At the 2017 SA Avocado Growers’ Association research symposium, University of Pretoria researcher, Mart-Mari Nieuwenhuizen, presented new findings on the best pollinisers for Hass avocados. She also explored the effectiveness of bees as pollinators. Alita van der Walt reports.
Avocado growers keep a close eye on the fruit set and fruit drop of their orchards from October to February. This is to help them estimate the yield that can be expected during harvesting from March to May.
If avocado flowers are not pollinated, no fruit will develop. To ensure optimal pollination, avocado growers place bee hives in orchards to help increase the number of pollinators available.
Researchers at the University of Pretoria are conducting an ongoing study to determine which cultivar of avocado is the best polliniser for the popular Hass cultivar. They are also investigating the effect of using bees as pollinators in avocado orchards.
The study, which started in the 2015/2016 season, includes in vitro trials, as well as various field trials. The 2017 harvesting data will also be included in the study.
For the in vitro trials, pollen from Ettinger, Fuerte, Bacon, Zutano and Hass cultivars were used to pollinate the Hass pistil.
According to Mart-Marie Nieuwenhuizen, a researcher at the University of Pretoria, the research team focused mainly on pollen tube movement down the style during the in vitro trials. The pistils of the pollinised flowers were studied under a fluorescent microscope and evaluations were made with regard to the number of pollen grains on the stigma, the number of pollen tubes moving down the style, and the number of pollen tubes that reached the ovary and entered the ovule.
Esta historia es de la edición 31 March 2017 de Farmer's Weekly.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición 31 March 2017 de Farmer's Weekly.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
Lindie-Alet van Staden, a garden and olive orchard manager at L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschhoek, was crowned as the Western Cape Prestige Agri-Worker of 2024 at a gala event recently held near Paarl.
Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.
THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.
