CATEGORIES

THE EFFECTS OF DIPLODIA EAR ROT ON MAIZE

Diplodia ear rot is a notable maize disease in South Africa. Apart from causing severe damage to the crop, it can also produce a potentially fatal mycotoxicosis in cattle and sheep. It is therefore crucial that a maize producer be able to identify the disease, says Dr Belinda Janse van Rensburg, plant pathologist at the Agricultural Research Council’s Grain Crops Institute.

Curbing maize header losses

Farmers should guard against losing sight of efficiency when increasing productivity. In one US study, up to 60% of all maize losses during harvest were shown to be caused by the maize header. Stehan Cloete introduces a new product that promises to curb these losses.

Building trust for 78 years: Meadow Feeds' proven strategy for livestock production success

Since 1942, animal feeds manufacturer Meadow Feeds has grown to become a trusted name in Southern African agriculture. As a long-time client, pig producer Steve Caldecott can confirm that a key contributor to the company’s ongoing success is the strong and enduring relationships that Meadow Feeds management and employees have built with their customers.

New Predator Insects May Help Fight Major Maize Pests

Two newly identified parasitoids promise major benefits as biological control solutions for maize pests in Africa and Europe. Researchers Paul-André Calatayud, senior research scientist at the French Research Institute for Development, and Sevgan Subramanian, principal scientist and insect pathologist at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, wrote about their recent discovery.

Moving From ‘Cheap' To Premium Beef

Wagyu South Africa is investing heavily in research and technology to ensure that South African beef can enter the lucrative, high-value beef export markets.

Your Horse And Lockdown

The national lockdown poses a problem for horses and riders. As a result, the South African Equestrian Federation is in negotiation with relevant stakeholders, says Dr Mac.

The Role Of Farmers During The Covid-19 Crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic had brought new appreciation for the pivotal role that South Africa’s agriculture sector plays in the provision of healthy, sufficient and affordable food, according to Derek Mathews, chairperson of Grain SA. He spoke to Annelie Coleman.

Is The World Ready For Gene Editing Of Humans?

While gene editing has the potential to reduce human suffering, irresponsible use could be devastating, according to Dr Jamie Metzl, futurist and author. Glenneis Kriel reports.

Controlling Viruses In Lettuce

In South Africa, two viruses are a particular threat to lettuce: tomato spotted wilt (TSWV) and lettuce mosaic virus (LMV). Both can be highly destructive and spread quickly via vectors such as sucking insects and thrips.

Optimising in-calf cow nutrition before winter

A commercial beef producer’s primary income is derived from animals produced and sold. For this reason, it’s crucial to keep breeding female animals in optimal condition at all times. Mike Rennie, a KwaZulu-Natal beef cattle farmer, spoke to Lloyd Phillips about his multi-pronged strategy.

Optimal nutrient application

In this article, Stehan Cloete writes about the importance of broadcast spreader technology to improve application efficiency.

Optimal liming is key to preventing soil acidification

As much as 30% of South Africa’s agricultural soil resource is deemed to be acidifying, mostly due to inefficient or incorrect liming practices. This is according to a recent presentation by Dr Pieter Haumann, CEO of the Fertilizer Association of Southern Africa. Sabrina Dean reports.

NATURE FRIENDLY FARMING REDUCES COSTS FOR POTATO FARMER

Managing plant health and strict water monitoring have paved the way to success for AL 3 Boerdery in Dendron, Limpopo. CT van der Merwe spoke to Lindi Botha about the production practices that keep his farming business profitable.

Urgent fixes needed for global food systems

In this article, Stuart Gillespie, senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute, writes that the coronavirus disease pandemic presents a huge challenge for food systems, as well as exposing the inequitable way in which these systems operate.

Latest Technology Improves Macadamia Quality Output

Achieving the near impossible, Dian Pretorius reduced unsound kernel recovery in his macadamia crop from 6% to 1,7% over just one season, adding R1,7 million to his profit in the process. He spoke to Lindi Botha about the technology that helped him achieve this improvement.

How Agricultural Economics Keeps Up With The Times

The evolution of agricultural production and value chains requires that agricultural economics adapts quickly to remain relevent and helpful. Prof Theo Kleynhans, head of Stellenbosch University’s Department of Agricultural Economics, spoke to Lloyd Phillips.

Why Kenya Has Banned The Slaughter Of Donkeys

Kenya legalised the trade in donkey meat and hides in 2012. But according to Monicah Maichomo, director of the Veterinary Sciences Research Institute at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation, the country has subsequently decided to ban the commercial slaughter of donkeys. This was after a report published in 2019 warned that the rise of donkey abattoirs in Kenya could wipe out the entire population of these animals in the country by 2023.

John Deere Joins The Fight Against Covid-19

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of John Deere engineers have expanded their search for innovation from making farmers more productive to keeping employees safe. Denene Erasmus reports.

When performance fails to live up to breeding values

Discrepancies between estimated breeding values and livestock performance have led some farmers to doubt the accuracy of these values. They are, in fact, excellent indicators, but animals may not be able to reach their genetic potential.

Rebuilding a livestock enterprise after a drought

In this article, Dr Louis du Pisani, national manager for production advice and development at the National Wool Growers’ Association, explains how to carry out post-drought recovery and reconstruction of a livestock enterprise to achieve optimal, lasting results.

Mildew: a major threat to lettuce

In general, the most common lettuce disease that growers have to contend with is downy mildew.

Breeding a resistant and resilient Sussex stud herd

John Viedge of the Lehana’s Pass Sussex Stud has been breeding cattle that survive in some of the harshest redwater disease areas in South Africa. Wayne Southwood spoke to him about how he manages animal health, breeding and selection in his resilient Sussex stud.

A New, Post-Pandemic Equilibrium For Agriculture

Due to agriculture being declared an essential service during the COVID-19 outbreak, it should not suffer the same level of trade disruptions as other sectors. However, according to Dr Sifiso Ntombela, chief economist at the National Agricultural Marketing Council, the impact of the pandemic will be exacerbated by the fact that agricullture was already posting negative growth before the outbreak.

The future of pig genetics

Pork producers can look forward to even greater production efficiency, thanks to improved genetics. Jurgens Reynders of DanBred Africa spoke to Glennis Kriel about these gains.

Blowfly breakthrough

39YEARS AGO The blowfly menace was deemed “about to reach a new watershed,” thanks to the release of two new pesticides:

Kwaaihoek's True Cross

In 1488, Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias erected a stone cross on the Eastern Cape coast. Within decades, it had disappeared and even its location was lost. In the 20th century, thanks to the determination of a dedicated historian, the cross, by then in thousands of fragments, was recovered and lovingly reconstructed,

A tractor for every application

Case IH introduced its brand-new, multipurpose JXE-Series tractors, suited for work in orchards and fields, at the Izmir AgroExpo 2020 in Turkey in February.

New Russian wheat aphid biotype highlights growing resistance concerns

Russian wheat aphid is showing increased cultivar and pesticide resistance, according to entomologist Dr. Astrid Jankielsohn of the Agricultural Research Council. She has identified a new biotype, bringing to five the Russian wheat aphid biotype highlights growing resistance concerns number seen in South Africa. Sabrina Dean reports.

Community farm's drive and discipline rewarded at last

Having suffered several setbacks in their efforts to make their agribusiness profitable, a group of hard-working land reform beneficiaries in KwaZulu-Natal at last got the help they needed from an agricultural transformation organisation. Lloyd Phillips reports on the Gugulethu community.

TECHNOLOGY AND ANIMAL WELFARE IMPROVE PIGGERY PROFITS

Pig stud breeder and farmer CP Kriek is convinced that contented pigs are more productive. For this reason, he has brought his operation, Taaibosch Piggery, in line with European standards of group housing. Coupled with the latest technology, this has resulted in increased production and higher profits. Kriek explained his system and management approach to Lindi Botha.