Grad student with taste for research bites into G3

2015 New Zealand National Agricultural Fieldays Sir Don Llewellyn Scholarship recipient Danielle Lelievre.

Danielle Lelievre is conducting research that looks likely to benefit New Zealand in an increasingly competitive global industry - kiwifruit production.

She has been awarded a $22,000 New Zealand National Agricultural Fieldays Sir Don Llewellyn Scholarship to assist her Masters research.

Her research looks at the development of flavour in the G3 kiwifruit cultivar. The cultivar was introduced by the New Zealand kiwifruit industry as a replacement for the Hort16A kiwifruit that had been severely impacted by the Psa virus.

"The G3 cultivar is really important for the industry because it's more resistant to Psa," she said. "It's important that the G3 kiwifruit are consistently producing high-quality fruit in order to stay ahead of international competition."

With her research she's hoping to understand the on-orchard factors that contribute to the flavour of the G3 kiwifruit.

"The kiwifruit industry uses kiwifruit dry matter content at harvest as a predictor of potential flavour, but this relationship is less consistent within the G3 cultivar compared with other common kiwifruit cultivars.

"My research will look at the development of flavour components [sugars, acid and starch] from flowering right through to maturity. This will provide a better understanding of the G3 kiwifruit and the pre-harvest factors that influence size and flavour, and will assist growers in minimising production of small and poor-flavoured fruit."

Danielle's project was part of a larger collaboration research programme with the University of Waikato, Plant and Food Research and Zespri.

The data gained from the research may also be used as part of a model for predicting fruit growth responses to management and the environment.

The New Zealand National Agricultural Fieldays Sir Don Llewellyn Scholarship was established in 2012 by the New Zealand National Fieldays Society and awarded to graduate students at the University of Waikato.

University of Waikato Vice-Chancellor Professor Neil Quigley said the university appreciates the benefits that come from its long-standing connection with Fieldays.

National Agricultural Fieldays CEO Jon Calder said it was important to support research with meaningful outcomes and "it's a critical part of our mission to advance agriculture." Danielle was grateful for their support.

"Being awarded this scholarship is a huge honour. It means a lot to me as the award supports research likely to make a real difference in the agricultural industry."