Tuesday, 30 May 2017 14:55

Hanging out for GM forage

Written by  Nigel Malthus
Field trials on AgResearch’s new genetically modified forage are being carried out in the US. Field trials on AgResearch’s new genetically modified forage are being carried out in the US.

Farmers hearing about the potentially huge benefits of genetically modified forage being developed by AgResearch are incredulous that it could be years -- if ever – before they can get their hands on it.

AgResearch principal scientist Greg Bryan summarised the development at a workshop at the recent DairyNZ Farmers’ Forum at Lincoln University’s Ashley Dene research farm. His group is developing ‘high metabolisable energy’ (HME) forages based on increasing foliar lipids – fat content in the leaves – of ryegrass and other species.

The work in New Zealand has been in the lab and containment glasshouses. But NZ’s GM rules prevent the next stage, field trials, being done here.

Bryan said he was just back from the US where plants grown in pots were about to be transplanted into fields.

He explained that the research began on increasing lipids in ryegrass. Initially they produced plants which synthesised extra oil but then metabolised it away. They then looked at how plants successfully stored oil in seeds by surrounding lipid bodies in a protective protein. Incorporating that protein produced plants able to accumulate oil bodies in the leaves.

“And as we did that work we were surprised to find the plants actually grew faster,” said Bryan. “I don’t just mean a little faster, I mean 50% faster. It was pretty amazing.”

Accumulating lipids in the leaves increased the photosynthesis, he said.

“We’ve got plants in our containment glasshouses that are three-four years old, and we cut them back every three weeks and they regrow a bit faster every time.”

This shows the method is stable and will work in “pretty much any” plant species using a ‘C3’ photosynthesis type, which includes many common crops.

Bryan hopes the work will lead to an informed debate in this country but he warned it may be a minimum eight years “to get it to you guys”.

“Why is it taking eight years?” asked a workshop attendee. “This is ridiculous. It can’t be tested here in NZ and it may never even be able to be used in NZ,” remarked another.

Asked whether the Americans could “get hold of it in the meantime,” Bryan said they may not get hold of this specific technology but there are competing technologies that could achieve the same thing, already in development overseas. If NZ does nothing we will fall behind, he said.

Bryan presented figures suggesting potentially increased farm revenues of $900/ha, a reduction in the total urinary nitrogen load on pasture of 6-7% and a 15-23% reduction in methane emissions.

The plants also had a measured 9% increase in water use efficiency, which should improve responses to drought. Even farmers on non-irrigated land could potentially enjoy a more reliable feed supply and reduced reliance on bought-in feed.

Although HME forages had yet to be fed to animals and the higher ME has so far only been assessed by calorimeters in the lab, it is expected to lead to improved liveweight gains and milk solid production.

Bryan said the methane reductions of 15-23% had also come from in-vitro measurement and had yet to be confirmed in the field, but fats are known to be toxic to methanogens in the rumen.

“The amount of fat in the diet impacts on methane emissions, so the more fat in the diet the less methane.

“What we want to do in the field trial is verify a whole lot of things including the growth rate,” said Bryan.

The enzyme producing the increased lipids had come from nasturtium and the protein that protected the fat bodies in the leaf was from sesame.

More like this

Strong uptake of good wintering practices

DairyNZ has seen a significant increase in the number of farmers improving their wintering practices, which results in a higher standard of animal care and environmental protection.

Better animal genetic gain system

A governance group has been formed, following extensive sector consultation, to implement the recommendations from the Industry Working Group's (IWG) final report and is said to be forming a 'road map' for improving New Zealand's animal genetic gain system.

OSPRI's costly software upgrade

Animal disease management agency OSPRI has announced sweeping governance changes as it seeks to recover from the expensive failure of a major software project.

Featured

Massey Research Field Day attracts huge interest

More than 200 people turned out on Thursday, November 21 to see what progress has been made on one of NZ's biggest and most comprehensive agriculture research programmes on regenerative agriculture.

Expo set to wow again

Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo being once again hosted in Wairoa in February.

A year of global challenges

As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make an early November dash to Bologna to the 46th EIMA exhibition.

National

OSPRI's costly software upgrade

Animal disease management agency OSPRI has announced sweeping governance changes as it seeks to recover from the expensive failure of…

Machinery & Products

BA Pumps expand

Cambridge based BA Pumps & Sprayers, specialists in New Zealand-made spraying equipment, has acquired Tokoroa Engineering’s product range, including the…

Entries open for innovation award

Fieldays and its renowned Innovation Awards are celebrating their 57th year, marking a longstanding tradition in the agricultural calendar, with…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Chinese strategy

OPINION: Fonterra may have sold its dairy farms in China but the appetite for collaboration with the country remains strong.

Not fair

OPINION: The Listener's latest piece on winter grazing among Southland dairy farmers leaves much to be desired.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter