Field Crops

The polyphagous shot hole borer threatens over 150 South African tree species. If left unchecked, it could cause huge damage to citrus and avocado orchards, amongst others. Prof Wijnand Swart and Dr Gert Marais, who are striving to find a solution to the problem, spoke to Sabrina Dean.

Sweet potatoes are an important commercial crop and contribute significantly to food security in many poorer South African households. Dr Julia Mulabisana and Dr Sunette Laurie of the Agricultural Research Council’s Vegetable and Ornamental Plants division explain how farmers can recognise and control the most serious viruses that affect this crop.

Dr Safiah Ma’Ali, a senior researcher at the Agricultural Research Council’s Grain Crops Institute, outlines a recent South Africa study demonstrating that farmers can significantly improve sunflower oil content and yield by adjusting planting dates.

Planting alternative crops for the extracts or essential oil market can be profitable, but it’s no easy road to riches. Pietersarel de Bruyn of Herbs Aplenty spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the opportunities and difficulties of this rapidly growing agricultural niche.

The negative effects of more than 170 years of monocropping with sugar cane in South Africa are starting to appear. KwaZulu-Natal sugar cane farmer Deon Schröder explains what these are, why they should be changed, and how he is going about this on his farm.

Over the years, composting guru Redge Jelliman has produced thousands of tons of compost as organic fertiliser for his crop farming enterprise in the Free State. Now semi-retired from farming, and a soil health consultant, he shared his experiences with Lloyd Phillips.

Eric Mauwane of Oneo Farms in Gauteng says that a crucial lesson he has learnt about sweet pepper production is the need to understand market demand and manage production practices accordingly. Siyanda Sishuba visited him to find out more about his operation.

When the rains came too late to plant maize at the end of 2018, Bultfontein farmers Anton and Heinrich Botha joined other producers in the region in planting dryland winter wheat instead. Sabrina Dean visited this father-and-son team to find out why they are so enthusiastic about the renewed interest in wheat.

Lucerne under irrigation provides Free State farmer Boeboe Louw with an ideal alternative to grain. Annelie Coleman visited him on his farm in the Wesselsbron district to find out how he manages production to gain the most from this valuable export crop.

Butternuts are a reasonably easy crop to grow, with few in soluble problems. The real challenge is to match the cultivar with the market. Mpumalanga-based producer Francois Steyn spoke to Lindi Botha about how he solved this problem.

Hannelene Badenhorst, a PhD candidate in entomology at the University of the Free State, explains the value of differentiating beneficial insects and other arthropods from harmful ones before resorting to blanket chemical control.

With sugar cane being a perennial crop that is ploughed out and replanted only after a number of years, the soil in which it grows can suffer as a result of monocropping. KwaZulu-Natal sugar cane farmer Chloe Clegg has engaged earthworms to improve the health, productivity and sustainability of the soil on her family farm. Lloyd Phillips visited her operation near Harding.

In 1998, at the age of 45, Frans Vlok left his job as head of Kynoch fertiliser services in the Western Cape to pursue his lifelong dream of farming full-time. He was joined in the business eight years later by his daughter, Monique Vlok, who told Glenneis Kriel of their struggle to succeed.

South African wheat producers should guard against over-application of fungicide, according to Dr Tarekegn Terefe, senior researcher at ARC-Small Grain, Bethlehem. The unnecessary use of fungicides can harm the environment and result in the emergence of fungicide-resistant strains. Farmers should also rotate between fungicides from different chemical groups, he writes.

Polysulphate® is a new, multi-nutrient fertiliser that has been introduced to South Africa by ICL Fertilizers.

While launching a new farming venture as a first-time farmer may seem daunting, Hannes Wolvaardt is proof that it can be done. He shared his tips on successful sweet pepper production in Limpopo with Lindi Botha.

With the call to increase job opportunities in agriculture, many farmers have been left scratching their heads over the economic implications. But the Schroeders of Mpumalanga have found a winning recipe in coffee production: its high labour component and profitability levels make the crop viable. Lindi Botha visited the mother-and-son team on their farm near Hazyview.

Including more than three crops in a cash crop system may not only help increase yield, but significantly enhance the long-term sustainability of a farm. Dr Johann Strauss of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the benefits of crop diversity.

Potato production is a high-risk, high-reward industry. Farming seed potatoes is even more so. Sabrina Dean visited Gerhard Bruwer of Genade Boerdery in the Northern Cape to find out more about this component of the family farming operation.

Growers of irrigated crops need to have access to properly treated irrigation water. Mike Kruger, owner of Top Crop Nursery, explains how he uses flocculation and chlorination to maximise the safety of the water he sources from the nearby Umgeni River.