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Land and water management
Science programme: Sustainable Land Use
Sustainable management of our land and water resources requires that we understanding the functioning of the soil, and its resilience, so that we sustain and enhance soil health, soil fertility and fruit production. Furthermore, the pressures resulting from diseases and pests means that sustainable practices of control need to be developed. These practices must have no detrimental consequences for the soil, or receiving waters.
The Sustainable Land Use team is developing knowledge to ensure that water quantity is protected by reducing the demand for irrigation by developing sustainable strategies for watering plants. For example, a key experiment was carried out on grapes in Marlborough , where the results indicated the minimum amount of water required to ensure premium wine quality without compromising yield. As well, we are developing sustainable fertiliser strategies that optimise plant and fruit nutrition, and pesticide use practices that do note compromise the environment.
The knowledge and tools we develop will enable growers, companies and stakeholders to understand plant-environment interactions and to take steps to implement high performance, sustainable production systems.
Also the Sustainable Land Use team provides research for the sustainable use of trees in productive systems, and for protective roles in riparian environments. Poplars and willows have been planted for soil conservation as wide-spaced trees on hill slopes, close-spaced gully plantings, or shelterbelts. Willows are also extensively used in riverbank protection plantings. Functionally, poplars and willow are true 'multiple-use' trees with many benefits, particularly in silvopastoral systems. HortResearch scientists are working to produce new poplar and willow clones that are better suited to New Zealand 's climatic conditions and specific end uses.
The Sustainable Land Use team is involved in a wide range of collaborative projects, from the multi-CRI SLURI initiative (www.sluri.org.nz), through Sustainable Farming Fund projects with end-users and other providers, to direct collaboration with the horticultural industries and Regional Councils.
The SLU team’s capabilities are listed in the sections on
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