Te Ahikawariki welcomed 60 growers and industry representatives to the Pukekohe Research & Demonstration Farm on Thursday 17 September for the 2026 Spring Summit Research Update, bringing together scientists, researchers, agronomists and technical experts for a day focused on sharing research results, practical learnings and new tools for vegetable production.
The Spring Summit is an important part of the extension programme at Te Ahikawariki, providing an opportunity to bring research back to growers as projects progress and results become available.
Earlier in the year, Vegetables Big Day Out gives growers the opportunity to see research and demonstration projects underway in the field, talk with the people behind them and learn about the questions being investigated. Spring Summit provides another point of connection later in the research journey, allowing projects to be revisited and giving researchers the opportunity to share results, observations and what they have learned.
From research to practical application
This year’s programme demonstrated the breadth of research and innovation happening across the vegetable industry.
Growers heard about practical tools and approaches that can be used now to support crop health and resilience, alongside integrated approaches to weed, pest and disease management. The programme also explored agtech innovations including smart trapping technology and drip irrigation, as well as the latest findings from trials being undertaken by industry partners to evaluate new crop protection tools and solutions.
Several sessions also took attendees out into the research farm, providing the opportunity to see projects in the field and connect the information being presented with the crops and production systems being discussed. Across the programme, the focus remained on what the research could mean in practice for vegetable growers.
Creating conversation around the research
One of the highlights of this year’s Spring Summit was the level of engagement from attendees. Presentations generated plenty of questions and discussion, creating valuable interaction between growers and the scientists, researchers and technical specialists presenting their work. This exchange is an important part of the role Te Ahikawariki aims to play.
Research extension isn’t simply about presenting results. Bringing growers and researchers together creates an opportunity to discuss how findings relate to commercial production, question what has been observed and combine scientific results with the practical knowledge and experience already held within the industry. It also allows researchers and industry partners to hear directly from growers about the challenges they are facing and where further work may be needed.
By creating these opportunities throughout the research process, the aim is to shorten the distance between research and practical application and give growers the information they need to consider whether new tools, technologies or approaches could have a place within their own operations.
Recognising a legacy
The Spring Summit also provided an opportunity to recognise the late Dr Stuart Davis and his lifelong dedication to advancing New Zealand’s vegetable industry.
During the day, the Dr Stuart Davis Resource Collection was formally dedicated at Te Ahikawariki. The collection brings together knowledge and resources accumulated by Stuart throughout his life and career, with Te Ahikawariki now proud to be its custodian and preserve the collection for growers, researchers and the wider industry.
It was a fitting addition to a day centred on sharing knowledge and ensuring research continues to create value for the vegetable industry.
Thank you to our industry
A big thank you goes to the Horticentre Charitable Trust for supporting the 2026 Spring Summit and helping make it possible to bring growers, researchers and industry together.
We would also like to thank every scientist, researcher, agronomist and technical expert who contributed to the programme. Considerable time and work sits behind the research presented, and we greatly appreciate their willingness to share their findings, expertise and learnings with the wider industry.
Finally, thank you to the 60 attendees who joined us and contributed their questions, observations and experience throughout the day.
For Te Ahikawariki, the value of research is not only in the trials we can establish in the field, but in what happens with the knowledge they generate. Events such as Spring Summit help create the connection between science and growers, providing a pathway for research findings to be shared, discussed and, where appropriate, taken forward into commercial vegetable production.