Bioeconomy Science Institute

27/10/2026

Could drones take the sting out of removing invasive hornet and wasp nests from hazardous, hard-to-reach places? 🌳

Our scientists are exploring cost-effective drone systems to make nest removal safer, faster and easier in high-risk spots, like tall trees, cliff faces, and steep gullies.

One innovative approach they'll explore involves equipping a drone with a specialised lance to pierce nests and inject insecticide directly inside. This would replicate current eradication methods while keeping pest control contractors at a safe distance, with their feet firmly on the ground.

We expect to identify a preferred drone system within a year.

To find out more, visit ➡️ https://bit.ly/47D96er

Thanks to Ministry for Primary Industries for the great pics!

22/10/2026

Plants provide over 80 percent of the food we eat, yet up to 40 percent of global food crops are lost to pests and diseases every year. 🌱

Together with researchers around the world, we’re working to minimise that threat and develop plants more resilient to climate change.

Next year, we’re co-hosting the International Plant Protection Congress (IPPC) in Christchurch. Our scientists will be alongside plant experts from around the world, gathering to tackle emerging threats, share cutting-edge research and coordinate global efforts.

The main theme for the conference is incorporating indigenous and local knowledge into plant protection sciences.

Submissions for symposia are open and close Friday 13 November 2026.

To find out more or to make a submission, visit: https://www.ippc2027.com/call-for-symposia

New Zealand Plant Protection Society | Australasian Plant Pathology Society | International Association for Plant Protection Sciences | Tahuri Whenua

22/10/2026

🍎🌳 Step into a colourful digital orchard and discover what it takes to grow the fruit of the future!

We've teamed up with Auckland Museum to create Ngā hua a Tāne: The Future of our Fruit, a fun, interactive exhibition where kids and families can explore how scientists are using plant genes to help fruit trees adapt to climate change. 🌱

Visitors can explore real genes our scientists are researching, discover how they influence plant characteristics, and even grow their own virtual fruit tree in a community orchard! 🍏

Many of New Zealand's fruit crops need cold winter temperatures to trigger flowering. As our climate warms, our scientists are investigating the genes that control flowering to help develop new fruit varieties that can thrive in warmer conditions.

It's a fun way for curious young minds (and grown-ups!) to discover how plant breeding could help us keep growing the fruit we love in a changing climate.

📍 Auckland War Memorial Museum
📅 Open now until February 2027

Heading to Auckland with the kids? Pop in and give it a go!

The exhibition was developed as part of The Flowering Crisis, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Endeavour Fund research programme led by Professor Andrew Allan.

📷 Auckland War Memorial Museum

19/10/2026

Now THAT'S a hornet's nest! 😮🐝

Our entomologist Natalie Page with an enormous yellow-legged hornet nest during a recent research trip to Jersey in the Channel Islands.

Mature yellow-legged hornet nests can grow up to 80cm tall and weigh several kilograms!

Natalie was in Jersey, where yellow-legged hornets are established, to lead research into which traps and lures work best at attracting these invasive insects.

The findings will help inform Aotearoa New Zealand's response to yellow-legged hornets.

It's all part of the work our scientists are doing to help protect New Zealand's environment and biodiversity.
Ministry for Primary Industries

Scientists at the Bioeconomy Science Institute Maiangi Taiao are planning to conduct environmental DNA sampling of freshwater in Auckland to help detect yellow-legged hornet presence. Biosecurity New Zealand is leading work to eradicate the invasive pest, with no new detections since April. Spring i...

15/10/2026

A big round of applause for our scientist Dr Janet Wilmshurst! 👏🏅

Janet has been awarded the Royal Society Te Apārangi 2026 Hutton Medal, one of Aotearoa New Zealand's premier honours for outstanding research.

From ancient volcanic eruptions, fire and changing climates to human settlement, Janet's work is revealing how our landscapes and ecosystems have changed over time.

"I feel incredibly humbled to receive the Hutton Medal and honoured to join such a distinguished group of past recipients," says Janet.

And it's not just about looking back. She hopes the award will help raise awareness of how understanding the past can support efforts to protect and restore New Zealand's unique biodiversity for the future.

📷 Royal Society Te Apārangi/Jared Gray

14/10/2026

Internal parasites remain one of the biggest challenges for livestock production, affecting animal health, growth rates, and farm profitability.

The CARLA® Saliva Test provides a simple, non-invasive way to measure an animal's natural ability to resist internal parasites. Using a saliva sample collected on farm, breeders can access actionable information to support selection and breeding decisions.

Hear from Dr Richard Shaw, who has been involved with the research from the beginning, about how the test works and why adoption is growing as producers look for new tools to manage parasite pressure and drench resistance.

13/10/2026

🌱 What does it mean to leave the whenua better for future generations?
At Te Pū Oranga Whenua, collaboration between landowners and researchers is helping explore new possibilities for the land, with a focus on caring for the whenua, reconnecting whānau and creating opportunities for generations to come. 💚

09/10/2026

We're celebrating two big wins at the 2026 KiwiNet Research Commercialisation Awards! 🎉

👏 A huge congratulations to our former Director of Customer & Commercial, Dr Gavin Ross, who received the prestigious KiwiNet Commercialisation Icon Award, recognising more than 30 years of helping turn great science into real-world impact.

🏆 We're also thrilled for Scentian Bio, a spin-out from our Institute, which won the PwC Breakthrough Project Award!
Scentian Bio is developing an incredible AI-powered 'insect nose on a chip' technology that could transform how we detect everything from food quality issues to biosecurity threats.

And a big shout-out to our fantastic finalists – Dr Linda Johnson, the AR37 Endophyte team and Mick Riley from Forever Harvest! 👏

Congratulations to everyone involved. It's exciting to see Aotearoa New Zealand science making such an impact!

08/10/2026

Did you know it’s World Space Week? 🚀

It’s a chance to celebrate how space science and technology improve life on Earth – from enabling global communications and advancing healthcare to supporting smarter resource management.

We’re over the moon to be contributing through a world-first experiment with Cawthron Institute and Helogen Corporation, exploring how bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) forms in microgravity. BNC is a strong, flexible, pure and biocompatible biomaterial with valuable medical, industrial and aerospace applications.

The project is progressing well. Testing of two low-gravity simulators is now complete, and Helogen is developing a miniature laboratory designed to operate autonomously in space.

Funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Smart Ideas Endeavour Fund, the project is part of our growing contribution to space research.

We also recently joined the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space – an international research consortium developing novel solutions for long-term space habitation and sustainability here on Earth.

To find out more about our partnership with ARC, visit: https://plants4space.com/posts/bioeconomy-science-institute-nz-joins-plants-for-space

United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)

07/10/2026

🌧️ What happens when extreme weather reshapes the land you rely on?

From devastating slips to lost grazing land, the impacts of increasingly severe weather events are being felt across the whenua.

Hear firsthand about the challenges facing Te Kautuku and the need to build a more resilient future. 🌱