scigest - Bioeconomy Science Institute podcasts

Hosted by New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science Limited

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Episodes

192

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-NZ

About the show

Welcome to Scigest - podcast-sized servings of digestible science from the Bioeconomy Science Institute. Join us as we explore the advancements and impact our scientists are making in advancing innovation in agriculture, aquaculture, forestry, biotechnology and manufacturing; protecting ecosystems from biosecurity threats and climate risks; and developing new bio-based technologies and products. Listen to our scientists as they share and discuss current research in Aotearoa New Zealand, and beyond in this award-winning podcast collection. Make sure to visit www.plantandfood.com/scigest for even more information on Scigest! To help you discover the podcast topics and research that interests you, Scigest is split into series, each covering different scientific topics. The series are as follows: PPF: People|Planet|Food FTS: From the sea FTL: From the land BDIS: Biosecurity, disease and insect science STK: Science in the kitchen NT: New technologies ID: International development SLFM: Science life for me (Our people) SMAS: Science movers and shakers SIS: Starting in science

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 17, 2026

Wildfires – the science behind predicting fire behaviour (FTL)

Wildfires can be devastating for New Zealand’s communities and landscapes and they’re becoming more frequent, with the country experiencing an average of 3400 wildfires annually over the past 31 years, burning 5700 hectares of land. Understanding how wildfires behave is key to helping people prepare for and cope with their impact. In this episode of Scigest, host and scientist Nicola Sulivan speaks to fire ecologist Shana Gross about the Bioeconomy Science Institute's role in supporting firefighters and communities, including publishing national-scale wildfire hazard potential data and developing a toolkit to enhance understanding of wildfire behaviour. Gross also discusses the impact of human activities, climate change and the importance of community preparedness when it comes to wildfires. To view our full catalogue of podcasts including extra links on some podcasts please go to our Scigest pages: www.plantandfood.com/scigest

June 2, 2026

Bioenergy and biofuels: Building New Zealand's energy security (FTL)

What practical steps can Aotearoa New Zealand take to strengthen its energy security while creating jobs and reducing environmental impacts? In this episode of Scigest, host and scientist Darryl Herron talks with Paul Bennett, Integrated Bioenergy Portfolio Lead at the Bioeconomy Science Institute Maiangi Taiao, about the opportunities for locally produced bioenergy and biofuels. Drawing on New Zealand's existing woody biomass resources, the team is exploring how scalable bioenergy solutions could help reduce the country's long-term fuel insecurity, support regional economic growth, and contribute to a more sustainable future. Tune in to learn how science is helping unlock New Zealand's bioeconomy potential and what it could mean for our energy future. To view our full catalogue of podcasts including extra links on some podcasts please go to our Scigest pages: www.plantandfood.com/scigest

May 22, 2026

Pauline Kerbiriou: A world of plant breeding (SLFM)

Developing new plant varieties helps keep consumers interest in crops and also assists growers manage environmental challenges, such as new pests and diseases and changing climates. In this latest "Science life for me” series podcast, scientist and Scigest host Dion Mundy speaks to berry breeder Pauline Kerbiriou about her role, the importance of plant breeding, and the characteristics that breeders look for in a new variety. We also talk to Pauline about her journey so far as a scientist, and share some useful tips for young scientists in their careers. To view our full catalogue of podcasts including extra links on some podcasts please go to our Scigest pages: www.plantandfood.com/scigest

May 7, 2026

The Allan Herbarium - 800,000 specimens and counting (FTL)

The Allan Herbarium houses plant species from around the world, with a particular focus on indigenous and exotic plants of Aotearoa, New Zealand and the South Pacific. It contains approximately 800,000 specimens, which include dried plants, lichens, mosses, liverworts, seeds, fruits, wood, liquid-preserved specimens, and microscope slides. In this Scigest episode, host and scientist Rebecca Bloomer speaks with Allan Herbarium curator Jessie Prebble and collections manager Ines Schonberger about the science, history and global collaborations behind the collection. Jessie shares how the Herbarium supports research and public engagement, while Ines offers insight into the day-to-day work of managing and preserving the collection. Together, they explore the Herbarium’s remarkable history — including specimens collected during Captain Cook’s first voyage — and discuss how these centuries-old collections continue to support modern science, from DNA analysis to biosecurity research. For more information on the collection please see: https://tinyurl.com/Allan-Herbarium To view our full catalogue of podcasts including extra links mentioned in this podcast please go to our Scigest pages: www.plantandfood.com/scigest

April 23, 2026

For the love of hoppy beers (SLFM)

As a lover of hoppy beers and the outdoor life, it was natural that plant breeder Kerry Templeton should be tempted to head down from Auckland to Motueka nine years ago to take on the hop breeder role for the Bioeconomy Science Institute. In this latest podcast in our "Science Life For Me series”, scientist Dion Mundy speaks to Kerry about his life as a hop breeder and also talk hops and the hop industry.

March 23, 2026

Tree talk: Establishing natives and managing wilding pine spread (FTL)

Indigenous trees are vital for environmental health and biodiversity, and Aotearoa New Zealand has bold plans to re-establish them. Scientist and Scigest host Nicola Sullivan talks to invasion ecologist and establishing indigenous forests portfolio lead Tom Carlin about this work and why managing the spread of wilding pines is a key part of it. For links to a Farmers Weekly podcast on "Bringing down the cost of planting natives" and a Newsroom article on wilding pines in the South Island high country please view our Scigest page for this podcast on: https://www.plantandfood.com/en-nz/from-the-land

March 9, 2026

The Arctic Apple story (NT)

Arctic Apples are one of the first fruits globally developed using gene technologies. Available for consumers in the USA since 2017, the Arctic series includes a modified gene that stops apples browning, making them perfect for a pre-sliced snack. Okanagan Specialty Fruits, the developers of Arctic Apples, are looking at how they can incorporate new gene technologies into their product development. Scientist and podcaster Hilary Ireland talks to their Vice President of Research & Regulatory Affairs, Dr Muhammad Tahir, about the origins and development of this technology, as well as looking at future developments for the technology. To view our full catalogue of podcasts including extra links on some podcasts please go to our Scigest pages: www.plantandfood.com/scigest

February 23, 2026

Endophytes – the little microorganism making a big difference (FTL)

Pasture plays a vital role in many farming systems by providing essential feed for the livestock that support our food and fibre industries. But what we see is just the surface, the health of pasture is intrinsically linked to a family of microorganisms called endophytes that live within plants. In this episode of Scigest, we explore the remarkable role of endophytes and how they influence pasture performance, plant resilience and livestock systems in Aotearoa New Zealand. Scientist and podcaster Dr Jay Jayaraman is joined by principle scientist Dr Linda Johnson, who leads a team of researchers unlocking the potential of these powerful microorganisms, identifying the endophytes best suited to New Zealand’s farming systems. Their work has delivered real-world impact on farms and was recognised with the 2024 Prime Minister’s Science Prize. To view our full catalogue of podcasts including extra links on some podcasts please go to our Scigest pages: www.plantandfood.com/scigest

February 10, 2026

Hyperseeds: Embracing AI to find solutions for NZ's seed industry (NT)

Principal Scientist Marlon dos Reis joins host Rebecca Bloomer to explore how the Bioeconomy Science Institute is using advanced technology to help solve a critical bottleneck in the seed industry: the time-consuming and labour-intensive nature of traditional seed quality assessment. They discuss our collaboration with the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) and the successful development of a system using hyperspectral imaging and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to pre-screen seeds for contaminants. To view our full catalogue of podcasts including extra links on some podcasts please go to our Scigest pages: www.plantandfood.com/scigest

January 25, 2026

Finding a moth in a haystack - The important role of citizen scientists (BDIS)

Aotearoa New Zealand’s next biosecurity threat might not arrive by ship or plane — it could already be in the air. In this episode of scigest, scientist and host Ki-Taurangi Bradford speaks with biosecurity scientist Dr Toni Withers about the invisible wind pathway carrying pests across the Tasman.  Toni explains how moths, butterflies and plant pathogens can travel vast distances on air currents, how new forecasting models are predicting when and where incursions may occur, and how interceptions on offshore platforms help test these predictions.   The episode also explores the vital role of volunteer citizen scientists and the use of isotope analysis to trace where intercepted insects originate. Blown Away web pages: https://bit.ly/4q65ZT0. To view our full catalogue of podcasts including extra links on some podcasts please go to our Scigest pages: www.plantandfood.com/scigest.