The Country 09/07/26: Dr Robyn Dynes talks to Hamish McKay

Principal scientist and farmer engagement specialist at the Bioeconomy Science Institute on the science underpinning agricultural innovation. She also discusses the value of endophyte research, responsible nitrogen use and how AI and big data could transform farming decisions.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Okay, we're going to look now at innovation from a
scientist perspective in the egg sector. Principal scientists farmer engagement
specialist Doctor Robin Dines at the Bioeconomy Science Institute joins us. Now, Robert,
good afternoon, Hello, great to have you with us. Look,
great technology, but we're getting some really cool stuff happening

(00:21):
and the future looks wonderful, but it also needs to
be supported and underpinned by great and accurate science.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
Yeah, hoy, much that is so true, isn't it. Innovation
is the gadgets and the technology, but it's more it's
better ways to farm that improve productivity, profitability, environmental outcomes
and our resilient future. So it's all of that, and
the technology is definitely a key part of it, and
we need great science and our science must be accurate.

Speaker 1 (00:50):
Yes, yeah, And so are you confident that we have
all the plans and processes in place to conte you
that we can to be so good in the science field.

Speaker 2 (01:04):
Look, New Zealand agricultural scientists are world leading in many spaces, Hamish.
We're also well connected to our industries and we are
aiming to do science that has an impact yes, and
if you don't think we are, then.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
Pull us up. No. So give me an example of
something that's going to make an unpack that you're sort
of you know, it doesn't matter how far down the
track you are on it, but something that will, as
you say, be a real sort of brick in the
head in a positive way.

Speaker 2 (01:32):
Look, I think Hamish, look at the work that my
institution has done with in the fights. You know, we
in the fights were present world type interfights killed our
production in autumn. My colleagues understood, researched what they were,
and then selected novel into fights. So we've got the

(01:54):
Epichloe intero fights like AR thirty seven that's worth three
point six billion to the industry. Are the twenty years
and that science will keep emerging and keep giving us
new options for the future.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
Yep, So things are in good hands. I mean that's
a great example. Did you say three point six billion?
That's correct?

Speaker 2 (02:12):
Yeah, I mean pastoral agriculture is critical to a payment.

Speaker 1 (02:15):
Yeah, absolutely it is. So now that brings me to
the bit of news during the Greens during the week,
the synthetic synthetic fertilizer band proposal. What's your take on that.

Speaker 2 (02:28):
I don't think it's a wise idea. I think we
need responsible science based nitrogen use. That's needs either, which
is better than unrestricted useful outright bands, because how much
nitrogen is essential for life, you know, it's one of
the nineteen elements we've all got to have. And nichen
fertilizer is a huge driver of our food and agricultural productivity.

Speaker 1 (02:53):
Yeah. So where do you think they get their information
to make those sort of the claims that they are making,
you know, given the impact that it would have, like
the cost of living going through the roof and the
backbone of the country been completely undermined.

Speaker 2 (03:07):
Look, I can't comment on that, Hamish. I think we've
got some great science from New Zealand around responsible nitrogen
fertilizer use. We know the way it's used masses more
than the amount alone, So we've got to get the
right amount of fertilizer in the right time, in the
right place.

Speaker 1 (03:27):
Yeah. And essential yeah. Yeah. And one more thing, I
mean data. I mean we're getting way better at our
sort of our accumulation and use thereafter of data, aren't we.
Is that's certainly improving immensely.

Speaker 2 (03:41):
Oh, look, absolutely, And the sort of technology that we're
now seeing on farms, and you've been highlighting some of
it this week. One of the things from a science
perspective that it excites us is the big data sects
are emerging. You've also talked about AI this week. That's
one of those cool tools that together with the data,
are going to be real accelerated for the science. And

(04:02):
we think for farming, for better decisions, and we want
to see a massive contribution to better ways to farm.
And so that's a win for the country, it's a
win for our farmers, and it's going to be brilliant
for our science.

Speaker 1 (04:14):
There we go. That's what we like to hear. That
is doctor Robin Dines, Principal Scientists and Farmer Engagement Specialist
at Bioeconomy Science Institute out of the Mighty A wake
Ado