Managing to grow in very hot soils is the super power of the native plant geothermal kānuka.
And those heat-resistant properties are now being investigated by Auckland University senior lecturer, Chris Carrie, to see if the shrub can be used to create climate-resilient crops.
The aim is to transfer the unique traits from these plants that grow in the scorching, multi-hazard soils of the Taupō Volcanic Zone using gene-editing and synthetic biology techniques. Chris Carrie is in the Auckland studio.
Auckland University biologist, Chris Carrie, with Phd students and plants managing to grow in a geothermal area in Taupō Photo: Supplied
