School: New Plymouth Girls' High

University: Lincoln university

Degree: Undergraduate - Bachelor of Agricultural Science with honours

Research: - The research I will be doing is part of a long-term DairyNZ trial in Waikato investigating pasture persistence. A grazing deferral treatment was applied to different cultivars of ryegrass and I will be analysing plants from this treatment to establish if morphological changes have occurred as a result of natural selection in this plant population, compared with the original seed plants and plants from non-deferred pasture.

This research is important for identifying management methods and plant breeding objectives to increase the persistence of ryegrass pastures in the upper North Island where poor persistence of ryegrass pastures is an increasing and costly problem for many farmers.

Future plans: Pursue a career in agronomic scientific research or in the agronomic sector. The research I am involved in will directly help the farming industry in New Zealand.