Vegetable Production
Nitrogen is an important component of all organisms. It is needed to make chlorophyll in plants, which is used in photosynthesis,
as well as to produce amino acids.
Vegetable growers use nitrogen in the form of fertilisers to produce food. Nitrogen fertiliser is usually required to produce the crop yield and
quality necessary to keep horticultural enterprises operating and most importantly, to grow healthy food for people at an affordable price.
Dependence on fertiliser however has led to instances of overuse, resulting in nitrate leaching into groundwater. Nitrogen leaching
contributes to eutrophication in rivers, lakes and groundwater. Elevated
nitrogen concentrations in water can make rivers unswimmable, damage valuable ecosystems, and even have negative effects on human
health.
Opportunity
SVS aims to improve the horticulture industries knowledge of nutrient management, promoting improved practices, and developing grower
facing tools and technologies for sustainable nitrogen use.
Controlled field trials and intensive on-farm monitoring of soil and plant nitrogen will generate data that can be used to develop nitrogen
modelling tools. Additionally, SVS will promote collaboration and
knowledge sharing across the horticulture industry, empowering growers to better sustainably manage nitrogen.
These grower facing tools will be developed with grower collaboration and may include digital tools, benchmarking, fact sheets, best practice
guidance for nitrogen, individualised nitrogen reports, predictive tools, training for growers and/or agronomists, and workshops.
The Desired Outcome
SVS aims to secure NZ growers’ social and regulatory license to grow vegetables for domestic and export markets. However, the ultimate
outcome is contributing to a sustainable horticulture industry and a healthy environment.
The Role of Agrilink
Agrilink is the project manager for this large multi-stakeholder programme. Agrilink is working with industries, government, regional
councils, and research organisations to meet the goals of this programme.
Agrilink is also involved directly, in soil and plant sampling for the regional monitoring workstream, in developing and trialing the nitrogen
model, and in engaging with participating growers through nutrient benchmark reports, nutrient budgets, and modelling workshops.
Nitrogen leaching contributes to eutrophication in rivers, lakes and groundwater. Elevated nitrogen concentrations in water can make rivers unswimmable, damage valuable ecosystems, and even have negative effects on human health.