Crops

Irrigated wheat is grown by many South African grain farmers in rotation with summer grains such as maize and soya bean. André du Toit, a senior wheat breeder with Pannar...

Many watermelon growers plant as soon as possible in the season so they can market the crop early, when prices are high.

According to agronomy expert Leonard Oberholzer, weeds’ resistance to herbicides is expected to be one of the greatest threats to food production in years to come.

Tunnel production may seem a relatively simple and profitable way to farm, but it involves high capital costs and has a narrow margin of error. Nico Laubscher Jnr spoke to...

Production of the long-term, high-yielding and high-value gold kiwifruit is still in its infancy in South Africa. An important lesson learned by local pioneering grower Peter Nicholson is to have...

Pests are an ongoing threat to vegetables, and need to be controlled effectively and timeously to prevent damage to the crop.

Through perseverance and applying strict business principles, Elias Pangane proved that farming could produce a viable income for him. The Hazyview vegetable and macadamia farmer spoke to Lindi Botha about...

The 2018 Toyota South Africa New Harvest competition winner, Whernit Dirks, formerly worked as a general labourer on a farm in Piketberg. Today he farms wheat, barley, oats, rooibos and...

South Africa imports most of the garlic sold in the country, but the local industry can thrive if farmers work together and produce good-quality crops. Jacques Terblanche of Graceland Garlic...

Fall armyworm has caused significant damage to croplands in South Africa since first detected in early 2017. However, Dr Annemie Erasmus, a senior researcher of entomology at the Agricultural Research...

Establishing a healthy orchard starts with choosing the correct plant material. In South Africa’s only laboratory of its type, banana plants are cultivated from tissue culture to produce clones that...

To weather the impact of market fluctuations and extreme climatic conditions, producers have to think strategically about farming. Pieter de Jager spoke to Glenneis Kriel about his strategy.

Swiss chard can either be sown directly or transplanted. Both methods have their pros and cons.

It is often assumed that implementing no-till production is the immediate next step towards restoring degraded soils. Not so, says Guy Thibaud, a veteran soil scientist with the KwaZulu-Natal Department...

Plant parasitic nematodes pose a serious threat to food security in Africa as they damage crops and hamper production. Dr Nancy Ntidi, a nematologist at the Agricultural Research Council, spoke...

The availability of improved varieties, mandate contracts and storage infrastructure promise to turn barley into a lucrative option in the Swartland. Gert Claassen, who five years ago started producing barley...

Before planting a land to any of the cucurbits, you should kill off all broad-leaved weeds nearby, preferably well beforehand.

Cotton production in North West can be extremely lucrative, according to Arno Janse van Vuuren, manager of agricultural management at agribusiness NWK. A comprehensive survey by the company shows that...

A unique microclimate in the southern Eastern Cape has given rise to a niche cropping industry that requires intensive precision production over a five- to seven-year cycle. Sabrina Dean paid...

The establishment of an almond-processing facility in Robertson has the potential to turn South Africa into a leading exporter of these nuts. Stephan and Hans le Roux of Amanteco Almonds...