New D.S.I.R. sector

Press, 2 April 1980, Page 12

New D.S.I.R. sector

A new devision of Horticulture and Processing would be formed within the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, said the Minis-* ter of Science and Technology (Mr Birch). “With the recent dramatic upsurge in hortiactivity, the D.S?LR. has "elt a strong demand from all sectors of the industry for increased research and servicing in this field,” said Mr Birch.

StQff of the new division will be drawn wholly from the Plant Diseases Division of the D.5.1.R., which will continue to work on the nature and control of diseases affecting all plants of agricultural and horticultural importance. Both the Plant Diseases Division and the new division will be based at the ?.lount Albert Research Centre in Auckland. Mr Birch said the creation of the new division would. not involve increases in staff but a redeployment of researchers and workers now engaged in horticultural research.

“Formation of a separ-, ate horticulture and pro= cessing division will allow the D.S.I.R. to concentrate its efforts more directly on the wide range of problems connected with horticultural development,” said Mr Birch. The division will carry out research to improve the quality and yield of fruits and other horticultural products. It will also investigate the storage, transport, and processing of fruit, vegetables, and other products. The director of the new

division will be Dr R, L. Bieleski, who joined the diseases division as a plant physiologist in 1958. Since 1974, Dr Bieleski has been the head of the division’s basic science section. His main research has been on the nutrition of plants, particularly by phosphate fertilisers. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand in 1973.

The present director of the Plant Diseases Division (Dr E. G. Bollard) will act as director of Horticulture and Processing until Dr Bieleski takes up his post in July.

The disease work of the division will continue under the direction of Dr P. J. Brook, who is at present assistant director, and took up his new-post, on April 1. Dr Brook joined the division as a plant pathologist in 1951 and has been head of its mycology (fungal research) section since 1968. In the 1950 s and 1960 s he was associated with research on the pastur e-grass fungus which causes facial eczema, but his main work

has been -'bn the fungal diseases of '.fruit and vegetable crops.. Dr- Bollard who is to retire; towards the end of this: year,’’ has been assigned a special responsibility- for the next Tew months. He will in-' the best ways of applying research support to benefit the horticultural industry, including processing.

Dr Bollard has had a long-standing association with the horticultural industry and its problems since joining the D.S.I.R, in 1948 as a fruit physiologist. He has' directed the Plant Diseases Division, including fruit research, since 1974. ,’ • ;.

Over the last 44 years the main role of the division has been to help farmers, fruitgrowers, nurserymen, and gardeners produce healthy; crops and plant products.

Research on various as j pects of fruit-growing has been going on at- Mount Albert since the D.5.1.R.first acquired land there in 1936. J--,'

The D.S-I.R. will now have three research divisions at Mount Albert: plant diseases, entomology, and the new- horticulture and processing. They will be working closely to support many aspects of the country’s developing horticultural enterprises, including a strong involvement in reducing losses caused by pests and diseases. -