Lincoln University Smart Ideas funded projects

New Zealand’s intensive agricultural systems, particularly dairy farming, face significant challenges due to their adverse impacts on the environment, notably water contamination and greenhouse gas emissions. Nitrate leaching from farmland contributes to surface water eutrophication and can jeopardize human health if it contaminates drinking water. Additionally, nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, primarily from animal urine and synthetic fertilisers in intensively grazed pastures, constitute a substantial portion (19%) of the country's agricultural sector greenhouse gas emissions, ranking second after methane.

To address these pressing issues, urgent solutions are needed. The proposed research will develop a fundamentally new concept of phage-based nitrification inhibition (NI) technology (as opposed to chemical nitrification inhibitor technology) to reduce both nitrate leaching and N2O emissions. This research initiative aligns with New Zealand's governmental policies, including the Action Plan for Healthy Waterways, which aims to halt the degradation of freshwater resources, and the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act, which targets net-zero emissions of all greenhouse gases (including N2O) by 2050.

The outcomes of this research are transformative. By leveraging scientific advancements in bacteriophage knowledge, the goal is to revolutionise the management of nitrification rates in soil and thus enable and improve the environmental sustainability of agriculture. This new NI technology is urgently required to mitigate the adverse impacts of agriculture and also ensure the long-term viability of intensive agriculture in New Zealand.

New Zealand’s NZ$6.25 billion forestry industry depends on the health and resilience of Pinus radiata (pine), its most important commercial tree species. Each year, more than 50 tonnes of copper-based fungicides are used to manage serious diseases such as Dothistroma needle blight and Red needle cast. These treatments cost the industry around NZ$57 million annually and have associated environmental and social impacts.

This research programme is exploring natural, environmentally friendly alternatives to these chemicals. We are studying microbial bioactive compounds (MBCs)—molecules produced by beneficial microbes that can strengthen pine trees' defences and suppress harmful pathogens.

In the initial phase, our team identified two MBCs that suppressed pathogens and promoted growth in pine seedlings in the greenhouse and nursery. The 12-month extension will focus on testing these compounds under additional nursery and plantation conditions, refining treatment strategies, and combining molecular and field data to better understand how they enhance tree resilience.

The project brings together researchers with expertise in forestry, microbiology, and plant health, working alongside key industry partners including Ngāi Tahu Forestry, Proseed New Zealand Ltd, PF Olsen Ltd, Southern Cypresses Nurseries, and West Coast Forests. These collaborations ensure that scientific discoveries are aligned with industry needs and provide a clear pathway for developing sustainable forest-health solutions.

The long-term goal is to reduce reliance on copper fungicides, support sustainable forestry, and help position New Zealand as a global leader in innovative, bio-based plant-protection technologies.

To maintain the NZ$6.25 billion NZ forestry industry, 54 tonnes of copper fungicides are sprayed annually against pine pathogens. In addition to being a significant economic cost at NZ$57 million annually, their use also comes with potential environmental, human health and social costs.

We will investigate the use of microbial bioactive compounds (MBCs) to protect pine forests from filamentous plant pathogens. Can MBCs be used as sustainable and environmentally friendly agents that protect Pinus radiata from Dothistroma needle blight (DNB), red needle cast (RNC) and other diseases, delivering benefits to the NZ forestry economy? We have already identified 2 MBCs that can kill the causal agents of DNB and RNC in vitro and promoted pine growth in glasshouse conditions.

Our multidisciplinary and international team has combined expertise in forestry-based research, including plant pathology and biology, biocontrol product development, microbial bioactive compounds, plant defence, priming and bioinformatics. The programme incorporates strong links to the forestry industry.

Our project will develop products that enhance tree health and offer an alternative to agrichemicals to protect forests, reduce environmental costs and help mitigate climate change. Our products are anticipated to have high export potential with significant financial benefits to NZ.