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A glycan receptor kinase facilitates intracellular accommodation of arbuscular mycorrhiza and symbiotic rhizobia in the legume Lotus japonicus
No full textReceptors that distinguish the multitude of microbes surrounding plants in the environment enable dynamic responses to the biotic and abiotic conditions encountered. In this study, we identify and characterise a glycan receptor kinase, EPR3a, closely related to the exopolysaccharide receptor EPR3. Epr3a is up-regulated in roots colonised by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and is able to bind glucans with a branching pattern characteristic of surface-exposed fungal glucans. Expression studies with cellular resolution show localised activation of the Epr3a promoter in cortical root cells containing arbuscules. Fungal infection and intracellular arbuscule formation are reduced in epr3a mutants. In vitro, the EPR3a ectodomain binds cell wall glucans in affinity gel electrophoresis assays. In microscale thermophoresis (MST) assays, rhizobial exopolysaccharide binding is detected with affinities comparable to those observed for EPR3, and both EPR3a and EPR3 bind a well-defined β-1,3/β-1,6 decasaccharide derived from exopolysaccharides of endophytic and pathogenic fungi. Both EPR3a and EPR3 function in the intracellular accommodation of microbes. However, contrasting expression patterns and divergent ligand affinities result in distinct functions in AM colonisation and rhizobial infection in Lotus japonicus. The presence of Epr3a and Epr3 genes in both eudicot and monocot plant genomes suggest a conserved function of these receptor kinases in glycan perception
House prices, airport location proximity, and air traffic volume: Plus some Covid-19 effects
No full textAlthough house prices and airports are influenced by distinct factors that shape their evolutions, they are also intrinsically connected through the natural and built environment. Standard theory suggests that air-traffic noise and proximity to key economic hubs such as airports are of prime importance to house prices and the housing market. This study contributes to understanding the link between the housing market, airport location proximity, and air traffic. The research investigates this association across four key urban areas within New Zealand with an international airport - Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown. Applying GLS regression analysis reveals that house prices, air-traffic activity, and proximity to airports within New Zealand demonstrate a statistically significant spatial effect. Moreover, we demonstrate that more air traffic helps increase house prices, which is consistent with the literature. Findings also show a U-shape relationship between distance to the airport and house prices, suggesting that airport noise and other externalities can adversely affect the housing market. Furthermore, the new Zealand housing market experienced a significant price increase during the Covid-19 pandemic, whilst the airport volume decreased during an extensive lockdown period and longer-term halting of international arrivals
Quantifying biomass and whole crop macro-nutrient accumulation for six hard spring wheat genotypes grown under different nitrogen rates at ambient and elevated carbon-dioxide levels
No full textAtmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations ([CO₂]) are increasing, but little is known about how this will affect macronutrient (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg)) accumulation and partitioning in the aboveground biomass (AGB) for different hard spring wheat genotypes. We examined the responses of six spring wheat genotypes (‘Discovery’, ‘Duchess’, ‘Reliance’, PFR-3026, PFR-3019, PFR-2021) to two CO₂ levels (ambient [aCO₂] and elevated [eCO₂]) and six nitrogen rates (N; 1–10 mM), at the stem elongation growth stage of wheat grown in controlled environment chambers. The AGB yield increased by 35.2% with increasing [CO₂] when N rate was >2 mM. Increasing N supply also increased AGB by up to 3.2-fold over the entire N range applied. The AGB responses to N differed among the genotypes, being lowest for PFR-3019 (7.71 ± 0.11 g/pot) and highest for PFR-2021, PFR-3026 and Duchess at 8.84 ± 0.11 g/pot at both CO₂ levels. Macronutrient concentrations decreased with eCO₂ by 28.0% for Ca to 17.4% for P and K. Nevertheless, absolute nutrient uptake was higher for eCO₂ treatments, because the AGB increase (20.0–52.0%) was proportionally higher than the 4.0–28.0% increase in nutrient uptake. The AGB non-response to [CO₂] at N rates <2mM indicates that this nutrient deficiency was more limiting than the effects of CO₂ level. Therefore, the impact of eCO₂ in the future will depend on N fertilizer management. These results suggest that critical nutrient concentrations used to diagnose the nutrient status of wheat crops will need to be reassessed for eCO₂ conditions
Evaluation of an incentive programme for increasing green infrastructure on vineyards
No full textWine grape ecosystems with low species richness and reliance on agrichemicals have weak resilience to environmental impacts. Increasing biodiversity through green infrastructure (GI) not only helps mitigate some of these impacts but can provide additional benefits to growers and the public. Despite this, many vineyards have limited GI. While scholars suggest incentive programmes may help to encourage GI implementation, few studies have evaluated their effectiveness. We surveyed winegrowers and their vineyards in the Waipara Valley sub-region, New Zealand, to evaluate an incentive programme aimed at increasing GI on vineyards, particularly indigenous vegetation. The results indicated the programme was effective in encouraging growers to plant indigenous plants in areas incapable or unsuitable for growing grapes, largely in support of nature conservation, aesthetics, branding, and sales. It was less successful in encouraging growers to plant them in productive areas. While substantial GI, primarily in the form of inter-row cover crops, was managed in these areas, most were exotic plants seen by growers to provide superior services (especially erosion control, weed suppression and pest regulation) at lower management complexity and cost. Growers identified six GI enablers: (1) promoting GI types that provide greater grower services than disservices and costs of implementation and management; (2) implementing GI where biophysical conditions support success; (3) providing assistance with plant selection and design; (4) providing GI implementation and/or management funding; (5) developing GI certification policies and regional association programmes; and (6) providing government GI regulations, strategies, and incentives. They also identified five barriers: (1) insufficient grower appreciation for indigenous GI services; (2) grower concerns that some GI disservices were greater than their services; (3) grower belief that costs of GI implementation and/or management were greater than those of alternative practices; (4) harsh and remote GI growing conditions; (5) lack of grower knowledge regarding how to design plantings, especially those that could provide multiple services; and (6) lack of sufficient financial resources for GI implementation and/or management. Twenty recommendations for improving GI implementation are provided
New Zealand rugby and World War One
Get PDFThis paper will explore how the pre-war tensions between rugby union and rugby league played out during the war and afterwards – including the debate around the rumours that a conscientious objector was in line for selection for the 1924 All Blacks tour to Britain and France
Housing and food production: Resident and grower perceptions of peri-urban food-production landscapes
Get PDFThe loss of productive soils and food-producing landscapes on the edges of cities is an increasing issue facing Aotearoa New Zealand. Like many countries globally, New Zealand’s largest cities are facing rapid expansion because of increasing urbanisation, with high levels of low-density residential sprawl into the productive peri-urban hinterlands and increasing rates of ‘reverse sensitivity’. Food production, as a result, is being pushed further away, disconnected from the communities it serves, and often onto less productive soil. This paper explores the perceptions and attitudes of both peri-urban residents and food producers living and working within the peri-urban zone of Ōtautahi Christchurch. Conducting two surveys, one with residents and another with producers, respondents’ perceptions of food growing within this peri-urban landscape are explored to better understand the enablers and barriers of growing food close to cities. Overall, the results indicated that peri-urban residents appreciate food being produced close to where they live, with over 90% of residential respondents feeling either ‘mostly positive’ or ‘extremely positive’ towards food being grown close to their homes. Of greatest concern for peri-urban residents were issues relating to negative impacts on the environment and human health, with particular concern for water quality. The lack of accessibility to locally produced food was also identified as an area of concern to residents. Food producers felt less positive towards operating their food-production enterprises within the peri-urban zone, identifying a range of issues impacting their experience. The information rendered from these surveys provides a base for future land-use planning consideration within the peri-urban zone, where both food production and housing can co-exist
Adaptation to climate change and risk exposure: Insights from smallholder wheat farmers in China
No full textWe analyze the impacts of adopting climate change adaptations (CCAs) on the risk exposure of wheat farmers using data collected from smallholder wheat farmers in China. A moment-based production function is used to calculate four risk exposure indicators: variance (variability of farm revenue), semi-variance, skewness (exposure to downside risk) and kurtosis. A two-stage predictor substitution approach is used to address the endogeneity of adopting climate change adaptations. The results show that the number of adaptations is determined mainly by family size, off-farm-worker ratio, asset ownership and insurance. The greater the number of adaptations, the lower the farmers' risk exposure as measured by variability, semi-variability, kurtosis and skewness of farm revenue. These fndings call for practical interventions to encourage climate change adaptations for the wheat sector, not only in China but also in other countries, as climate change threatens global agriculture
Putting the ‘Ag in the enviro’: Report 4: Review of the prototype Engage programme
No full textKey Findings and recommendations
The programme and participants and the review
• The first trial of the Engage programme took place in August 2023
• The programme was held over 3 days, face to face, with an on-farm day visiting two different farms.
• Participants –10 from 7 organisations.
• The trial Engage programme was reviewed using information from a range of sources.
Outcomes of the review
• There were very high levels of satisfaction with the programme.
• Participants gained an understanding of farming systems, the challenges facing farmers and related markets, industries, and value chains,
• The day on farm, with the contrasting farms and farmers situation was a key strength of the programme.
• The form of the programme, face-to -face, length and speakers were all valued by participants.
• Participants felt comfortable sharing knowedge in the programme, however due to the wide diversity of participants there was less value learning from others.
Limitations
• Low number (10) of participants in both the programme and contributing to the review.
Recommendations
• Minor changes to the current programme sessions and speakers
• Continue to evaluate and review programmes planned for 2024.
• Investigate increasing the value of the learning by including reflective practice
Spider and harvestmen biodiversity in New Zealand horticultural ecosystems
Get PDFSpiders contribute to pest suppression in agroecosystems by direct and non-direct consumption. They provide an ecosystem service which provides economic gains to horticultural growing systems, such as apples, wine grapes, and kiwifruit. Very few studies on spider biodiversity in cropping systems have been completed in New Zealand, and no studies have been published for New Zealand orchard systems. In this study, spiders and harvestmen were sampled from vineyards, apple orchards, and kiwifruit orchards in three New Zealand locations, Waipara, Motueka, and Kerikeri. Spiders were sampled using pitfall traps, sweep netting, active day sampling, and active night sampling. A total of 1359 spiders and 87 Opiliones were caught in this study, from 17 families and 31 species. Sixteen of the 31 (51.6%) species found were introduced, 9 (29%) endemic to New Zealand, two species (6.4%) native to New Zealand, and four (12.9%) unknown. There were five dominant spider families caught (Araneidae, Lycosidae, Theridiidae, Linyphiidae, and Desidae), and of the adults, there were five dominant species: Anoteropsis hilaris, Tenuiphantes tenuis, Cryptachaea veruculata, Cryptachaea blattea, and Steatoda capensis. This study provides the first important step in describing the spider families and species found in three economically important New Zealand horticultural systems
‘Too grandiose, too complicated and too over-organised’: New Zealand anti-Olympism and the embrace of the British Empire Games during the inter-war years
Get PDFPresentation given at Sporting Traditions XXIV Conference 2023, Canberra, Australia