Crops

Pathogens can be removed from vegetable seed by treating it with hot water at 51°C for about half an hour. Bill Kerr explains this procedure as well as using trisodium phosphate to kill seed viruses.

Bill Kerr explains the different types of seedling trays available to vegetable producers. They vary in type of material and shape of cavities.

Vegetable farmer Sophy Litshani Musabeni doesn’t miss an opportunity to broaden her knowledge on agriculture. Doing her own research and speaking to those in the know, she has catapulted herself from a small-scale emerging farmer to a commercial success in just seven years.

Whether older seedlings will be productive depends on their size and age, and with seed prices going up, one needs to think carefully before throwing out plants that could still be productive.

The biggest obstacle that ginger farmers in South Africa face is securing enough land to allow for at least a four-year rest period before replanting the same land to the crop. Limpopo farmer Ika Cronjé spoke to Lindi Botha about how she solved this problem by turning to hydroponic production.

Seedlings should vary according to the season. Bill Kerr shares how he learnt this vital lesson, and offers tips on how to harden seedlings.

Garlic can be prone to bacterial and fungal diseases, and it’s important that farmers are proactive in preventing infection and practise appropriate management.

Bill Kerr explains how bean common mosaic virus and bean yellow mosaic virus can infect a field and spread, leading to major crop losses.

Avocado production in South Africa has expanded markedly since the industry’s humble beginnings over 80 years ago. From a small grove planted in 1938 in what was then Nelspruit, the industry has blossomed to seven million trees planted on 20 000ha. Dr Guy Witney, project manager at Great Brak Avos, spoke to Annelie Coleman about the country’s avocado production.

A germination chamber set at about 25°C leads to a high germination percentage and shortens the time span before seedlings are placed out in the nursery, saving the grower money.

Inexperienced farmers may be tempted to grow seedlings from seed themselves, but they have much to gain by trusting a seedling grower at a nursery to perform this task for them instead, advises Bill Kerr.

Instead of buying expensive growing mediums for seedlings, farmers can make their own mixtures from local resources, such as manure, which are economical and produce excellent results.