Quality hybrids yield high oil content
Oilseed crops are the second-largest source of food after cereals, with a large expansion worldwide due to high demand for vegetable edible oil. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is one of the four most important...
Machinery and implements for conventional farming systems
September 2018
JOHAN VAN BILJON and DR TINGMIN YU, ARC-Agricultural Engineering
The optimal use of the correct equipment and implements is necessary to optimise farming production and to maximise operational profit. All mechanisation actions need to...
Local and imported wheat quality reviewed
Wheat samples of the 2019/2020 season were the first crop survey to be graded according to the latest bread wheat grading regulations published in the Government Gazette No. 42862, dated 29 November 2019.
These regulations...
Growing groundnuts aflatoxin-free
The groundnut or peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important food and fodder crop in the farming systems of developing countries. The seed is high in oil (close to 50% for many varieties) and...
Gerbils in agriculture: Impact and ecologically based control
Grain crops worldwide are impacted by various pests that affect yield, profitability and in some cases food security. An important, but often overlooked pest of grain crops, is rodents.
In a recent meta-analysis it was...
Benchmarking – a powerful tool
The Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) is not new to benchmarking and the effective use thereof to measure farm-level competitiveness. BFAP is part of the international agri benchmark network, where various crop-producing...
Animal diseases that can affect humans Part 5: Psittacosis or parrot fever
July 2018
DR JAN DU PREEZ, veterinary specialist, Public Health
Psittacosis is a disease that can be contracted by people who come into close contact with birds and more particularly those of the parrot family (psittacine...
Benefits of winter cover crops in a mixed farming system
April 2018
GERRIE TRYTSMAN, ARC-Animal Production
With a total of only 14% land suitable for arable cropping, South Africa is not well endowed with resources for dryland (rainfed) farming. Soil degradation often occurs due to monoculture...
Insect rearing on artificial diets
The mass rearing of insect pests was and still continues to be an important part of agricultural research.
‘Reared insects’ refers to insects that are bred and maintained in the laboratory in contrast to those...
‘Smart farming’ with geofencing
Geospatial innovations such as satellite technology, imagery and geospatial planning have grown in uptake globally and in South Africa. These technologies play an increasingly important role in agribusiness and is commonly referred to as...
