Dr Tony Conner, an emeritus scientist at the Bioeconomy Science Institute, won the New Zealand Association of Scientists Marsden Medal.
A pioneering scientist who made global breakthroughs in the use of genetic technologies for crop plants has been awarded one of the country’s top science honours.
Dr Tony Conner, an emeritus scientist at the Bioeconomy Science Institute, won the New Zealand Association of Scientists (NZAS) Marsden Medal.
He was presented with the award on Wednesday at the NZAS Conference at the Royal Society Te Apārangi in Wellington, alongside some of his colleagues who won the new Scientific Workers Medal.
Conner nominated the team for their role in developing a novel endophyte strain that makes ryegrass more resistant to insect pests while minimising adverse impacts on livestock.
He said he was “taken aback” when he received the call informing him of the win, as he’d forgotten he was nominated three years earlier.
“Once the reality set in, I felt privileged and honoured to be recognised alongside such outstanding scientists.”
A statement from the Bioeconomy Science Institute said that with a career spanning more than 40 years, Conner had been at the forefront of plant genetics, driving innovation to support the agricultural sector.
During his active research years, he primarily worked on potatoes, but also researched diverse vegetable, arable and flower crops.
His pioneering work in genetic technologies had led to global breakthroughs – particularly in enhancing the resilience of crop plants to pests using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.
This method uses a soil bacterium, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, to transfer desired genes into a plant’s DNA to help it gain useful traits, such as disease resistance or improved nutrition.
In the 1980s, he also led the first field trials of genetically modified plants in the Southern Hemisphere, testing potatoes and asparagus just one season behind similar trials in the Northern Hemisphere.
These trials helped shape the biosafety and containment protocols still in use today.
“I’ve been involved with genetic technologies nearly my entire career,” Conner said.
“A lot of my work was around pest resistance to enable farmers to reduce the use of pesticides.
“I had hoped to see these plants grown here in New Zealand before I retired. Now, I hope to get to see it in my lifetime.”
Conner said it was often a challenging space to work, given public debate around genetic technologies.
He became a trusted expert on genetic technologies, frequently advising government officials, media and industry stakeholders in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Beyond genetic modification, Conner also developed internationally recognised tools for plant genetic transformation that did not involve foreign DNA, the statement said.
He pioneered the intragenic concept, which uses only DNA from the same plant species to create transformation vectors.
Plant transformation vectors are specially designed pieces of DNA that carry the gene scientists want to add to a plant.
His approach helped address public concerns about crops developed using genetic technologies, especially ethical issues around cross-species DNA transfer, the statement said.
He welcomed Food Standards Australia New Zealand’s recent decision to stop classifying foods made with intragenic techniques as genetically modified.
In more recent years, Conner transitioned into leadership roles, managing a team dedicated to advancing forage plant science and strengthening New Zealand’s pastoral agriculture sector.
He has also contributed to the science community through teaching and mentorship roles.
At the end of 2020, Conner retired and was awarded the status of emeritus scientist at AgResearch, which is now part of the Bioeconomy Science Institute.
Looking back, Conner said he had been interested in plants ever since he was a young child.
He grew up on a farm in North Canterbury and fondly remembers tending to the family vege garden.
As a child, he had dreams of becoming a gardener for the Christchurch Botanic Gardens – or an All Black.
In the end, he decided to pursue plant science, and the rest is history.
It’s no surprise that one of the things he enjoys most in his spare time is gardening.
Despite his extensive knowledge of plants, he is humble about his garden.
“Just like a mechanic often has their car pulled apart, my garden is much the same.
“There’s always something that needs doing, and it’s a constant battle to keep on top of the weeds.”
- Supplied by Bioeconomy Science Institute – AgResearch Group