Best The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited Podcasts (2025)

1
Packing a punch for sustainability (PPF)

Play Pause

17h ago

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Fancy a sprinkle of positivity? Then check out this conversation with Sarah Lei, Head of Sustainability at Trevelyan's Pack & Cool Ltd., an understated leader in the kiwifruit industry. Hear from Sarah about how her experience as an engineer and yoga teacher informs her approach to making a large kiwifruit packhouse an exemplar of sustainable busin…

1
People, planet, kiwifruit – with Rachel Depree (PPF)

16d ago

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What does it take to deliver sustainable livelihoods for growers, green international shipping, and support healthy nutrition around the globe? In this episode of People Planet Food, host Roger Robson-Williams talks to Rachel Depree, Executive Officer for Sustainability at Zespri International – the world’s largest marketer of kiwifruit – to explor…

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Under the Skin – Perfecting Nature’s Packaging (FTL)

29d ago

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The skin of fruit serves more than just a protective barrier; it acts as nature’s packaging—the first element we notice, touch, and often judge. In this episode, scientist and host Hilary Ireland chats with molecular scientist Mikaela Douglas to explore what lies beneath the surface of fruit skins. They discuss how genetic research is enabling scie…

1
Trust, tech and the table: the future of food with Jack Bobo

1M ago

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Food futurist Jack Bobo joins scientist Hilary Ireland to explore the future of food production. From the impact of agriculture on the planet to the promise of new technologies like gene editing, Jack shares insights on how we can build sustainable food systems while earning consumer trust. With a background in law, policy and behavioural science, …

1
Mette Nielsen: The incredibly beautiful thrips! (SLFM)

2M ago

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Most growers and home gardeners don't view thrips positively, but perhaps we could change your perspective. This week, data scientist and podcaster Tom Moore speaks to entomologist Mette Nielsen about her career in entomology, particularly her research on the many species of thrips in Aotearoa New Zealand. Correction: in this podcast we incorrectly…

1
Plant-based yoghurts (SITK)

3M ago

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Most people are already familiar with products like oat milk and almond butter, but what about barley yoghurt? Scientists at Plant & Food Research are developing a new plant-based product: yoghurt made from barley grain. In this week's podcast, scientist and podcast host Rebecca Campbell speaks to food scientist Gert-Jan Moggre about this exciting …

1
Hope in turbulent times (PPF)

3M ago

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People | Planet | Food - Host Roger Robson-Williams speaks with sustainability experts Saskia Verraes and Martin Rich about the future they aspire to create through their work. They discuss the encouraging signs of progress in Aotearoa New Zealand and around the globe.Amid rising illiberalism, increasing geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty,…

1
The challenge of gene editing a plant (NT)

4M ago

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Gene editing is a new technology with the potential to breed new crops faster. With changing regulations worldwide on how gene editing can be incorporated into food production systems, what does it actually take to gene edit a plant crop?   This week Scigest host and scientist Jay Jayaraman speaks to Zac Hanley, GM Science – New Cultivar Innovation…

1
Bringing change through compost, carbon, and connection (PPF)

4M ago

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People | Planet | Food – In this episode, host Roger Robson-Williams chats with friend and colleague Stephen Wallace, Sustainability Manager at AgResearch and Plant & Food Research,Stephen shares his journey into sustainability, sparked by a passion for the environment and early efforts to combat food waste in the workplace. He offers insights into…

1
Suzie Newman: A life in International development (SLFM)

6M ago

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Success in international development projects requires not only a variety of skills, including project management, people, and technical skills, but also a commitment to see jobs through and meet every challenge, which can be considerable in some of the less developed regions around the world. In this podcast, scientist and podcaster Hilary Ireland…

1
A fresh look at steam power (PPF)

6M ago

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People | Planet | Food – in this episode, host Roger Robson-Williams delves into the innovative world of modern steam power with Jack Donaldson from Mackwell and Co., a Christchurch-based start-up pioneering advanced steam technology for farm machinery. Together, they explore how replacing diesel with biomass could revolutionise energy use in food …

1
Fish bites: The Potential of Lab-Grown Food (FTS)

6M ago

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Cellular agriculture is an evolving technology where animal meat is grown in a lab using just their cells. This process is potentially an important way of producing animal protein in a sustainable and ethical manner. Plant & Food Research are exploring this technology to grow fish meat and is an important part of our overall fish research at our Ne…

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Rebecca Campbell: Mapping out a career in geoinformatics (SLFM)

7M ago

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Geoinformatics is the analysis of spatial data using technology to understand and solve real-world problems.Scientist and Scigest podcast host Dion Mundy speaks to fellow Scientist Rebecca Campbell about her journey into geoinformatics and her expertise in analysing spatial aspects of data. Rebecca also talks about her experience as a recipient of …

1
Plant elicitors - a vaccine for plants? (BDIS)

7M ago

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Plant elicitors have huge potential to help protect New Zealand crops from disease. Acting much like a vaccine, these elicitors allow plants to defend themselves better against disease. Coming from a biological source like seaweed, they offer a more ecologically friendly crop protection option, too.This week James Sainsbury from our Ruakura site sp…

1
Powering up the food system (PPF)

8M ago

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People | Planet | Food - Roger Robson-Williams speaks with Mike Casey, about producing cherries without using fossil fuels and running a charity called Rewiring Aotearoa.They discuss what it takes to build a fully electrified orchard and the emerging opportunities for farmers and growers to help address growing demand for renewable power. Mike expl…

1
Working with AI (NT)

8M ago

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AI has captured everyone’s attention and clearly has the potential to be a very important tool for our scientists in the future, but there are still a lot of learnings about the benefits and risks of this technology. Podcaster James Sainsbury speaks to Data Scientist Sam Birch about two projects that utilise computer vision, a field making heavy us…

1
The Climate Action Campus (PPF)

9M ago

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People | Planet | Food - Roger Robson-Williams speaks with Catherine Leeper, a Learning Advisor at Climate Action Campus Ōtautahi, about the importance of empowering rangatahi (young people) to take action on climate change. Catherine talks about her farming roots, her journey to Aotearoa New Zealand, and the initiatives of the Climate Action Campu…

1
Anna Kokeny: starting with a solitary bee (SLFM)

9M ago

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Aotearoa New Zealand has many native solitary bees, but not much is known about them. In this Scigest episode, newly-minted podcaster and apiculture scientist James Sainsbury speaks to entomologist Anna Kokeny about her research on our little-known native bees. They also discuss Anna's career journey and share tips for budding scientists. Anna is a…

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Avoiding planetary boundary overshoot with Kate Meyer (PPF)

9M ago

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People | Planet | Food - Roger Robson-Williams speaks with Kate Meyer, Founder and CEO of the Planetary Accounting Network (PAN). This small not-for-profit organisation from Wānaka is dedicated to translating cutting-edge earth systems science into actionable plans that help individuals, businesses, and governments operate within global environment…

1
Beginners guide to gene technologies (NT)

10M ago

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Over the last 25 years, genetic techniques have rapidly evolved. In this episode of Scigest, scientists Blue Plunkett and Dr Revel Drummond provide a brief guide to the latest gene technologies. What is a null segregant? What is CRISPR-Cas9? How do these cutting-edge tools differ from earlier GMO technologies? Note: Since we recorded this Dame Juli…

1
Rob Agnew: Changing weather into wine (SLFM)

10M ago

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For nearly 40 years, retiring scientist Rob Agnew has dedicated his career to logging and analysing the changing weather patterns in the Marlborough region. In this episode of Scigest, our new podcaster, Dion Mundy, sits down with Rob Agnew to explore his impactful career from his work in protecting the wine industry through meteorological trend st…

1
An irresistible virgin redback spider lure (BDIS)

11M ago

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Redback spiders have established populations in Central Otago and Taranaki, posing a threat to human health and taonga native species such as the critically endangered Cromwell chafer beetle.We talk to Chemist Dr Andrew Twidle, who is leading the development of a pheromone tool to eradicate these invasive redback spiders, the first attempt in the w…

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The future urban consumer - part 2 (SITK)

11M ago

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Join us for the latest insights from a comprehensive global study on consumer preferences, following up on our initial Future Urban Consumer podcast from October last year. Understanding consumer attitudes is crucial when developing new food technologies and farming systems. Plant & Food Research's Future Urban Consumer programme delves into how co…

1
Exploring agritech with Brendan O’Connell (PPF)

12M ago

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In this episode of People | Planet | Food, Roger Robson-Williams speaks with Brendan O’Connell, Chief Executive of AgritechNZ, to discuss the role of agritech in creating a healthier, fairer, and more environmentally friendly food system. Brendan shares his perspective on what agritech is, how it can help, and how AgritechNZ supports a diverse rang…

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Dion Mundy: new tech for the vine doctor (SLFM)

12M ago

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New technologies are essential in helping scientists and growers combat vine diseases in vineyards. This week, podcaster and data scientist Tom Moore interviews vine doctor Dion Mundy about his latest research on plant disease monitoring, disease identification, and modelling for future climate changes. Dion was one of our first interviews on Scige…

1
Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest flume tank (FTS)

1y ago

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Plant & Food Research's Nelson site is home to Aotearoa New Zealand's largest flume tank, an innovative facility that allows scientists to test and develop new technologies in both simulated open ocean and controlled laboratory environments. In this week's podcast, Julie Blommaert sits down with fellow scientists Suzy Black and Louise Kregting to d…

1
Future-Fit: Navigating Sustainability with Martin Rich (PPF)

1y ago

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In this episode of the People | Planet | Food podcast series, host Roger Robson-Williams talks to Martin Rich, a former investment banker turned Chief Executive of the UK’s Future-Fit Foundation. Martin shares his journey from international finance to earth systems science and doughnut economics and explains why he now leads a sustainability charit…

1
Food. Who's helping? (PPF)

1y ago

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What would it take to make the global food system healthier, fairer, and more environmentally restorative? Hi, I am Roger Robson-Williams, Chief Sustainability Officer at Plant & Food Research. I am delighted to start my People | Planet | Food series in conversation with two remarkable leaders from opposite sides of the planet working on exactly th…

1
Roger Robson-Williams: A man on a mission (SLFM)

1y ago

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Roger Robson-Williams, Chief Sustainability Officer at Plant & Food Research, joins Scigest podcast host Rebecca Bloomer to discuss his scientific journey and interest in the future prosperity of food production in Aotearoa. In their conversation, Roger introduces his upcoming podcast, People, Planet, Food, which will feature discussions with indiv…

1
Dr James Sainsbury - Buzzworthy science (SLFM)

1y ago

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Working with bees, and in local body politics means you are always at risk of being stung at some stage, but that hasn’t stopped our latest guest, apiculture scientist Dr James Sainsbury taking up the challenge. In this podcast Andrew Dare speaks to James, who specialises in honey bee health and pollination, about his interesting and diverse career…

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The New Zealand Food Composition Database (SITK)

1y ago

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Knowing what’s in the food you consume is important – to help with that, scientists at Plant & Food Research are responsible for managing a database containing more than 2,700 foods commonly consumed in Aotearoa. In this episode we hear more about what the New Zealand Food Composition Database is and how to use it from Dr Carolyn Lister, leader of …

1
Mobile aquaculture (FTS)

1+ y ago

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New Zealand’s ocean space is many times larger than our land area and presents an enormous opportunity to expand into sustainable open ocean aquaculture for finfish and shellfish. In this week’s podcast, Julie Blommaert speaks to scientist Suzy Black about mobile aquaculture, an innovative new system for farming fish that has massive potential for …

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Dr Andrew Allan: A life in genes (SLFM)

1+ y ago

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Today on Scigest, we speak to Dr Andrew Allan, Principal Scientist at Plant & Food Research and Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Auckland. Andy was recently elected as a Fellow to the Academy of the Royal Society Te Apārangi in recognition of more than 30 years of research in plant genetics, and has featured on th…

1
Crossing Borders: Embracing A Science Career in New Zealand (SIS)

1+ y ago

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From language barriers to cultural adjustments, international students and professionals face unique challenges when relocating to a new country to pursue their science careers. In this podcast episode, Jay Jayaraman, hailing from Fiji, chats with fellow scientists Luna Hasna from Bangladesh, Liz Florez from Peru, and Tina Wang from China. Together…

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Jolon Dyer: From introvert to science leader (SLFM)

1+ y ago

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Science careers can take many paths, some planned and some not. This week Tom Moore speaks to Jolon Dyer who is the GM Science Services at Plant & Food Research about his fascinating science journey from working on innovative cancer drug research, to teaching English in Japan, to then looking at the science around wool fibres before moving into lea…

1
Dr David Teulon Biosecurity and beyond (SLFM)

1+ y ago

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Today on Scigest we speak to Dr David Teulon - an entomologist and Principal Scientist at Plant & Food Research. During his 30-plus year career in science, Dr Teulon has championed sustainable pest management and biosecurity research through his efforts as a researcher and in his role as the Director of Better Border Biosecurity or B3. In 2023 Davi…

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Fresh findings on beneficial insects (BIOSECURITY)

1+ y ago

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Scientists studying the pollination of native plants have been surprised by the large number of insect visitors contributing to pollination, which bodes well for those planting native species on their farms. This week podcaster and scientist Dr Tom Moore speaks to Entomologist Brad Howlett who provides an update on this research project. The resear…

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Working with wētā (SLS)

1+ y ago

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In Marlborough’s Awatere Valley ground wētā are a common sight on some vineyards, burrowing in soft irrigated soil beneath the vines. Winemakers are keen to find ways to co-exist with this taonga species, including looking for sustainable solutions that could help prevent wētā from feasting on the tender foliage on grape vines during the crucial sp…

1
Starfish powered skincare (SB)

1+ y ago

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Scientists are working to find to a use for 1000s of unwanted starfish, which have been decimating mussel beds in Bay of Plenty’s Ōhiwa Harbour. In partnership with mana whenua, research institutes Waikato University, the Cawthron Institute and Plant & Food Research are working on a project that involves harvesting the starfish and using them to pr…

1
The future urban consumer (SITK)

1+ y ago

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When developing new food technologies and farming systems, it is critical to consider consumer attitudes towards these technologies. Plant & Food Research’s Future Urban Consumer programme has been digging deeper into how consumers in both New Zealand and our overseas export markets think and feel about different emerging food technologies, and the…

1
Cultivating Innovation: 45 Years of Transforming Horticulture with Dr Jim Walker (SLFM)

1+ y ago

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Over his 45-year career, Dr Jim Walker has driven significant change in the horticultural sector, using his scientific expertise to develop innovative tools and techniques for managing pests and diseases, which have helped position Aotearoa New Zealand as a competitive and top-quality fruit-growing nation. Scigest host Rebecca Bloomer talks to Jim …

1
Alex Leonard: charting a new course (SLFM)

1+ y ago

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Join us as we dive into the fascinating world of marine science with Phd scientist Alex Leonard and new Scigest podcast host, Julie Blommaert. Learn how Alex's journey into marine science paved the way for her current work on fish collagen.This is Julie Blommaert's debut epsiode as a host of Scigest podcast! Based at our seafood science site in Nel…

1
Recovering from Cyclone Gabrielle (FTL)

2y ago

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Cyclone Gabrielle was a devastating event that caused widespread damage to the pipfruit growing region of the Hawkes Bay. Today Rebecca Bloomer speaks to scientist Jim Walker and research orchard manager Peter Welch about the short and long term effects of the cyclone to our orchards and the whole industry. To view our full catalogue of podcasts in…

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New materials for new beginnings (SLFM)

2y ago

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In this episode we meet Dr. Roshan Khadka, who is working on a new way to power wearable health devices. Roshan's science journey started in his hometown of Kathmandu, Nepal before a PhD funded by Plant & Food Research led him to the University of Auckland in 2015. His work on sensor development contributed to the success of Plant & Food Research s…

1
Beyond the desk – making an impact through science leadership (SLFM)

2y ago

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In this Scigest episode we speak to Plant & Food Research’s new chief executive, Mark Piper. Mark joined the organisation three months ago after a 30 year stint at Fonterra, where he held leadership roles locally and in the US and Japan. Mark shares a bit about his background, his journey into science leadership as well as his first impressions of …

1
Diving into seafood science (SLFM)

2y ago

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In this podcast episode we meet Julie Bloomaert, a Post-doctoral Scientist at Plant & Food Research. Julie works in the Seafood Production group - with a background in biology and genetics she's aiming to improve snapper for aquaculture by understanding and utilizing their genetic traits. Julie's scientific curiosity was partly sparked by a field t…

1
Moving forwards no matter the hurdles (SLFM)

2y ago

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A journey into a science career can be fraught with many challenges along the way. Today we speak to Luna Hasna about her inspiring and multi hurdled journey - from a young girl in Bangladesh with a passion for science, to getting married and moving to Aotearoa New Zealand and how owning and running a kebab shop in Auckland eventually led to her dr…

1
Finding Funding for ECR's (SIS)

2y ago

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Early Career Researchers (ECRs) struggle to fund their research. With very few funding opportunities within New Zealand and high competition for them, most ECRs feel unprepared and uninformed about how and where to find funding at this critical stage of their careers. This episode aims to highlight funding opportunities in Aotearoa, with a specific…

1
Indoor farming - future or fad? (FTL)

2y ago

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Indoor farming might be part of the solution to the global food security crisis, but how ready are we for this change in the way we produce fruit and vegetables? Scigest host Rebecca Bloomer sits down with Samantha Baldwin to chat about the highs and lows of indoor and vertical farming, what challenges this ‘new’ type of farming still faces, and wh…

1
A legacy of international impact (ID)

2y ago

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Plant Pathologist Dr Bob Fullerton has improved horticulture and changed lives in developing countries for nearly 50 years.Bob sat down with Scigest while he was back in Aotearoa New Zealand to discuss his extensive and rewarding career. He talks about how his experience of growing up on a Queensland pineapple farm led him into international develo…

The New Zealand Institute For Plant & Food Research Limited Podcasts