TRACE ELEMENT STUDIES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 13 June 1939, Page 3

TRACE ELEMENT STUDIES

CAWTHRON INSTITUTE’S WORK I MAJOR REASEARCH ACTIVITIES OF THE YEAR REVIEW IN ANNUAL REPORT During the past year, excellent progress has been made in the major research activities of the Institute. The work has covered a wide field of investigations relating to farming, orcharding, tobacco culture and honey problems, states the a.nnual report of the Cawthron Institute. In many activities the Institute has co-operated with Government Departments in the conduct of research, and on behalf of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has been responsible for the general management of the Entomology Division of the Pla.nt Bureau and of the Chemical branch of the Soil Survey Division.

Important advances have been made in a number of investigations. Perhaps the trace element studies of the Institute have given the most spectacular results. In collaboration with the Department of Agriculture "Brown-spot” of apricots has been shown to be caused by boron deficiency, and a very satisfactory control of this ailment has been secured in an affected orchard in Central Otago by the use of hydrated borax. In the Nelson district, early defoliation of apple trees which is causing increasing concern to many orchardists, has been identified as a result of magnesium deficiency. The development of this deficiency, however, on several soil types appears to be accentuated by the excessive of rather liberal use of potassic fertilizers.

The cobalt investigations of the Institute have given much new information of great value to the stock industry in the South Island. Sheep ailment in the Sherry district. Nelson, and calf ailment on the Pakihi lands of Westport have been controlled by the use of cobalt “licks.” Stock ailment at Glenhope has been shown to be caused by a simple cobalt deficiency uncomplicated by either copper or iron deficiencies. The cobalt survey of typical pastures in the South Island has shown additional districts where use of cobalt supplements is likely to be required by stock. A low cobalt status of pasture has been found for the Westhaven district, Collingwood, and for pastures located on the leached sands and gravel terraces of Karamea. Westport and the Grey-Reefton valley.

Entomological studies have shown that blow-fly attack of sheep is caused mainly by two species which peak figures in December and March respectively. The monograph on “Blow-flies and Related Species” prepared by the Chief Entomologist should prove of great value to all students of the blowfly problem. An important development in the entomological work has been the identification in New Zealand of the Australian mound-building white ant. Alr< idy preliminary surveys have shown I its presence in both the Auckland and New Plymouth districts. The Institute is co-operating with Government departments in further studies of the white ant and other insect pests of timber. Special attention has been paid to tobacco investigations, and in co-opera-tion with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research work has been continued on mosaic disease, the chemistry of tobacco soils and leaf and insect pests of tobacco. A valuable aspect of the tomato investigations has been the success of Shirlan A. G. and Shirlan W. S. in the control of mildew. The honey investigations have demonstrated that the Institute’s process for the elimination of undesirable flav- j our and colour from honey can be! operated successfully on a semi-com-mercial scale. In co-operation with the Lands Department, the srea of established pasture on the Westport Pakihis has been increased to 1000 acres. The pastures have made relatively good growth and the stock have kept in excellnet condition. The work of the Institute has been greatly facilitated by the generous support of primary producers and the Wool Publicity Committee in respect to the cobalt survey of South Island pastures, the biological control of noxious weeds and honey investigations.

To the Hon. Minister of Scientific and Industrial Research we are greatly indebted for financial assistance in connection with entomological, soil, mineral deficiency, fruit and toacco investigations.