Matter of interpretation

Press, 1 May 1978, Page 7

Matter of interpretation

Conclusions reached about the cropping potential of New Zealand soils

by a visiting American soil expert have been questioned by the director of the Crop Research Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dr H. C. Smith. The American, Dr Guy Smith, who is now living in Belgium, has compiled an international system of soil expert have been questioned by the director of the Crop Research Di» vision of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dr H. C. Smith, soil classification and interpretation and he was invited by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research' to work with Soil Bureau scientists so that they could become familiar with his system. Dr Smith, who was at one time ’ soil research director in the United States Department of Agriculture, said that his system would make it much easier to develop soil potential because research done in other countries could be monitored. He said that because of New Zealand’s strong tradition of pastoral farming nearly all productive soils here were in grass, but they would be used much more productively elsewhere. There were soils for growing crops to produce cheap pork and chicken and there was great potential for soya beans, a product for which the world demand was insatiable.

Dr Smith’s New Zealand namesake, Dr Harvey Smith, said that, no doubt the new system of soil classfication and interpretation would be of very great interest and value for soil scientists, but very careful interpretations would need to be made before conclusions were reached about the suitability of New Zealand soils for particular crops. New Zealand, he said, had a unique combination of sub-tropical and cool temperature climates. It had a cropping potential that was not strictly complemented by any other part of the world.

It did not have any great potential for crops like soya beans, because night temperatures were far too low.

Its cool temperature climate was most comparable with the west coast of the United States and such places ds Oregon and Washington, and in this respect there was a big potential for timber production and specialist high value seed production and temperate crops, particularly in association with irrigation. New Zealand also had the ability to grow crops like kiwi' fruit, tamarillos, solanum and peppermint. But if New Zealand was to go into production of legume grain crops, like beans, there was an urgent need for an intensive .breeding programme to adapt new introductions of beans, probably from South America. and develop a unique range of high value bean food, which could be grown for human consumption.

overseas late in June and he said that he was considering plant collection to introduce new crops into the country. He is contemplating visiting Cyprus, the centre of origin of legume crops and more particularly peas, and he is also seeking entry into South America, the home of bean crops. Dr Smith is interested in the possibility of collecting new types of subtropical cash crops that could we well in this country’. In addition to collecting new cropping material, while overseas Dr Smith will be visiting. people in about five countries who are co-operating with his division in co-operative

plant breeding programmes and during his travels he may initiate one or two more projects

of‘that kind. And he will also be looking at new developments in plant breeding.