Crops

Bernie van den Heever and Danie Smit are proving that mango production can become a thriving enterprise in the Western Cape.

Long-term conservation trials conducted on rotated grain crops in the Swartland and Southern Cape during the drought have produced promising results. Dr Johann Strauss, agronomist at the Western Cape Department...

Christo Smit, a former researcher at the Agricultural Research Council, is working on developing a sustainable biofuel industry from the diesel tree.

Hot weather is unfavourable for carrot germination. Depending on the soil’s condition and structure, it also promotes the growth of soil fungus diseases, especially when heavy rain falls, as is...

Carrots have a very deep root system and a mass of fine feeder roots.

Andri Visser, a doctoral student at the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management at North-West University, explores how assumptions about the behaviour of the African stem borer affect the resistance...

Chris and Dewald Bothma of North West have converted from conventional maize production to a combination of precision and conservation agriculture methods. But the change did not come easily, and...

Lucerne is one of the most important hay crops in South Africa, but differences in quality can have a marked effect on livestock performance and profitability, especially in the dairy...

Pumpkin flies, which are slightly larger than houseflies, are similar to the fruit flies so well-known to fruit farmers.

Although Wayne Mansfield made useful connections in the fruit industry as a hawker, he knew little about farming.

It is also important to control aphids as these are the primary vectors of viruses. Apart from spreading viruses, they are up to no good anyway!

With competition fierce in South Africa’s vegetable production arena, finding clients and then adapting to their requirements are essential for success. Award-winning vegetable farmer Zama Buthelezi tells Lloyd Phillips how...

Syngenta Potato Farmer of the Year 2017, Nico Wagner of Wilnick Boerdery, employs various efficiency measures to ensure profitability, and the quality of his produce ensures a stable demand from...

Witlof, also known as Belgian endive, is a notoriously difficult vegetable to grow, but Koue Bokkeveld grower Fanie van der Merwe has mastered the art, producing 1t of witlof a...

There is no one-size-fits-all recipe for growing pumpkins. This is especially true of spacing, where many factors have to be considered.

South Africa’s irrigated sugar cane farming region was hard hit by the recent drought. This prompted Dr Abraham Singels, principal agronomist at the SA Sugarcane Research Institute, and his colleagues...

Demand for litchis and avocados has soared and encouraged producers to embrace precision farming methods. Stephan Schoeman, owner of Soetkalmoes Consultation in Nelspruit, an advisory service for the tree crops...

Sunflower’s consistent yield and drought-tolerance make it an attractive crop for SA’s dryland regions. It also has a relatively long planting window. Nonetheless, care should be taken to plant at...

To maximise pecan nut production, it is crucial to prepare the soil properly. This includes applying fertiliser correctly, ensuring sufficient macroelements, and proper orchard planning. A team from Laeveld Agrochem...

Cucurbits are a group of plants belonging to the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae). They include pumpkins and squashes (Cucurbita spp), melons (Cucumis melo), cucumbers (C. sativus) and watermelons (Citrullus lanatus).