Over the past two years, particular emphasis has been placed on ways to increase wheat yields while retaining quality.
“We will have to start with research on maize cultivars that are both heat and drought resistant, given the extreme temperatures recorded during the 2015/2016 maize production season,” De Villiers told the recent Grain SA congress in Bothaville.
De Villiers also announced that Grain SA had received a R5 million grant from the Department of Science and Technology to continue with its wheat research, as well R1,5 million for research on soybeans.
Grain SA also facilitated two research projects focussed on the prevention of damage caused by gerbils.
For updates on the Congress, follow #GSAkongres on Twitter.
