Category: CROPS

The clean and neatly parked fleet of John Deere forage harvesters, tractors, and large haulage trailers on East End Farm make for an impressive sight. Around mid-March, the collective roar of the powerful, green-and-yellow diesel machines reverberates across this farm in the Mooi River area of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Midlands as they all head out…

Gugulethu Mahlangu, who was born and raised in eMalahleni, Mpumalanga, started studying agricultural science at the University of Pretoria in 2014. After one year of study, she felt uncertain about following a career in agriculture, and switched to psychology and physiology. But she still felt a desire to follow in the footsteps of her grandmother,…

Diplodia ear rot, which is caused by the fungus Stenocarpella maydis, occurs worldwide. Drought in the early part of a production season, followed by rain during the late season, create favourable conditions for an epidemic, especially where high inoculum sources are present in the stubble (stover) on the soil. S. maydis causes hardened, round, black,…

Pressure is mounting on farmers to reduce their chemical applications on crops. Subtropical crops such as avocados, macadamias and citrus are especially vulnerable to changing legislation, as they are dependent on export markets. Most notably, the EU, where much of these crops are marketed, has called for a 50% reduction in pesticide use by 2030.…

While crop rotation may not be a new practice, have you considered including seasonal pastures in your cash crop system? Prof Chris Dannhauser, a grazing specialist from Limpopo, says the ley cropping system, in which a grass/legume mixture is grown in rotation with agricultural crops, starts with the planting of maize every second year, and annual ley…

In the past, lucerne was considered a low-value pasture or rotation crop, and was primarily used as a supplement. However, in recent decades, it has become valuable and profitable, competing successfully with many higher-value speciality crops. Today, many producers approach lucerne production as a serious business enterprise, with careful consideration of costs, value and markets.…

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) has always been an important summer crop in the South African oilseed industry, and over the years it has gained a reputation as an ideal crop to grow under low-input and relatively marginal conditions. Sunflower is suited to warm and dry conditions, and production is concentrated mostly in the southern, central…

A healthy plant will flower, bear fruit and seeds, and reproduce; an unhealthy plant will always struggle to do so. The secret to successful soya bean production lies in keeping your plants healthy from planting right through to harvesting. To do this, proper planning and good cultivation management are critical to ensuring that you harvest…

For over a century, cheap energy and quick results have seduced farmers into producing more and caring less. But the time has come to pay the piper, and the bill is likely to put many farmers out of business. This is the sentiment expressed by a group of scientists and farmers at the forefront of…

“Farmers face various challenges, but it’s our problem-solving ideas and techniques that allow us to improve and overcome many of these hurdles,” says Zander Ernst, director of marketing and production at the family-owned Allesbeste Boerdery in Tzaneen, Limpopo. Avocados are highly susceptible to root rot caused by pathogens of the Phytophthora genus, which thrive in poorly…