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Postal Address:
PO Box 13 678,
Christchurch 8141,
New Zealand
Meet Hannah Lloyd
Job description:
My job is to work with industry to test and develop new technologies and systems that maintain freshness and eating quality of fruit. I also work closely with the breeding team to assess the elite varieties of apples and pears that come through the breeding program for their storage potential at the pre-commercialisation stage.
Work background:
I have been working for Plant & Food Research for five years, half of this time I was as a student doing various projects. I was lucky to have had three summer studentships and completed my Masters of Science with Plant & Food Research.
I have worked in cell wall biochemistry understanding how cell walls break down during fruit ripening. I was then introduced to postharvest research during my Masters and since then I have been involved in postharvest research on many different fruit and vegetable crops, mainly focused on kiwifruit, apples and pears.
Favourite part of job:
I enjoy the variety my job brings. The ability to work in the field harvesting fruit as well as in the laboratory testing quality of fruit and going deeper into biochemistry of how cells are controlling fruit processes. I also enjoy working closely with industry helping to solve problems with scientific knowledge and testing new technologies.
Least favourite part of job:
At the least busy time of the year there is a lot of work to do in the office on the computer, lots of writing of reports and planning for the next season. This is a very important part of my job but I don’t like feeling stuck in my office. Sometimes during this period I put my hand up to help out other teams to do some outside jobs such as pollination and thinning to get me out of the office for a little while.
What I am working on now:
I am working on a poster to present at a plant science conference in July looking into traits of pears that cause scuffing. Scuffing is black rub marks on the fruit that look unappealing to consumers and I have been looking into what postharvest treatments can be used to reduce this issue.
A quick story about a job well done:
I really enjoyed doing a summer project in Te Puke titled – ‘How to find good males!’ Kiwifruit vines have separate male and female plants and the male vines are often forgotten about as they don’t produce fruit. However, they are very important for pollinating the female flowers to produce fruit so that was an important and interesting project.
Qualifications:
BSc majoring in Plant Biotechnology at Otago University.
MSc in Biological Science through the Auckland University Joint Graduate School with Plant & Food Research.
Interests outside work:
I love being active, sports such as triathlons, mountain biking and hockey. I enjoy singing, dancing and baking sweet treats. I also love the beach, it is my favourite place to be especially over summer time!
Hannah Lloyd is a post harvest research associate at Plant and Food Research. Image: Supplied.