Journal Articles
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/7915
Browse
5 results
Search Results
Item Quantification of nitrate-N losses under intensive vegetable production systems in New Zealand(Taylor and Francis Group on behalf of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 2025-07-03) Avendaño F; Horne D; Singh R; Palmer A; Cichota R; Bloomer DNitrogen leaching under intensive vegetable production is a major concern in New Zealand, yet measurements remain scarce. The main aim of this study was to quantify the amount of nitrate-N leached from representative soils and vegetable crops of the Lower North Island of New Zealand. Nitrate-N concentrations in soil and drainage losses were measured from 2020 to 2022 at two vegetable crop sites. One site had a potato-fallow rotation with six N fertiliser treatments: control, standard practice, split liquid, controlled release, good practice, and excess fertiliser. The second site, a lysimeter study, evaluated a beetroot-Pak choi rotation under similar treatments, including a reduced rate and chicken manure. High nitrate-N concentrations were observed in topsoil (9.3–18.3 mg kg−1), subsoil (7.3–9.6 mg kg−1), and drainage water (33.8–61.9 mg L−1), with leaching losses reaching 225 kg N ha−1, particularly during fallow periods. Alternative fertiliser strategies reduced soil nitrate-N but did not consistently maintain or increase yields. Excess fertilisation did not significantly increase potato yields but greatly increased nitrate-N losses. This study provides essential data on soil nitrate-N concentration and leaching from intensive vegetable farms.Item New Campylobacter Lineages in New Zealand Freshwater: Pathogenesis and Public Health Implications(John Wiley and Sons, 2024-12) Cookson AL; Burgess S; Midwinter AC; Marshall JC; Moinet M; Rogers L; Fayaz A; Biggs PJ; Brightwell GThis study investigated the diversity of thermophilic Campylobacter species isolated from three New Zealand freshwater catchments affected by pastoral and urban activities. Utilising matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation-time of flight and whole genome sequence analysis, the study identified Campylobacter jejuni (n = 46, 46.0%), C. coli (n = 39, 39%), C. lari (n = 4, 4.0%), and two novel Campylobacter species lineages (n = 11, 11%). Core genome sequence analysis provided evidence of prolonged persistence or continuous faecal shedding of closely related strains. The C. jejuni isolates displayed distinct sequence types (STs) associated with human, ruminant, and environmental sources, whereas the C. coli STs included waterborne ST3302 and ST7774. Recombination events affecting loci implicated in human pathogenesis and environmental persistence were observed, particularly in the cdtABC operon (encoding the cytolethal distending toxin) of non-human C. jejuni STs. A low diversity of antimicrobial resistance genes (aadE-Cc in C. coli), with genotype/phenotype concordance for tetracycline resistance (tetO) in three ST177 isolates, was noted. The data suggest the existence of two types of naturalised waterborne Campylobacter: environmentally persistent strains originating from waterbirds and new environmental species not linked to human campylobacteriosis. Identifying and understanding naturalised Campylobacter species is crucial for accurate waterborne public health risk assessments and the effective allocation of resources for water quality management.Item Nitrogen and phosphorus leaching losses under cropping and zone-specific variable-rate irrigation(CSIRO Publishing, 2023-12-19) Drewry JJ; Hedley CB; McNeill SJ; El-Naggar AG; Karakkattu KK; Horne DJ; Dickinson NContext. Agricultural land use is intensifying globally. Irrigation and other farm practices associated with intensification, such as cultivation, grazing, and fertiliser application, can increase nutrient losses. Variable rate irrigation (VRI) systems manage irrigation to spatially variable soils and different crops (zones). We lack knowledge on nutrient losses under zone-specific irrigation for mixed-cropping systems (combined crop and livestock grazing). Aims. This study evaluated drainage, nitrogen, and phosphorus leaching losses under zone-specific irrigation for a temperate mixed-cropping system. Methods. The study site had sheep grazing and crops including peas, beans, wheat, turnips, plantain, and ryegrass-white clover pasture. It had a variable-rate centre-pivot irrigator for two soil zones (free draining Zone 1; poorly drained Zone 2). Drainage flux meters (DFMs) collected drainage leachate, and samples for measurement of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations. Soil water balance data and statistical modelling evaluated nutrient leaching losses over 5 years. Key results. The mean leaching load of NOx-N (nitrate + nitrite) across 5 years was 133 (s.d. 77) and 121 (s.d. 97) kg N/ha/year for Zone 1 and Zone 2, respectively. Similarly, the mean leaching load of reactive P across all years was 0.17 (s.d. 0.30) and 0.14 (s.d. 0.14) kg P/ha/year for Zone 1 and Zone 2, respectively. The nitrogen concentrations and loads generally had greater uncertainty in Zone 2. Conclusions. The DFMs worked well for the free draining sandy soil. However, fewer samples were collected in the silt soil, requiring the statistical modelling developed in this study. This study gave a reasonable estimate of annual leaching load means, but the indicators of their within-year variation were not reliable, partly due to differences in sampling frequency. With some exceptions, there was generally more NOx-N leaching from the free draining Zone 1. VRI provided a system to control irrigation-related drainage and leaching in these soil zones. Implications. Drainage flux meters are more reliable in well-drained than in poorly drained soil. Given the lack of published studies, this study has improved knowledge of nutrient losses under zone-specific irrigated mixed-cropping systems in a temperate climate.Item Draft genome sequences of Escherichia spp. isolates from New Zealand environmental sources.(American Society for Microbiology, 2024-03-12) Biggs PJ; Moinet M; Rogers LE; Devane M; Muirhead R; Stott R; Marshall JC; Cookson AL; Dennehy JJEscherichia coli is often used as a fecal indicator bacterium for water quality monitoring. We report the draft genome sequences of 500 Escherichia isolates including newly described Escherichia species, namely Escherichia marmotae, Escherichia ruysiae, and Escherichia whittamii, obtained from diverse environmental sources to assist with improved public health risk assessments.Item The Behaviour of Sheep around a Natural Waterway and Impact on Water Quality during Winter in New Zealand(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2023-04-25) Bunyaga A; Corner-Thomas R; Draganova I; Kenyon P; Burkitt L; Giuseppe PAccess of livestock, such as cattle, to waterways has been shown to be a cause of poor water quality due to pugging damage and excretion entering the water. In New Zealand, regulations require that cattle, deer, and pigs are excluded from accessing waterways, but there are no such requirements for sheep. The current study utilised 24 h video cameras, global positioning system units, and triaxial accelerometers to observe the interaction of Romney ewes (n = 40) with a natural waterway. Ewes were either restricted (week 1) or given access to a reticulated water trough (week 2). Proximity data showed that ewes spent more time within 3 m of the waterway when the trough was unrestricted than when restricted (14.1 ± 5.7 and 10.8 ± 5.1 min/ewe/day, respectively; p < 0.05). Ewes travelled shorter distances on the steeper areas of paddock than flatter areas. Similarly, ewes showed a spatial preference for the flat and low sloped areas of the paddock. Concentrations of suspended sediment and total phosphorus were higher during access to a reticulated water trough which coincided with the week with more rainy days. Phosphorus and E. coli concentrations in the stream water samples were the above recommended Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council water quality guidelines, especially after rainy days, but did not appear to be directly related to sheep activity. Overall, the results suggest that during winter, ewes interacted very little with the waterway and were thus unlikely to influence the levels of nutrient and pathogens in the waterway.