be used for testing so a raw seed sample must be provided along with the pelleted seed.

Hot water treatment is not an option for some species.

It is widely used and has been successful for carrots without impacting seed quality. However, it is not an option for sensitive species such as celery where the germination may be impacted.

Where small quantities of seed are being imported in cases of research and development often a composite sample is taken. The problem is often the seed is very limited of new species and as such a seed company may only receive a couple of hundred seeds – this may all be used in the testing.

“MPI is very proactive in reviewing and making changes to the IHS,” she said.

“It is critical whether as a producer, wholesaler or retailer of vegetables that there is more contribution to the consultations for these changes to ensure the whole commercial picture is understood by MPI. “Stakeholders need to understand the potential risks posed and the potential impact new requirements may have on the availability and cost of vegetable seed.

“Submissions regarding changes are best channelled through an industry association such as HortNZ or United Fresh.”

Interested parties can subscribe to the Plant Import Notifications through the MPI website.

The New Zealand Grain and Seed Trade Association has developed a Code of Practice for Vegetable Seeds for Sowing, she said.

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Charlotte Connoley The code was developed by member companies in response to increasing requests from growers for declarations and certifications relating to aspects of traceability and quality assurance.

“It was an opportunity for the seed industry to be proactive around establishing a framework for certification and to create awareness of the standards professional vegetable seed companies are meeting daily.”

Signatory to the code is voluntary by member companies of the NZGSTA, but achieving certification requires the signatory to undergo a mandatory audit related to aspects of the code. The Code of Practice has just been launched and the first audits are expected to be conducted in the next few months.

A key element of the code of practice is compliance with the IHS, that is importing seed via the correct channels. This expectation applies to not only commercial vegetable seed imported, but also vegetable seed for trials and for breeding purposes. Being able to provide traceability of seed from its origin through to the end user is also a key element of the code.

“

Consumers are more aware of provenance than ever and the interest in the origin and safety of their food is an integral part of this,” she said.

“It is therefore only logical that if a grower needs to be able to trace their produce we too should be able provide this information for the seed the produce has grown from.”

It is necessary that all signatories have a robust quality assurance programme in place to ensure seed quality specifications are monitored and meet the standards of the code. These requirements include standards around labelling, germination minimums and testing for foodborne illnesses for seed that is to be used for sprouting.

By Heather Chalmers

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SPINACH

DIABLO JINX

DIABLO VARIETY FEATURES •

Very dark green leaf colour

•

Oval leaf shape

•

Smooth leaf texture

AGRONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS •

Strong tolerance to bolting

•

Strong tolerance to stemphylium

DISEASE RESISTANCES •

High Resistance: Pfs:1-11,15

•

Intermediate Resistance:12,14

LOKI

JINX VARIETY FEATURES

LOKI

•

Very dark green leaf colour

VARIETY FEATURES

•

Oval, slight point leaf shape

•

Mid-dark green leaf colour

•

Semi-savoyed leaf texture

•

Oval leaf shape

AGRONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS

•

Slight savoy-semi savoy

•

Moderate tolerance to bolting

AGRONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS

•

Strong tolerance to yellowing

Medium bolting tolerance

DISEASE RESISTANCES

DISEASE RESISTANCES

•

High Resistance: Pfs:1-10,15

High Resistance: Pfs:1-13, 15

•

Intermediate Resistance:11-13

TRANSITIONAL AND COOL SEASON SPINACH FROM SOUTH PACIFIC SEEDS As growers move from the relative continuity of Summer spinach production and in to the Autumn, varietal selection brings with it a whole new range of challenges – not least of which is the uncertainty of warm to cold transition. While the general consensus lies with calendar planning the difference between success and failure can often involve, not a small amount of, gut feeling. Certainly growers who have been in the game long enough have often experienced most conditions than are common, or uncommon, to the transition period. It can be argued that Autumn is far easier to select than is Spring but it can still result in large losses due to early rain when, coupled with warm temperatures, fusarium and pythium can be a factor.

With its unique combination of topography, latitude, range of soil types, rotational limitations and weather, growing spinach in New Zealand is arguably as difficult as anywhere in the world. South Pacific Seeds has an extensive spinach programme sought from a range of breeding programmes from widely dispersed provenances each bringing with them different characteristics and strengths. The following is the existing range with notes as to how each may suit your requirements…

For growers wanting an Autumn version of Nightfall, DIABLO may well fit the bill. DIABLO is a vigorous warm to cool season variety that may extend in to early Winter harvest. Often the standout variety in the annual SPS Field Day (late April) DIABLO is very dark and, while it is a flatter leaf type when grown in warmer conditions, it develops a nice savoy when pushed in to the cool. Conversely, DIABLO has excellent heat tolerance and can in fact be grown for bunching in Summer.

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To request commercial seed or a sample for your evaluation of these varieties please contact the SPS office on

NE W

0800 77 22 43

NIGHTFALL

NIGHTFALL VARIETY FEATURES •

Very dark green leaf colour

•

Oval/pointed leaf shape

•

Smooth leaf texture

AGRONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS •

Moderate tolerance to bolting

•

Strong tolerance to yellowing

DISEASE RESISTANCES •

High Resistance: Pfs:1-9,11-14

•

Intermediate Resistance: Pfs:10

•

Strong field tolerance to anthracnose

SAKE

PACER

PACER VARIETY FEATURES •

Mid-dark green leaf colour

•

Oval, slight point leaf shape

•

Semi-savoyed, slight cup leaf texture

AGRONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS Strong bolting tolerance

SAKE VARIETY FEATURES •

Dark green leaf colour

•

Oval leaf shape

•

Flat leaf texture

AGRONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS •

Moderate to strong bolting tolerance

•

Strong field tolerance to yellowing in periods of prolonged wet

DISEASE RESISTANCES High Resistance: Pfs:1-13,15

DISEASE RESISTANCES •

High Resistance: Pfs:1-11,15

•

Intermediate Resistance: Pfs:12,14

PACER is a vigorous warm season variety suitable for Summer and Autumn production which, in more northerly areas, will be suitable for harvest until the end of Autumn. It is a slightly cupped, mid-green coloured variety that yields extremely well with highly uniform, oval shaped leaves that develop a semi-savoy.

PACER has good heat tolerance but will also not struggle in periods of heavy rain that are not uncommon in the Autumn.

JINX is arguably our most versatile transition variety with a very wide window – in more northerly areas it may in fact be grown right through Winter. It is a mid-dark green, semi-savoyed variety that yields extremely well. JINX is well suited to low light days where it tends to grow at a consistent rate regardless of weather extremes. JINX has an oval/slightly pointed leaf shape that is slightly cupped, with an upright habit making it easy to harvest.

SAKE is a new addition to the SPS range and comes to us from the Black Glove breeding programme. In trials last season SAKE proved to be more uniform than Black Glove when grown in Autumn and less prone to stretching coming out of Winter. SAKE will suit being grown right through Winter for growers who are chasing a dark variety with a thick leaf. SAKE has all the added attributes of Black Glove such as being highly tolerant to yellowing and strong tolerance to Colletotrichum.

BLACK GLOVE has been a cool/cold season standard for many years now and still forms the backbone of many Winter spinach programmes. BLACK GLOVE forms an extensive root system providing insurance when growing conditions become taxing. BLACK GLOVE is a reliable performer with excellent vigour, clean and dark leaves.

NIGHTFALL is a high yielding Winter and Spring harvest line which stands up to the most difficult of Winter conditions.

NIGHTFALL can be very strong against stretching also as the days warm up coming out of Winter. NIGHTFALL has wide, oval shaped leaves which give very high yield potential. NIGHTFALL is a dark variety that is strong against yellowing in late season and shows excellent tolerance to leaf diseases such as Stemphylium and Colletotrichum. www.spsnz.com | 11

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PLANTING THE SEEDS OF

GREENGROCER

TRAINING IN AUSTRALIA

A new training program for greengrocers aims to improve standards of industry knowledge and raise awareness for career potential.

By Jay Garcia. Article sourced from Retail world 12 | www.spsnz.com

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Melbourne Polytechnic is launching what it claims is the world’s first greengrocery qualification, which it hopes will offer workers career pathways within the industry, while elevating the level of experience and training across the sector. Melbourne Polytechnic developed this formal qualification in partnership with Melbourne Market Authority (MMA).

“This institute put in an expression of interest when the MMA was looking for a training provider, and Melbourne Polytechnic was awarded preferred-provider status,” Service Delivery Manager at Melbourne Polytechnic, Fotina Babalis said.

“As part of that, the Melbourne-Market community had foreseen a need for training within the greengrocery world, so I took on the role of being the Service Delivery Manager for the Melbourne-Market project, and part of my role was to consult with industry and the market community.”

According to Ms Babalis, consultations ran for several months in 2016. “I ran a series of meet-and-greets, I sat down with people, asked them a range of questions, and then I gathered all the information,” she said.

“The information was collated into a training-needs analysis and presented to the MMA, and what came out of that was a real need for skills development in greengrocery.”

In developing greengrocer qualifications, MMA and Melbourne Polytechnic collaborated closely to lend educational and industry specific expertise.

“Once I presented the report to MMA and it was really loud and clear what was coming out, they then identified key industry players that they wanted to be part of a reference or steering committee to look at the development of this training,” Ms Babalis said.

“At the same time, Melbourne Polytechnic also sought funding through the Victorian state government to develop a specific qualification. We were lucky in being awarded that, and we were awarded some funds to develop the Certificate II and Certificate III in greengrocery.”

Leon Mugavin is the owner of Leaf Store in the inner- Melbourne suburb of Elwood and part of MMA’s retailer steering committee that helped develop the program. He says the key reason for the launch of these courses is the lack of career pathway to becoming a greengrocer.

“When you’re at school you can be plumber, a butcher, a baker, a florist, but there’s never been anything to say [greengrocery] is a career,” he said.

“Even from talking to staff over the years, most of them come from starting on the registers, particularly women, and they see they have a high level of interest in fresh produce. They say they would love to work in that area, but they don’t know how to get into it or how to go about it. When you’re [considering] a career, a lot of people will consider doing a trade, and this is just another trade we want them to consider.”

Mr Mugavin says the course is mostly on-the-job training and working in a greengrocer business. “We looked at the school leaver who’s got no experience through to a person who’s been working in another career and has some experience,” he said. “So we took it back to basics, especially with Certificate II: communicating and assisting customers with their inquiries, identifying all the different types of produce, the different categories.

“And then it goes through to training on how to handle fresh produce: what’s the correct storage, what needs to go in a colder cool room, what can stay out, what can’t go under a certain temperature – all those things that people take for granted.

“There’s also more in-depth product information, and all the things you have to do as far as being aware of weights and measures, being aware of packaging and what the implications are for the different government bodies – because a lot of greengrocer businesses are small family-owned and -run businesses, so their level of awareness for workplace health and safety and food labelling probably needs to be stronger as well.”

Ms Babalis says formal courses such as this will help improve the level of knowledge and experience across the industry, while helping to retain staff in the long term. “It’ll also attract new people to the industry, including schoolaged people, and help them decide if they want to do a school-based apprenticeship and enter the workplace,” she said.

“Kids who are working a part time job and see this as a really good career pathway for them will now have a recognised qualification, so they can not only be the greengrocery assistant, but also be the greengrocery supervisor and manager – they can see a progression moving within the industry.

“People who are currently in the industry will also gain the skills and knowledge themselves to move forward, so it’s important to have their skills recognised.

And it’s also about having that knowledge so that, when a customer comes in, they feel confident to answer the customer’s questions.”

According to Mr Mugavin, the introduction of courses such as this is important because greengrocery is a nuanced and dynamic industry that is becoming increasingly important with the rise of health and food consciousness.

“We’re getting staff now who love eating healthily and that’s the life they want to lead, so they can get a job in that industry without being a waiter,” he said. “The independent retailers over the past 40 years have really been hit hard by the dominance of the supermarkets, but there’s a renaissance now of people coming in, talking to their local greengrocer, getting that interaction and the information.”

Ms Babalis says Melbourne Polytechnic and the MMA are excited to see the course come to fruition because they have worked hard to identify the need, develop the courses and have them recognised by the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority.

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NEW SEED TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE WAVES

Some of the biggest benefits may come from the smallest of technologies.

There is a certain technology that’s smaller than bacteria, but bigger than a water molecule. It can have higher payloads than specific compounds, and it has the ability to recognise its target.

What is the technology?

It’s nanotechnology, and you can bet that it will make waves in the seed treatment space, as Aqua-Yield looks to soft launch NanoShield later this year.

Founded in 2014 and based in Utah, Aqua-Yield has primarily been focused on fertiliser technologies to deliver nutrients directly to plant cells.

But for the past year and a half, CEO and co-founder Clark Bell and his team have been intensely focused at moving this same technology to the seed treatment space.

“We’ve been dabbling in seed coating for the past three years but working reallyhard at it for the past 18 months when we realized the potential crossover,” Bell says. “Recently, we’ve been testing it on all different seed types all over the United States, from turfgrass to lettuce.”

The results, he says, have been impressive. Bell and his team look to do a soft launch in the Southern United States later this year.

As an example, Chris Hendrickson, a biology professor at National University and consulting scientist for Aqua-Yield, says that by using NanoShield one Florida sod grower turned another full crop.

14 | www.spsnz.com

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“These are naturally occurring compounds that stimulate germination of the seed, anywhere from 50 percent to 300 percent faster than the norm, depending on crop species and cultivar,” Hendrickson says.

Another example Hendrickson points to is Kentucky bluegrass, which normally takes anywhere from two to four weeks to germinate. He says they are seeing an improved germination rate in five to seven days.

“If I’m a golf course manager, this means I can get my turf up much faster,” Hendrickson says, noting a number of applications this technology can benefit. These include hydroseeding, erosion control and anything requiring high inputs (nutrition, PGRs and pesticides).

Bell says, “When it comes to delivering nutrition to the seed, this technology is on the cutting edge, especially when we consider what’s happening in the areas of seed coating and the microbiome.”

WHAT IS NANOTECHNOLOGY? Nanoscience and nanotechnology involve the ability to see and to control individual atoms and molecules, according to nano.gov, the official website of the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative.

To help put this in perspective, Landon Bunderson, Aqua-Yield chief science officer says that nanoparticles are about 1,000 times smaller than a plant cell.

“You can imagine something of that size is much better at getting into the plant cell — that is what it is designed to do,” Bunderson says. “The hallmark of a nanoparticle is that it is designed to do something.

“In the case of NanoShield, it is designed to recognise its target and to carry an increased payload with a time-release mechanism. It’s kind of like smuggling nutrients into the plant,” Bunderson says.

NanoShield is a nano-sized protectant that goes around nutrient ions, making it unavailable to the soil; now it’s only available to the seed, he explains. This nano-coat delivers nutrients more efficiently to the seed and stays on the seed.

Bell says they are able to use traditional seed coating tools, and the liquid constituents they add contain the nanoparticles.

“It is a component of the coating,” he shares. “It’s a coating that contains specialised particles that helps realize better results.”

The basis of NanoShield is NanoGro, a “kitchen sink fertiliser product” they had developed for growers. Bell, who says he’s never been happy with the status quo, says the end game for Aqua-Yield is to provide farmers with optimised products that drive better yields, less waste and that are more environmentally friendly.

To some, this might seem like an awfully fast launch. How many trials were done?

In what locations? Can it be replicated?

Are these experimental conditions or growing conditions? Naturally, these questions come to mind.

to explore new applications for the use of nanotechnology, seed coatings and plant growth.

“It’s not unlike what is being done with biostimulants, biologicals and microbials,” Bunderson says. “It’s really exciting — when you think about a crop out there in the field, farmers are looking to deliver nutrition, biostimulants and fungicides.”

For example, micronutrients are really good to work with. You have a particle that’s not mobile in the plant. You can track it from the root to the shoot, so you know the proper time windows for release. We could be looking at windows of seven days, 21 days and 42 days. The ratios of plant hormones are expressed differently at different stages.

STILL LEARNING

With the time-release capabilities, we are looking into a number of possibilities: hormones with micronutrients released in a cascade of phases? Who knows, maybe someday we will be able to say 60-day corn instead of 90-day corn, Bell says. It’s possible we could create shorter crop cycles. This can enable physiological and developmental-state-specific schedules of nutrient and other agrochemical applications for each crop in a unique production environment.

When asked what the limitations are, Bell says: “This is a new tool and another tool in the toolbox. It has its strengths and weaknesses, of which we continue to explore. There will likely be some chemistries it doesn’t do well with.”

There are many facets to this. One big factor is disease control and providing early protection to the seedling. Then there’s a gap between what the seed coat covers and what your fungicide spray will cover.

As an example, with the fertiliser version, he says the nanoparticles aren’t able to deliver enough nitrogen to the plant, but that is something that’s easy to get into the plant.

We want to extend that period of coverage to protect plants from disease and minimise or maybe even close the gap.

Bunderson says that high throughput experimentation has allowed them to advance this technology much faster than traditional methods. “I like to think we are dabbling in a big data approach, which gives us more statistical power,” he says.

“Things that are extremely difficult to get into the plant can be delivered with high efficiency using nanotechnology, giving some amazing results,” Bell says.

Through research agreements, NanoShield is being tested by some seed companies, but those companies, per agreement, can’t be disclosed at this time.

While Bell and his team are excited about the potential for NanoShield as it comes into the market, he says the future is even brighter as they continue

“Control is everything,” Bunderson says. Control of when things receive nutrition. Fungicide is just one example of some of the things we are looking into. Farmers can spray later and for some crops, it may even eliminate a pass through the field.

“I fundamentally believe that with what’s out there in biotechnology and the science space, we have the tools to get farmers back to profitability,” Bell says. “Given the investment in this area, it could be a matter of months, year and decade, and that’s why I’m really excited about what’s coming down the pike.” www.seedworld.com

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