From family farm to agronomy role for Otago scientist

Lucy Bell has joined PGG Wrightson Seeds as sales agronomist for Otago and Central Otago, based in Dunedin.

Bell, 28, brings a strong mix of hands-on farming experience and specialised soil science research to the role.

She grew up on her family's 4500ha sheep and beef property, Shag Valley Station, in the Pig Route between Palmerston and Ranfurly.

The extensive tussock hill country block, running Angus/Angus cross cattle and Romney sheep, has been in the family for generations and sparked her deep interest in high country soils.

After completing a Bachelor of Agricultural Science with first-class honours in soil science at Lincoln University under Professor Jim Moir, Bell spent a year in the fertiliser industry before returning for doctoral studies.

Her PhD, which took over three years full time, investigated soil aluminium and legume survival in Central Otago hill country.

New Zealand has about 500,000 hectares of low pH soils in the high country, with significant areas in Central Otago showing high concentrations of exchangeable aluminium.

As soil pH drops, nutrient availability shifts, reducing beneficial elements such as phosphorus while increasing toxic aluminium that particularly affects legumes.

These plants serve as the main nitrogen source in many high country grasslands, making the issue critical for pastoral farming.

Bell's research was the first to demonstrate that aluminium solubility in the topsoil is largely controlled by organically bound aluminium, especially in high-carbon soils.

The work built on earlier honours projects and was funded through the Struthers Trust along with scholarships including Graduate Women New Zealand, the Burnett Research Scholarship and McMillan Brown Agricultural Research Scholarship.

After submitting her thesis she returned home to work on the farm and do some travel before the opportunity at PGG Wrightson Seeds arose in mid-January.

She says she is excited to apply her knowledge with customers and farmers.

"I am really looking forward to supporting clients to fit the right products to farm systems and help farmers achieve their goals," she said.

Her territory covers coastal Otago through to inland Central Otago, from Outram up to Palmerston and beyond, an area she knows well from both family ties and her research. She has found the PGG Wrightson Seeds team knowledgeable and collaborative, with farmers keen to improve their systems.

Bell did not initially see herself pursuing a PhD when she first arrived at Lincoln, but a genuine passion for the topic drew her in.

She is now enthusiastic about translating science into practical on-farm outcomes across the region she loves.