PhD Candidate (current) and B.Ag.Sci.Honours (2017)
PhD Research Overview
Vernalisation and photoperiod requirements for flowering in carrots
Breanna’s PhD project will quantify the vernalisation and photoperiod requirements for flowering in carrots with the aim to develop a seedling transplant system for carrot seed production in New Zealand. Current carrot seed production requires the crop to be in the ground for over a year and is prone to weed and pest issues resulting in continuing use of agrochemicals. A transplant system may mitigate some of these environmental issues. She is supervised by Professor Moot.
B.Ag.Sci.Honours Research Overview
Pasture regeneration and gorse seedling control in the Port Hills following fire (PDF 2.1 MB)
From Tai Tapu, Breanna investigated germination requirements of herbage species with Prof Moot. She also established experimental sites on recently burnt area following the Port Hills fire in 2017 to quantify pasture regeneration after fire and look at the control of gorse seedlings by direct competition from oversown Italian ryegrass and herbicides. The work showed gorse seedling numbers were reduced by 52% in plots sown with Italian ryegrass compared with unsown plots. Breanna was supervised by Prof. Derrick Moot.