Children around the country are pairing up with scientists from the University of Otago to discover new uses for mānuka.

Photo: Unlocking Curious Minds

Plant and Food Research scientist Elaine Burgess and Dave Warren from the University's department of chemistry are leading the project in about 30 schools.

Students are looking at the chemistry of the leaf of the plant to see if it could produce another product from the tree usually known for it's nectar.

The primary and intermediate students are investigating if the leaves could be used as a natural weed killer.

Ms Burgess said students collect foliage from their local mānuka and prepare samples which are then tested for herbicidal activity at the Plant and Food Research lab in Dunedin.

"Results are being uploaded to the database NatureWatchNZ so that schools can compare the variations within mānuka in their own region, plus the differences around wider New Zealand."

The project is already providing new scientific knowledge, Dr Warren said.

"Students at Musselburgh School in Dunedin have helped us discover quite big chemical differences in varieties of mānuka in the local area, so it's a surprise to learn mānuka from a particular region will not necessarily have the same levels of grandiflorone which is a chemical in the leaf."

Results from the first lot of testing are being collated and it is hoped the project will be extended to more schools in coming years.