Dr Rob Beresford returns to scigest with an update on the latest myrtle rust developments this summer in New Zealand and what we know about the fungal disease, its behaviour and its effects host plants so far. Learn how to identify the yellow rust, what to do if your spot it in your home garden or by the roadside, and where to report it.

After 30 years at Plant & Food Research and its predecessors, Philippa Stevens is ready for the OE she never had (after Covid)! The soon-to-retire Group GM Science Services looks back on her career which began as a technician. In a chat with new scigest host Hilary Ireland, Philippa shares her transition from science into science management, her involvement in opening export markets for NZ produce and saving the kiwifruit industry from the Psa outbreak, and the moment when she put on her "girl shoes" to fight for career advancement.

Fat in food generally gets a bad rap, but fish oil is one of the edible oils that are often associated with health benefits for its high content of omega-3 fatty acids. Our host Andrew chats with Nelson-based marine products scientist and chemist Daniel Killeen. Daniel deciphers the myths about fish oil - what it does to our body and where it came from. He also clears the air about some of the controversies around the subject.

Fat in food generally gets a bad rap, but fish oil is one of the edible oils that are often associated with health benefits for its high content of omega-3 fatty acids. Our host Andrew chats with Nelson-based marine products scientist and chemist Daniel Killeen. Daniel deciphers the myths about fish oil - what it does to our body and where it came from. He also clears the air about some of the controversies around the subject.

Food safety is something we don't really think about until we get a case of an upset stomach. It is however a constant and crucial issue for the supply chain around the food industry. Plant & Food Research is looking at new ways to help the industry combat pathogens like Listeria monocytogenes on food while also reducing chemical and water usage. Today Blue Plunkett speaks to Sravani Gupta a scientist specialising in human pathogenic bacteria on food.

Food safety is something we don't really think about until we get a case of an upset stomach. It is however a constant and crucial issue for the supply chain around the food industry. Plant & Food Research is looking at new ways to help the industry combat pathogens like Listeria monocytogenes on food while also reducing chemical and water usage. Today Blue Plunkett speaks to Sravani Gupta a scientist specialising in human pathogenic bacteria on food.

Today we speak to Dr Ross Ferguson, an internationally recognized expert on the biology of kiwifruit. Ross's work helped to develop New Zealand's successful kiwifruit industry. In this podcast he talks to scientist Dr Jay Jayaraman (currently working on the kiwifruit disease PSA) about his career and his science, starting as a summer student and being one of the first people to work on kiwifruit. He also touches on topics like how the first cultivars came to New Zealand and how hermaphrodite kiwifruit would be commercially beneficial.

Today we speak to Dr Ross Ferguson, an internationally recognized expert on the biology of kiwifruit. Ross's work helped to develop New Zealand's successful kiwifruit industry. In this podcast he talks to scientist Dr Jay Jayaraman (currently working on the kiwifruit disease PSA) about his career and his science, starting as a summer student and being one of the first people to work on kiwifruit. He also touches on topics like how the first cultivars came to New Zealand and how hermaphrodite kiwifruit would be commercially beneficial.

As humans, our sense of smell tells us a lot about our surroundings and whether something is potentially good or harmful. Dr Melissa Jordan is an olfactory expert who has studied the evolution of olfaction in animals and insects including tuatara. She is also working to harness the biology that gives certain insects the ability to detect smells unnoticeable to us and turn it into sniffing devices that can be used to detect diseases in humans and biosecurity threats.

Harlequin ladybird is a recent arrival in New Zealand but growers of major crops have already formed a love-hate relationship with it. Dr Dave Bellamy returns for another episode where he explains the benefits as well as problems posed by harlequin ladybirds in different parts of the country and updates us on his research on enhancing our understanding of the bug.