Vegetables & Fruit September/October 2021

SINCE 1988

SEPTEMBER • OKTOBER 2021

Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus R40,00

(BTW ingesluit) ander lande uitgesluit (Including VAT) other countries excluded

No 203

STAR 7022 A grey hybrid pumpkin with a semi-bush growth habit.

Deep-flat fruit with smooth ‘easy to peel’ skin.

Orange yellow flesh.

Early maturing and high yielding.

Early maturity may avoid some disease problems.

STAR 7026 A grey hybrid pumpkin with a semi-bush growth habit.

Deep-flat fruit with slight ribbing.

Thick, firm, deep orange flesh with little under the skin greening.

Early maturing and high yielding.

Intermediate resistance to ZYMV.

STAR 7028

A grey hybrid pumpkin with a vining growth habit.

Deep-flat fruit with slight ribbing.

Firm, orange flesh.

Early maturing with excellent yield potential.

Intermediate resistance to ZYMV.

WARRIOR

A grey hybrid pumpkin with a semi-bush growth habit.

Deep-flat, uniform fruit with light skin colour.

Thick, firm, deep orange flesh.

Early maturing and high yielding.

Good general disease resistance.

INVINCIBLE A white hybrid pumpkin with a semi-bush growth habit.

Deep-flat fruit with smooth ‘easy to peel’ skin.

Thick (very small seed cavity), firm, deep orange flesh.

Early maturing with excellent yield potential.

Intermediate resistance to ZYMV.

STAR 7053

A green hybrid Hubbard squash with a semi-vining growth habit. (Less vining than commercial standards = more plants/Ha).

Hubbard shaped fruit up to 8 kg with slightly bubbly skin.

Thick, firm, orange yellow flesh.

Early maturing with good yield potential.

Good general disease resistance.

29 Edition 203

ISSN 1015-85 37

17 VOORBLAD

NUUS 4 Germiston farmer provides food relief 4 Agbiz announces CEO designate

South African apricot volumes and exports almost doubled this season, as production in the parts of the Klein-Karoo rebounded after a better winter rainfall season.

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5 Trofee vir cabernet sauvignon 5 A Swiss clock with the heartbeat of an African drum 6 Bayer provides update on Roundup litigation 6 Nuts for world macadamia nut day 8 Developing women towards inclusive agribusiness 8 Free pest, disease and weed identification app 10 Double gold with new extra virgin olive oils

EDITORIAL Willie Louw (Group editor)

CUCURBITS 11 Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus

Carien Daffue (Editor) 018 293 0622 info@mediakom.co.za PO BOX 20250, Noordbrug, 2522

STONE FRUIT 12 Improving soil health for better yields 14 Stone fruit production drops in the EU

ADVERTISING Jana Greenall 011 476 3702 082 780 9914 mediacom@lantic.net DESIGN Mercia Venter studio.chatnoir@gmail.com

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GROENTE & VRUGTE | SEPTEMBER • OKTOBER 2021

3

Germiston farmer provides food relief After witnessing the devastating effects of Covid-19 and hard lockdown, Tebogo Sebambo, who runs a small farming business situated in Germiston, Gauteng, wanted to make a difference in any way he could.

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ebambo’s business, At Source Food Serv, grows baby vegetables such as baby carrots, cabbages, sugar snap peas and beetroot. However, as traditional market routes dried up, as a result of the pandemic environment, Source Food Serv battled to offload its produce and sat with excess supply.

It was when scrolling through social media that Sebambo found a solution to his problem of market access and an opportunity to impact the lives of vulnerable individuals. This arrived in the form of OneFarm Share, an online platform that connects farmers to feeding schemes across the country.

Standard Bank partnered with HelloChoice, a local South African agri-tech company with a digital fresh produce marketplace, and selected FoodForward SA as its beneficiary, due to its national infrastructural capacity. Since launching in November 2020, the OneFarm Share platform has delivered over 2 200 tonnes of fresh produce, which translates to eight million meals for over 700 000 people in South Africa.

The platform helps farmers get their surplus produce to the relief market fast and effectively by providing transport, logistics and warehousing support, which has been made possible as a result of FoodForward SA existing logistics and infrastructure capabilities.

Sebambo, who is also partner in a logistics company that provides mobile cool chain support to small scale farmers in the area, has contributed logistics support to the platform through Cold Chain Logistics.

Farmers can either donate their produce to the platform or sell it on special offer. Beneficiary organisations are then able to access a variety of produce that they may not ordinarily receive, and which helps them provide nutritious meals.

In February this year, At Source Food Serv made its first contribution to the platform of 1 503 kg baby cabbages for distribution to beneficiary organisations in the surrounding areas.

Sebambo is part of a growing cohort of farmers who are signed up as produce suppliers to the platform, which, he says, has created a means for farmers to reach communities that they did not have access to previously and where the food could have otherwise gone to waste.

He is encouraging other farmers to join the initiative and will continue to use the platform to expand his business and make contributions to needy individuals.

“The beauty of OneFarm Share is that it is addressing the critical issues of food wastage, hunger and malnutrition while enabling new markets for farmers,” says Lungisa Fuzile, CEO of Standard Bank South Africa. “Standard Bank and HelloChoice have created a means for farmers and others to easily contribute to this worthy cause."

Sebambo says that it is their belief at At Source Food Serv that it is their jobs, as farmers in South Africa, to give food to the people of this nation. The OneFarm Share platform is making it easier for that to become a reality, which gives us all the reason to get up in the morning.

Agbiz announces CEO designate “Following a comprehensive recruitment process, Agbiz announced that Mr Theo Boshoff, currently head of Legal Intelligence within Agbiz, has been designated to take over the reins as CEO of Agbiz as from 1 January 2022. The current incumbent, Dr John Purchase, retires at the end of December 2021 after more than 14 years of service to Agbiz,” Mr Francois Strydom, chairman of Agbiz, said.

“South Africa currently faces serious challenges in its agro-food, agro-fibre and agro-beverage sectors. As by far the leading business chamber for South African agribusinesses up and down these value chains, the leadership role of Agbiz is essential to ensure inclusive growth and the competitiveness of the broader sector. A team of high-quality professionals will support Mr Boshoff to continue rendering the requisite services to our membership and the country as a whole,” said Mr Strydom.

Mr Theo Boshoff

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VEGETABLES & FRUIT | SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2021

Trofee vir cabernet sauvignon Bonnievale Wines het tydens die 2021 nasio­ nale jongwynskou geseëvier deur die gesogte Roberto Moni-trofee vir die SA Kampioen Cabernet Sauvignon te wen. Cabernet Sauvignon is een van die mededingendste klasse tydens die Suid-Afrikaanse jongwynskou.

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onnievale Wines was reeds op die wenpad met hul Caber­ net Sauvignon (gehout) wat vir die vierde agtereenvolgende jaar as die beste jongwyn in dié katogrie by die Robert­ son streeksjongwynskou aangewys is. Die kelder was ook ‘n klaswenner in vyf kategorieë en wenner van 20 medaljes, waaronder twee goues.

“Dit is wonderlike nuus vir alle betrokkenes,” sê Marthinus Rademeyer, hoofwynmaker van Bonnievale Wines. “Die be­ dryf het ’n baie moeilike tyd beleef en om op hierdie manier erken te word, bevestig ons geloof in ons terroir en fokus op kwaliteit.” ’n Groot voordeel wat Bonnievale Wyne geniet, is die groot gebied waaroor die wingerde in die Breederiviervallei versprei is. Aangesien verskillende grondtipes, hellings en klimaatstoestande die karakter van die vrugte bepaal, het die wynmaak- en wingerdbouspan 'n baie wye palet om van die beste druiwe te kies.

Sowat 100 lidplase verskaf die wynkelder van druiwe en is daartoe verbind om kwaliteit vrugte te lewer. “Samewerking is ’n hoeksteen van ons sukses wat gepaard gaan met die ta­ lent en ervaring van kollegas soos wingerdboukundige, Sakkie Bosman,” sê Marthinus.

Edwin Mathambo, Bonnievale Wines SA Jongwyn 2021 Cab Sauv SA Kampioen wynmaker.

Met die bepaling van die wyn wat vir die SA Jongwynskou ingeskryf moet word, moes die Bonnievale-span Cabernet Sauvignon uit sy vier produksiekelders kies. Elkeen is geproe en die wenwyn – gemaak deur Edwin Mathambo – is gekies om Bonnievale Wines te verteenwoordig.

A Swiss clock with the heartbeat of an African drum Andermatt Madumbi sees two organisations with a shared vision, partnering for a better future.

For years, Madumbi Sustainable Agriculture has been serving South African growers with access to healthy, sustainable, biorational solutions.

It is on solid foundations, and through a united goal of influencing food production locally, throughout Africa and across the globe, that they join forces with Andermatt Biocontrol. With more than 30 years in the biological industry and as leaders in virus technology, Andermatt Biocontrol has an extensive footprint of subsidiaries that deliver expertise and

GROENTE & VRUGTE | SEPTEMBER • OKTOBER 2021

precision to commercial and retail growers across the globe.

Madumbi’s purpose is fuelled by the understanding that nature leads innovation and under the leadership of people who care about the environment, two like-minded organisations look ahead to solutions backed by science and nature.

Michelle Lesur, Andermatt Madumbi CEO says, “Innovation will continue to be key in our approach to tackling complicated environmental and social challenges both globally and locally. Together we remain committed to improved food security and a vision for a world where food safety is no longer a concern.”

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Bayer provides update on Roundup litigation Bayer recently provided an update on its five-point plan to address future Roundup™ litigation risk after its recent decision to withdraw from the national class process.

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s a result, Bayer is now in more control of essential aspects of the risk mitigation process and has sketched out two basic scenarios going forward to provide a path to the closure of this litigation. The first scenario is based on obtaining a favourable decision by the United States Supreme Court on a cross-cutting issue like federal preemption, which would effectively and largely end the U.S. Roundup litigation.

The second scenario assumes that the Supreme Court either declines to hear the Hardeman case or issues a ruling in favour of the plaintiff – in that case, the company would activate its claims administration programme.

The company sees good chances for the first scenario and believes there are solid arguments for the U.S. Supreme Court to accept the case and ultimately render a supporting verdict.

However, Bayer is also prepared for the second scenario to manage anticipated claims, through settlement and litigation, to bring an end to this litigation ultimately. For this second scenario, the company posts an additional provision of a gross amount of 4,5 billion U.S. dollars, i.e. before tax and discounts, in the second quarter of 2021, reflecting the company’s potential long-term exposure.

“We want to provide comfort to our investors that the glyphosate litigation exposure should now be reasonably accounted for and leaves significant upside in the event of

a favourable Supreme Court decision on the case. It is important for the company, our owners and our customers to move on and put the uncertainty and ambiguity related to the glyphosate litigation behind us. This clarity should also allow informed investors to direct their focus on operational performance, the quality of Bayer’s businesses and its intrinsic value,” said CEO Werner Baumann.

As announced in May 2021, Bayer expects the cash flow to improve this year compared to the original assumptions and confirms its mid-term projection provided during Capital Markets Day. The company will engage in discussions with EPA about Roundup labels to provide more information to users about the science as an additional element towards ensuring even more informed purchasing and application decisions.

It will also set up a new website with scientific studies relevant to Roundup™’s safety that will provide even more transparency to purchasers about the products they use. The website is expected to be launched by the end of 2021.

“We have set up a very strong team that reports directly to the board of management and is laser focused on the further execution of our five-point plan, while the board of management will now fully concentrate on business performance and strategy execution,” said Baumann.

Nuts for world macadamia nut day

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n celebration of world macadamia nut day, the Australian and South African Marquis Group has donated macadamia trees for planting at local schools in the world’s biggest macadamia producing regions. The Group also ran education sessions regarding sustainability practices in macadamia growing and processing for the students.

They donated trees to Bergvlam High School in the key growing region of Mbombela, Mpumalanga. The significance of the macadamia industry was highlighted to the children, detailing the enormous job creation ability of the industry and the foreign exchange earned for the country.

The grade eight students were appointed custodians of the macadamia trees and will have the opportunity to care for the trees over their next five years of schooling.

Conserving wild species plays an important role in supporting the macadamia industry, with the genetic diversity among wild plants helping the industry adapt to changes

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in weather patterns, emerging pests and possible diseases.

In 2021, Marquis identified world macadamia nut day as an opportunity to educate the next generation in their growing regions. Chief Executive Officer Larry McHugh says that the day is a chance to celebrate the macadamia nut and the farmers who grow them.

“Celebrating the macadamia nut is not just about recognising its versatility and health benefits, it is also a chance for us to recognise and advocate for the sustainable production of macadamia nuts,” says McHugh.

“We attribute the success of macadamia nut growers across the world to their willingness to adopt innovative equipment and embrace the natural resources available to them. We believe in sustainable processes, this means utilising the whole nut, including the husk and shell, to make sure that we are maximising the versatility of macadamias.”

VEGETABLES & FRUIT | SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2021

ADVERTORIAL

BASF Agricultural Solutions Macadamia Farm Management Solutions

Bellis®

Fastac®

The perfect partner in disease control

The fast acting solution to insect infestation on nut trees

Bellis® is a fungicide which will prevent blossom blight, husk rot and husk spot.

Blossom blight: Two Bellis® sprays during flowering period followed by alternative chemistry and a third Bellis® application during fruit growth using 14-day intervals.

Husk rot & husk spot: One Bellis® spray during flowering period followed by alternative chemistry and a second and third Bellis® application during fruit growth using 14-day intervals.

When insects threaten your orchards, you need to control them with a reliable, fast-acting solution.

Get the best return on investment by securing quality harvests • Effectively controls stink bugs, fruit weevil and bollworms resulting in a clean and healthy orchard • Fastac® SC is a robust product which is not affected by sunlight or temperature, offering maximum protection • Fastac® SC provides a high knockdown rate and repellent effects, ensuring quick protection Convenience in managing your farm Fastac® SC results in a cost-saving when applying with other treatments

Focus® Ultra Husk spot

Husk rot

A high performance solution • More marketable crop through increased quality and yield • Has an excellent eco and environment profile with no effect on bees • Boscalid disrupts fungal growth and prevents infection taking place • The combination of Boscalid and F500® (with different modes of action), contributes to reliable performance and resistance management • Provides extensive protection against diseases, through rapid uptake and distribution in the plant tissue

Crop safety • Is highly selective and safe to use in orchards

Broadband®

Basta® 200 SL

The biological insecticide that effectively reduces the stinkbug and false codling moth populations

A non-selective, partly systemic (trans-laminar) and contact herbicide for the control of certain broadleaf weeds and grasses • Constant performance and efficiency • Excellent crop safety in comparison to non-selective systemic herbicides currently on the market • Contact herbicide that is effective on difficult to control broadleaf weeds and grasses • Ideal to be used in cases where herbicide resistance against other herbicide groups such as glyphosate (HRAC group G) and/ or paraquat (HRAC group D) have been confirmed • Fits well in a herbicide resistance management programme – HRAC group H • Very low volatility to limit spray drift • No pH sensitivity

Peace of mind with a highly effective solution • Broadband® is active on all stages of the life cycle of insect pests that are present in the tree canopy at the time of application eg. eggs, larvae, juveniles and adults • No resistance build-up: Broadband® is ideal for insect resistance management programmes Convenience in managing your farming operations • Broadband®’s OD formulation ensures that spores stay virulent for 20 months if stored in a cold room at 4 oC • Ease of use – The liquid OD formulation makes pouring and mixing easier than dry formulations Flexibility • No MRL restrictions – can be applied at any crop development stage • Ideal solution for incorporation into your IPM (Integrated Pest Management) programme

Wide application spectrum • Satisfies specific application needs in terms of grass species, the weed growth stage and type Quick reliable control • Inhibits lipid synthesis in the growth areas, impeding formation of cells • Ceases growth of weeds immediately

Reliability to secure the results • Select the best – Broadband® is a top performing Beauveria bassiana product globally • Highest levels of active ingredient – contains minimum 4 x 109 viable spores/mℓ Beauveria bassiana strain PPRI 5339

Please refer to the product labels for detailed recommendations. For enquiries, visit our website: www.agro.basf.co.za Basta® 200 SL Act No. 36 of 1947. Active ingredient: Glufosinate -ammonium 200 g/ℓ. Harmful. Bellis® Reg. No. L7817 Act No. 36 of 1947. Active ingredients: F500® 128 g/ℓ, Boscalid 252 g/kg Caution.

F500® - Pyraclostrobin. Broadband® Reg. No. L8270 Act No. 36 of 1947. Active ingredient: Beauveria bassiana strain PPRI 5339 minimum 4 x 109 spores/mℓ. Caution.

Fastac® SC Reg. No. L4992 Act No. 36 of 1947. Active ingredient: Alpha-cypermethrin 100 g/ℓ. Harmful. Focus Ultra® Reg. No. L4319 Act No. 36 of 1947. Active ingredient: Cycloxydim 100 g/ℓ. Caution.

BASF South Africa (Pty) Ltd • 852 Sixteenth Road, Midrand, 1685 • PO Box 2801, Halfway House, 1685 • Tel: +27 11 203 2400 • Fax: +27 11 203 2461 • Website: www.agro.basf.co.za • Mobile site: m.agro.basf.co.za.

Basta® 200 SL, Bellis®, Broadband®, F500®, Fastac® SC and Focus® Ultra are registered trademarks of BASF.

uppe marketing A27395

Blossom blight

A fast acting post-emergent herbicide for the control of annual and perennial grasses in orchards

Developing women towards inclusive agribusiness T

he Embassy of France in South Africa is working with the Entrepreneurship Development Acade­my (EDA) at the Gordon Institute of Business School (GIBS) and the African Farmers Association of South Africa (AFASA) to develop a tailor-made programme to support women farmers in South Africa.

According to their statement, entrepreneurship is widely seen as a means through which poverty can be alleviated by empowering individuals to build livelihoods and through multiplier effects of creating jobs.

However, there is still a trend to see the marginalisation of women globally, in Africa and South Africa alike, and this requires a dynamic shift to transform women’s lives and livelihoods. The transformation of the agricultural sector to be a gender-inclusive space for all is an important place to start.

Through their work, AFASA aims to commercialise the developing agricultural sector and facilitate the participation of individuals within the mainstream commercial agribusiness sector. They also work to ensure the long-term sustainability of the agricultural sector in South Africa to have competent

and successful commercial farmers.

The context within which women farmers operate is dynamic and complex. Therefore, comprehensive support is critical to ensure that women farmers are equipped to run agricultural enterprises that are resilient, adaptive to change and competitive.

“We are very pleased for another opportunity to collaborate with GIBS and AFASA, especially on such a special programme to support women farmers in the country. The construction of this programme has highlighted a range of important issues that need to be addressed for the agricultural sector to be a gender-inclusive space. We are excited to see the outcomes and future impact of this important partnership,” said French Ambassador Aurélien Lechevallier.

The programme is scheduled to be delivered in a blended format comprising of a combination of asynchronous and synchronous lessons. The blended format aims to facilitate the inclusion of participants in rural outskirts of South Africa as well as women juggling multiple roles.

Free pest, disease and weed identification app

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orteva Agriscience announced a new mobile application (app), Corteva™ FarmFundi, which provides a digital pest and disease identification guide for farmers across Africa and the Middle East. Once threats are accurately identified using the app, farmers can consult with Corteva’s expert crop scientists and local agronomists for treatment recommendations via e-mail or the web links provided.

“Researchers estimate that invasive species alone cost Africa’s agricultural sector billions each year, compounded by crop losses inflicted by insects and other pests,” says Linda van der Merwe, Marketing Lead, Corteva Agriscience. “As such, we are excited to bring our first-to-market digital tool to farmers in Africa Middle East. Our collaboration with Plantix allows us to combine the very best of innovative mobile farming technology with the keen insights and vast expertise of our technical teams; helping to mitigate potential impacts to livelihoods and food security.”

The most critical part of managing crop exposures is correctly identifying the cause so appropriate solutions can be implemented and costly mistakes

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that threaten sustainable and safe management practices can be avoided. The user-friendly platform empowers farmers to upload or scan pictures, along with a short description of symptoms and accompanying notes, enabling timeous risk manage- ment and prevention. Experts are also able to update and transfer the latest information on new, emerging pests and trends in real time.

“The best part is that internet access is required for downloading the app as well as subsequent updates, but essential information can be accessed offline,” said Van der Merwe. “This is an important feature for users who do not have access to a quality mobile connection while out in the field.

“Supporting farmers (and gardeners) all over the planet to secure their crops and contribute to food security has always been one of the main drivers of our efforts. We are now even more delighted to be able to provide our cutting-edge technology solution, while partnering with Corteva; making it accessible to a broader range of users across new regions," says Rob Strey, Co-Founder and CTO, Plantix.

The app is available for download from the Apple® iOS and Google Android™ app stores in English, Swahili, Afrikaans, French and Arabic.

VEGETABLES & FRUIT | SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2021

Cucumbers in the South African Market Hazera showcases two of the best Long cucumber varieties in South Africa are required to be highly adaptable to weather changes, have strong disease resistance, and produce high-yielding crops of excellent quality.

Farmers from around the world prefer a product that consistently meets these demands and tend to look for varieties that exhibit uniformity throughout the growing season, as well as a long shelf-life once the crops have been harvested.

Hazera is a world leader in vegetable seeds, and has a long, successful history of developing varieties with resistance to multiple diseases. Some of these varieties may offer a high level of disease resistance (HR), while in others this is more moderate, or intermediate (IR).

Hazera’s many years of experience is evident in its varieties of cucumbers. The company strives for customer and consumer satisfaction throughout the value chain.

Over the last two years, after several years of trials in diverse regions of the world, Hazera has introduced two new varieties of cucumbers into the market.

These varieties are specifically adapted to the market requirements in South Africa and belong to a new category recently launched by Hazera – Pro Plus.

These include features of resilience that save growers the use of pesticides, reduce costs, increase profitability and improves their ability to meet standards of clean produce and environmental protection (Pro = protection, Plus = performance).

Now, with the launch of Hazera’s new Pro Plus series of cucumber varieties, growers can implement a new, reliable, cost-effective, and eco-friendly tool for reducing crop damage and financial loss.

These qualities will feature in Hazera’s new series intended for the South African market: Tartufo: with a length of 30 - 33 centimetres, Tartufo is a dark green cylindrical shaped fruit, and its main advantage is its durability to weather conditions. This means it will continually produce high quality and abundant fruit, of optimal size throughout the growing cycle. Regardless of intense cold or heat, the cucumber will give growers peace of mind that they will have quality products to sell throughout the year. Other features include field tolerance to powdery mildew (Px), which can be grown in tunnels (protected cultivation), and high resistance to CYSDV, CVYV.

Island: is the upcoming star over the past year, with a fruit length of 32 - 36 centimetres it produces a superior crop in peak winter. Its main advantage is its resistance to diseases and fungal infection. With high resistance to CYSDV, CVYV and intermediate resistance to powdery mildew, as well as ToLCNDV (New Delhi). Island is also a more attractive fruit – it is long, dark, and firm with noticeable ribs. Also, with the high percentage of marketable fruits, there is almost no waste with this brilliant cucumber variety.

Hazera South Africa is constantly looking to improve our varieties and services for the local market. The breeding/R&D team behind the scenes strive for excellence and are attentive to market needs. They are motivated to developing new beneficial traits and better the resistances of Hazera varieties.

Come try our new varieties from the Hazera Pro Plus Cucumber series.

For more information | 011.659.4961

Double gold with new extra virgin olive oils

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feast of concentrated flavours from the 2021 olive harvest has paid dividends for Tokara, the Stellenbosch wine and olive estate, with two gold medals for their blends and recognition for their entire range this year’s SA Olive Awards.

Tokara premium extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and their Estate blend were both awarded gold medals, while the rest of the range earned silver.

South Africa produces world-class olive oil. Every year, the SA Olive Awards acknowledges excellence by rewarding the best of the vintage as judged by a panel of international and local taste experts.

The spate of medals coincides with the spring release of Tokara’s new 2021 EVOOs singled out for their intensely concentrated flavours from the smaller than usual olive crop. This is particularly evident in the EVOOs from Tokara’s Italian varieties grown on the foothills of the Simonsberg.

“By picking and pressing our olives at just the right time, we captured the true herbaceous and nutty flavours of these Italian varieties, especially our Coratina which is an integral component of our Tokara premium blend,” says Gert van Dyk, Tokara’s olive oil master and operations manager at the Olive Shed.

“I can just imagine how this oil will enrich hearty minestrone, not to mention osso buco,” adds Van Dyk, who still reminisces

about his visit to Puglia in the heel of the boot of Italy where Coratina has thrived for centuries.

Making fine olive oil is all about capturing the goodness of the fresh olive in the bottle. Under his watch, the hand-picked olives are pressed in the olive shed within 24 hours of being harvested to safeguard their unique flavour profiles. It is a task Van Dyk pursues with vigour and passion: “A good oil is made on the tree, and here at Tokara I am lucky enough to be hands-on from the olive groves right through to the final pressing stage.”

Frantoio, Italy's most important olive variety, is a crucial component of Tokara’s full-flavoured blended olive oils. It’s a medium to intense oil with green grassy tones. The palate is sublime and well balanced between green and bitter notes, with a nutty-almond aftertaste.

The Mission variety, which stems from America, is mild and gentle with a finely balanced grassy, herbaceous character and a macadamia aftertaste, making it an all-around oil.

The Multi-Varietal, a medley of Frantoio, Mission and Leccino, has an olive leaf and herbaceous character with a nutty aftertaste. At the same time, the Premium blend of Coratina and Frantoio leans more towards a rocket, artichoke and walnut flavour profile. Both are carefully blended to bring together the best characteristics of the various; olive varieties.

CUCURBITS

Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus infection visible over the whole production field.

Over the last couple of years, Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV) has become an increasingly big problem in certain parts of Limpopo, with some growers reporting up to 100% crop losses on different cucurbit crops grown. CYSDV can infect most members of the Cucurbitaceae family, including melon, watermelon, squash and pumpkins – with watermelon and melons being the hardest hit by the disease.

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ymptoms first become visible on the older leaves and show a chlorotic (yellow) spotting and eventually it develops into a distinct interveinal chlorosis (yellowing). The veins remain relatively green, with the rest of the leaf turning yellow. With age, the symptoms intensify and become systemic throughout the plant.

Symptoms can often be confused with other yellowing viruses or nutrient deficiencies. Depending on when infection occurs, the fruit on infected plants may appear normal but are usually smaller in size and have reduced sugar levels, which will lead to the fruit being unmarketable.

The vector for the disease is the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (biotypes B and Q). The spread of the disease from plant to plant in and between fields happens exclusively through this vector. The virus cannot be transmitted mechanically (by touch) and it is not seed-borne and can therefore not be transmitted by seed.

The virus can also be spread over long distances by the movement of infected plant material or by virus-carrying whiteflies accompanying plant material that is being moved between different locations. High winds can also contribute to the movement of Bemisia tabaci over long distances.

Control Due to the very high infestations of the whitefly in the affected areas, farmers have struggled to control the spread of the disease. With these high infestations, the application of insecticides for whitefly control has not proven effective in controlling the spread of the virus in the fields. The following guidelines could help in trying to manage the disease.

• Control weeds to eliminate potential sources of inoculum; • avoid planting new fields close to older fields, especially

The yellow cucurbit leaves with the veins remaining green is a typical symptom of Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus.

fields that have been known to be infected with the virus; • in open-field production, early-season exclusion of the vector, using mesh tunnels, may delay virus infection; and • after the growing season, sanitation is very important. Remove old crops/volunteers by ploughing or physical remo­ val.

DISCLAIMER: This information is based on Sakata Seed’s observations and/or information from other sources. As crop performance depends on the interaction between the genetic potential of the seed, its physiological characteristics and the environment, including management, Sakata Seed give no warranty express or implied, for the performance of crops relative to the information given nor do Sakata Seed accept any liability for any loss, direct or consequential, that may arise from whatsoever cause. Please read the Sakata Seed Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd Conditions of Sale before ordering seed.

GROENTE & VRUGTE | SEPTEMBER • OKTOBER 2021

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STONE FRUIT

Improving soil health for better yields Frank van den Heever, an independent soil health consultant, explains how Oro Agri’s Transformer® helps improve and maintain the fertility and health of soil for maximum crop production.

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ertile soil is the basis for healthy plants. Therefore, to achieve implementing a soil improvement strategy, the income/unit area must either increase or input/unit area must be lowered.

Food security and food health begin with the maintenance and improvement of soil fertility. But, unfortunately, climate change continues to place tremendous pressure on the sustainable production of agricultural produce.

As such, each production unit (farm, land and orchard) should be investigated intensively to provide baseline information for drafting purposeful strategies and managing inputs.

Each investigation should start with comprehensive soil evaluation maps on a geo-referenced approach.

An essential visual measure and objective is root development. If plants need to produce at an optimum level, a well-defined root system is critical. A comprehensive soil improvement approach, which promotes crop production, focuses on soil fertility, physical soil limitations, water-use efficiency, oxygen and biological activity and diversity.

Soil fertility Soil fertility determines the potential of the soil to produce the best yields on a sustainable basis. Soil fertility can be divided into several subsections: • Chemical balance: It is essential to correct element ratios and concentrations with initial soil preparation. Ensuring nutrient availability and the absence of any nutrient deficiencies must be well monitored and managed. The pH of the soil and salinity needs to be monitored seasonally and corrections should be made early.

• Physical limitations: A loose soil structure is vital for a plant to establish a large root volume. Compaction layers, stone layers, textural transitional layers and anthropogenic waterlogged subsoils are common problems. Oro Agri’s Transformer is highly effective because it influences soil water balance and soil compaction. It allows water to penetrate compact soils, thereby alleviating compaction as root growth can follow the water penetration.

It contributes to the alleviation of soil compaction, crusting and breaking up soil clods, enhanced water penetration, en-

12

hanced leaching of salts, improvement in soil oxygen levels, soil biology conditions, and biological activity.

Various other mechanical approaches can be followed to create this ideal loose soil structure. This includes deep ploughing.

The problem with mechanical loosening of soil, however, is that compaction can return. Deep ploughing also has a negative effect on microbial activity and soil carbon content.

Water-holding capacity A good practice is to determine the water-holding capacity of all soils during the initial soil evaluation. Water-holding capacity can be effectively increased by increasing organic matter and soil depth. The application of Transformer is highly effective in this regard because of its influence on the soil-water balance.

Oxygen Combining the ideal oxygen to water ratio, especially in the upper 10 cm of the root system, is crucial for optimal root development. Aerobic soil conditions are also very important for beneficial microbiology. As soon as oxygen is removed from the topsoil through poor irrigation practices, new root growth is suppressed and a favourable environment for pathogens exists.

Biological activity and diversity Conventional agricultural practices have destroyed the abundance and diversity of microbes in the soil. These organisms help prepare the soil environment for optimal root development, plant nutrient uptake, water-holding capacity, oxygen availability, carbon dioxide release and temperature variation.

To improve this, efforts must be made to establish and maintain a large community of micro-organisms in the soil.

The amount of organic matter and carbon are the major determining factors in the abundance of micro-organisms living in the soil. However, the diversity of micro-organisms is also crucial and is quashed by monoculture to a large extent. The best way to promote a wide variety of micro-organisms in the soil is to apply crop rotation, plant mixtures of cover crops, and alternate the organic nutrients applied to the soil.

Transformer® SA is a registered trademark of Oro Agri SA (Pty)Ltd (Reg.no. 2001/027414/07).

VEGETABLES & FRUIT | SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2021

STONE FRUIT

Stone fruit production drops in the EU According to the GAIN EU Stone Fruit annual report, unfavourable weather conditions with frost and heavy rainstorms during the blossoming and fruit set account for the overall drop in the European Union (EU) stone fruit production for the marketing year 2021/22. According to industry estimates, EU production of peaches and nectarines may decline 16,6% compared to the previous year to 2,67 metric tons, also affected by the continuous decline in area planted due to low profits. Similarly, EU cherry production is projected to decline 5,3% compared to last season to 664 800 metric tons.

T

outside the EU. However, there are small amounts of imports he expected drop in EU stone fruit production may rebaldue to the decline in EU production during 2020. According ance supply and demand and recover EU stone fruit prices. to Trade Data Monitor (TDM), in 2020/21, the EU’s imports of However, EU stone fruit exports continue to decline because of peaches and nectarines were valued at 60 million U.S. dollars the shortage in supply and new markets have never fully com(USD). They amounted to 38 872 metric tons, a 60 % increase pensated for the 2014 Russian embargo imposed on EU food from the previous year. The leading suppliers of peaches and products. Conversely, in 2021/22, EU imports of stone fruits nectarines to the EU were Turkey, Chile, and South Africa. In may continue to increase in line with declining EU domestic addition, imports within the EU may increase to respond to supplies. domestic demand, sourced mainly from Spain. The estimated In 2021/22 (January/December), the EU production of drop in EU peaches and nectarines production may continue peaches and nectarines may decline 16,6 % to 2.67 million to encourage imports. In 2020/21, EU exports of peaches and tons from the previous year. This drop is expected in most major nectarines were valued at 244 million USD, and the volume EU producing countries due to unfavourable weather condideclined 30 % to 180 199 metric tons due to the shorter suptions during spring and a continuous decrease in area planted. ply during the previous season. The EU main export destination This estimated drop in EU peaches and nectarines production is for peaches and nectarines were the United Kingdom, Ukraine, one of the smallest in the last three decades and follows anothSwitzerland, and Belarus. Exports of peaches and nectarines er significant shortage in supply in 2020/21. According to FAS may continue trending downward due to the expected signifiPost projections, the area planted is anticipated to trend down cant decline in supply. at 200 000 ha (hectares). Total cherry production in is projected TO PAGE 16 to lower 5,3 % to 664 800 metric tons due to the expected decline in the major producing countries. According to FAS projections, the updated data for total EU cherry planted area will remain stable at around 164,000 ha. During this marketing year, the EU stone fruit market is expected to rebalance and improve EU market prices for stone fruits.

Despite the COVID-19 crisis, the EU stone fruit sector was not negatively impacted. The harvest season developed normally following the COVID19-related sanitary standards and with available seasonal workers. In addition, the EU implemented special measures to ensure the continuance of operational programs of fruits and vegetables.

However, COVID-19 increased fruit production costs due to the related sanitary standards, logistics, organization of workflows, and new work requirements.

The EU is self-sufficient in peaches and nectarines to satisfy domestic demand. Therefore, According to industry estimates, EU production of peaches and nectarines may decline it is a net exporter of peaches and nectarines, 16,6% compared to the previous year to 2,67 metric tons, also affected by the continuous with Spain as the major member state exporting decline in area planted due to low profits.

14

VEGETABLES & FRUIT | SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2021

sing voor in die koor

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Om te meet is om te weet: Met eMAT kan die residuprofiel van CHORUS® en ander produkte in die spuitprogram teen oestyd voorspel word

CHORUS®. Laat gewas-siektes jou stem hoor.

AANGEDREWE DEUR ELEKTRONIESE MARKTOEGANGSHULPMIDDEL

LEES DIE PRODUKETIKET VIR VOLLEDIGE BESONDERHEDE: CHORUS® bevat siprodinil (analienpirimidien) 500g/kg (Reg. nr. L5383, Wet 36 van 1947 N-AR 1432 (Namibië)) VERSIGTIG. CHORUS®, die verwantskapraam, die doelwit-ikoon en die woord Syngenta is handelsmerke van ’n Syngenta groepmaatskappy.

Syngenta Suid-Afrika (Edms) Beperk, Privaatsak X60, Halfway House, 1685. Tel. (011) 541 4000. www.syngenta.co.za © Syngenta Ag, 2000. Kopiereg van hierdie dokument is voorbehou. Alle onregmatige kopiëring word verbied.

@SyngentaSA | www.syngenta.co.za

STONE FRUIT

Stone fruit production drops in the EU FROM PAGE 14 Conversely, the EU is not self-sufficient in cherry production. Thus the EU is a net importer of cherries sourced primarily from other member states and Turkey. Prior to Brexit, the EU imported U.S. cherries mainly through the United Kingdom.

However, due to the shortage of EU cherry supply in the last three seasons, EU cherry imports significantly increased and may continue growing in 2021/22. EU imports of fresh cherries were valued at 185 million USD with a total volume of 52 413 metric tons, a five percent increase compared to the previous season due to lower domestic supply. The main export destinations for EU producers are other member states; the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Belarus.

The main EU producers of peaches and nectarines are Spain, Italy, Greece, and France. There is also limited production in other EU member states, including Hungary, Portugal, Bulgaria, and Poland. Spain is the biggest producer, consumer, and exporter due to its early season harvest and yielding varieties.

Greece is the EU’s leading peach processor.

Production

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In marketing year 2020/21 (January/December), the EU area planted for peaches and nectarines was around 202 000 ha, six percent smaller than previously estimated due to adjustments of area planted according to Eurostat data. Spain and Italy con-

Decrease in most of the major EU producing countries is due to unfavorable weather conditions and strong spring frosts affecting blossoming.

Source: DG AGRI

tinued to decrease their area planted due to a surplus of peach production that has put downward pressure on market price and resulted in poor economic conditions for farmers. In Spain, there is a shift in production toward tree nuts, particularly almonds.

EU production of peaches and nectarines is estimated to drop 16,6 % to 2,67 million metric tons. The expected decrease in most of the major EU producing countries is due to unfavorable weather conditions and strong spring frosts affecting blossoming. Industry observers remark that the 2020/21 EU harvest was one of the smallest in the last 30 years, marked by the COVID-19 crisis and a yield deficit.

As a consequence of the EU production shortfall, EU peach and nectarine prices are experiencing significant increases as well as in the major EU producing regions.

TAMATIE

Sensitief teenoor virusse Met die huidige globale fokus op die Covid-19-pandemie, virusse, strategieë en beperkings wat ingestel word, kan voedselprodusente inderdaad ook hieruit iets leer en dit selfs op die plaas toepas. Oor die algemeen is opgemerk dat sekere gebiede meer deur die pandemie geraak is as ander. Mense verskil ook ten opsigte van hulle blootstelling en sensitiwiteit teenoor virusse.

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ierdie toestande is nie ‘n nuwe begrip vir die tamatie- of groenteboer nie, want virusse word reeds baie jare op die plase bestuur. Die uitdaging vir die tamatieboer is egter dat daar nie slegs een virus is om te bekamp nie en dat die verskillende maniere waarop die virusse oorgedra kan word ook die verspreiding van die virusse kan bepaal. Soos eerstehands met die huidige pandemie waargeneem is, kan inperkings en sanitasie die virus tot ‘n mate beperk – dieselfde is ook waar vir die tamatieprodusent. Deur sanitasieprotokol toe te pas kan die tamatie-oes doeltreffend beskerm word.

In die verlede het produsente hoofsaaklik die virusse wat op tamaties voorkom bestuur deur op die tamatietelers staat te maak om variëteite met weerstand te teel. Dit raak egter nou belangriker om kennis op te doen en maatreëls in te stel om die verspreiding van virusse te bestuur en te beperk. Dit kan gedoen word deur strategieë ‘n spesifieke gebied in te stel binne of op die plaas as ‘n geheel tussen lande en aanplantings. Die beste strategie om virusse te beheer bly steeds om te verhoed dat ‘n virus vir die eerste keer in ‘n gebied inkom.

Virusse se verspreiding verskil, omdat sekere virusse slegs deur insekte wat op die plante voed oorgedra kan word, terwyl ander deur meganiese aanraking of met saad versprei kan word. Strategieë is veral belangrik waar daar nie weerstand bestaan vir ‘n spesifieke virus in die gewas nie – komkommermosaïekvirus in tamaties is een só ‘n voorbeeld.

Wêreldwyd is daar nog verskeie “nuwe” virusse wat nie in Suid-Afrika voorkom nie en vir baie daarvan bestaan daar nie weerstandsbronne nie. Hierdie situasie kan baie groot ekonomiese verliese vir produsente meebring, omdat gewasse se opbrengspotensiaal en kwaliteit verlaag kan word. In die meeste gevalle word die situasie nog verder bemoeilik omdat ontle­ dings in ‘n laboratorium gedoen moet word om die korrekte virus te identifiseer.

Virusinfeksies in tamaties kan ‘n groot invloed hê op die groei en verkleuring van die plante met ‘n vergeling of mosaïekpatroon wat in die meeste gevalle sigbaar is en selfs nekrotiese dele wat kan voorkom. Ander simptome verwys na ‘n verdwerging of vervorming van die blare en stamme – dit kan egter verwar word met die toediening van sekere onkruiddoders, selfs wanneer die toediening indirek in ‘n area was.

Identifikasie van virussimptome kan verder verwar word met tekorte van voedingselemente, aangesien die simptome baie kan ooreenstem.

GROENTE & VRUGTE | SEPTEMBER • OKTOBER 2021

“Tomato curly stunt”-virus op ‘n tamatieplant. Dit is die ras van “Tomato yellow leaf curl” virus wat in Suid-Afrika geïdentifiseer is.

Die produsent kan in ‘n situasie beland waar verskillende virusse een plant kan infekteer sodat die simptome nie tipies vertoon vir ‘n identifikasie nie. Deeglike diagnostiese ontledings is dus van kardinale belang om virusse te identifiseer.

Komkommer-mosaïekvirus Hierdie virus word gewoonlik waargeneem in meer gematigde klimaatstreke, maar kom wêreldwyd voor. Dit kom tans meer op NA BLADSY 18

17

TOMATOES

Sensitief teenoor virusse VANAF BLADSY 17 rissies voor maar kan ook tamaties infekteer. Die virus veroorsaak ‘n tipiese vervorming van die blare (wat bekend staan as die “shoe string” effek) sodat die blare nie ontvou nie en dun bly. Oor die algemeen word chlorotiese vergeling waargeneem en die plante is verdwerg. Geïnfekteerde plante se vrugte is kleiner en kan mosaïekpatrone met bruin kolle vertoon.

Komkommer-mosaïekvirus het ‘n baie wye gasheerreeks, wat verskeie onkruide insluit. Dit word deur verskeie plantluisspesies oorgedra wat op geïnfekteerde plante voed en die virus na gesonde plante versprei. Die plantluise kan binne ‘n paar minute die virus inkry en verspei.

Hierdie virus word nie deur saad oorgedra nie en dit is ook moeilik om dit deur werkers in die lande oor te dra. Daar is tans geen kommersiële variëteite wat weerstand bied teen die virus nie, gevolglik is die beste strategie om te verhoed dat geïnfekteerde plantluise na ander lande versprei. Die waarneming van insekgetalle is dus baie belangrik en dit kan ook raadsaam wees om soveel onkruid as moontlik in die nabye omgewing te verwyder.

Aartappelvirus Y (PVY) vorm donker, nekrotiese dele op die tamatieblare.

Aartappelvirus Y (PVY) Hierdie virus kom wêreldwyd voor, maar anders as komkommer-mosaïekvirus het dit ‘n meer beperkte gasheerreeks, veral in die solanacea-familie. Daar is verskeie rasse van PVY en die simptome is verskillend. Die virusse word meer gereeld in rissies waargeneem as in tamaties. Die simptome kan verskil op grond van wanneer die plant geïnfekteer is en omgewingsfaktore speel ‘n rol.

Plantluise dra hierdie virus oor deur van die plantsap tydens voeding in te neem en dit na gesonde plante oor te dra. Die PVY-virus kan egter deur werkers van plant na plant oorgedra word. Weerstandsgene teen PVY is al geïdentifiseer, maar geen kommersiële variëteite is in die mark vrygestel nie omdat verskillende rasse teenwoordig is.

Die algemene simptome is mosaïekpatrone op die blare en donker, nekrotiese dele kan op die blare voorkom. Die blaarpunte kan terugsterf en die vrugte vertoon mosaïekpatrone, oneweredige rypwording en algemene vermindering in grootte.

Sommige van die ander virusse wat algemeen in Suid-Afrika voorkom is tabak-mosaïekvirus, tamatie-mosaïekvirus, tamatiekromnekvirus en “Tomato yellow leaf curl”-virus. Hierdie virusse word oorgedra deur meganiese aanraking, insekte soos blaaspootjies in die geval van tamatie-kromnekvirus en witvlieë, meer spesifiek Bermicia tabaci in die geval van “Tomato yellow leaf curl”-virus.

Vir al hierdie virusse is daar weerstandbiedende variëteite beskikbaar wat kan help met die verbouing van tamaties. Dit verminder egter nie die risiko of beheerstrategie wat gepaard moet gaan met tamatieverbouing nie. Behoorlike sanitasie en insekbeheer is deurslaggewend om suksesvolle verbouing te ondersteun.

VRYWARING: Hierdie inligting is op Sakata Seed se waarnemings en/of inligting vanaf ander bronne gebaseer. Aangesien gewasprestasie afhang van die interaksie tussen die genetiese potensiaal van die saad, die fisiolo-

18

Simptome van tamatie-kromnekvirus kan duidelik op hierdie tamatievrugte en -blare gesien word. giese eienskappe daarvan en die omgewing, insluitend bestuurs­praktyke, gee Sakata Seed geen uitdruklike waarborg of deur implikasie vir die prestasie van gewasse relatief tot die gegewe inligting nie. Sakata Seed aanvaar nie enige aanspreeklikheid vir enige verlies, direk of as gevolg daarvan, wat te wyte aan enige oorsaak mag ontstaan nie. Lees asseblief Sakata Seed Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd se verkoopsvoorwaardes voordat saad bestel word.

VEGETABLES & FRUIT | SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2021

BRASSICA

Dikvoet in koolgewasse… wat nou?

Vir enige koolgewasboer is die ontdekking van dikvoet-siekte se simptome en kenners se bevestiging daarvan uiters teleurstellende nuus oor die verwoesting wat dit kan veroorsaak.

Francois Barnard INTELISEED SAADSPESIALIS

H

ierdie ontdekking hoef nie noodwendig die einde van koolgewasse op die plaas te beteken nie. Met nou­ keurige bestuur en die nodige kultivars kan die boer steeds suksesvol produkte aan sy kliënte lewer. Uit die staanspoor moet die produsent aanvaar dat dikvoet deel van sy risiko’s gaan wees solank hy koolgewasse plant. Die siekte sal volgens seisoene meer of minder raak, maar nie verdwyn nie.

Dikvoet se ontdekking en uitwerking Die eerste verwysing na dikvoet was in die 13de eeu in Europa. In die laat 18de eeu vernietig dikvoet ‘n groot kool-aanplanting buite die stad St Petersburg, Rusland. Die Russiese wetenskaplike, Mikhail Woronin, identifiseer die siekte in 1875 as die organisme Plasmodiophorous en gee dit die naam Plasmodiophora Brassicae. Die siekte het na 176 lande versprei.

Die swam affekteer hoofsaaklik brokkoli, brusselsspruite, kool, blomkool, rape, radys en mosterd. In 2010 het die wêreld 28,23 miljoen ha mosterd vir plantolie geplant, wat die derde grootste plantaardige oliebron in die wêreld is. In 2003 het die wêreldgebruik van koolgewasgroente op die volgende oppervlaktes gestaan: • brokkoli 155 000 ha, • Brussels 17 000 ha, • kopkool 1 262 000 ha en • blomkool 362 000 ha.

Dikvoet-simptome op brokkoli.

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ORGANIC GROWTH STIMULANT

Die omvangryke aanplantings gee ‘n aanduiding dat ditvoet ‘n verwoestende siekte vir voedselsekuriteit is indien dit nie reg bestuur word nie. Daar is tans 13 stamme wat geïdentifiseer, waarvan sekeres in kombinasies in lande voorkom.

ORGANIC LEAF NUTRITION

Die siekte, beweging en beheer Die siekte is ‘n oerswam wat deur die beweging van gronddeeltjies versprei word, oor die grense van plase, streke en provinsies. Die spoor beland in die grond en wanneer ‘n gasheer beskikbaar is, water teenwoordig is, die grondtemperatuur bo 20-24 ºC en die pH laer as 6,5 is, ontkiem die spoor en produseer soöspore.

NA BLADSY 20

GROENTE & VRUGTE

SEP • OKT 2021

19

MICRONIZED LIME GYPSUM LAND CORRECTORS

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Our ambitions, change the conventional view of plant protection to plant health via its biology.

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082 452 8983 l 083 417 4369 at@worldfocusagri.co.za Address: 9 Silver Crescent, Delmas, 2210

BRASSICA

Dikvoet in koolgewasse … wat nou?

VANAF BLADSY 19

Die parasitiese soöspore swem deur die vogtige grond en dring die gasheerplant se wortels deur wonde of wortelhare binne. Hier vorm dit ‘n plasmodium deur die herverdeling van baie amebe-tipe selle. Hierdie spore kan weer die oorspronklike gasheer besmet of dit kan ander gasheerplante in die omgewing aanval.

Die sekondêre soöspore versprei meganies of deur watererosie en vorm sekondêre plasmodium wat die gasheer se hormone aantas, wat die sel-swelling op die wortels veroorsaak. Die selle verander na wortel-galle, waarin die spore rustend oorwinter wanneer die galle verrot.

Simptome op die land

20

Een van die eerste simptome van ‘n land wat dikvoet het, is dat dele wat nie versuipkolle is nie, omtrent 3 tot 4 ure na sonop verwelk, wanneer die plant se transpirasievlakke sy water-opname oortref. As die plante uitgetrek word, vertoon die wortels abnormale verswelling en die galle wat daar sit belemmer die opname van voedingstowwe en water.

Ander simptome sluit in die vergeling, verdwerging en verwelking van plante, verlaagde produksie en kwaliteit (houvermoë), voortydige afsterwing en jong, wit galle op die wortels

wat ferm is. (Britte het dit vingers-en-tone-siekte genoem.)

Dikvoet het ‘n lang lys gashere en indien ‘n gasheerplant per ongeluk gesaai word, kanselleer dit die vorige jare se gas­ heer-voorkoming en die proses begin weer by jaar 0 van 20 jaar.

In 1987 besluit ‘n plantteler, Peter Tjeertes (Syngenta), om te begin teel aan ‘n breëspektrumweerstand teen die belang­ rikste spesies van dikvoet op koolgewasse. In 1995 behaal sy span ‘n deurbraak en na wêreldwye proewe bevestig Syngenta die weerstand en doen in 2003 aansoek vir patentering op die gene. Gedurende 10-11 September 2004 word dit amptelik aan die publiek bekend gestel tydens ‘n Brassica-konferensie in die stad Krakow, Pole. Drie afvaardigings van die RSA het die konferensie bygewoon en twee van die persone is tans deel van die Inteliseed-span.

In 2008 begin Syngenta met proefnemings in Suid-Afrika en bevind sedertdien dat die weerstand baie goed staan teen die plaaslike dikvoet-spesies. ‘n Ander oplossing is die gebruik van chemiese gewas­ oplossing om grond te berook. Hierdie produkte is baie doeltreffend maar ook ‘n baie duur oplossing. Een probleem wat met beroking ontstaan is dat die berookte land dadelik ná

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BRASSICA

Dikvoet-simptome op die wortels van blomkool.

Dikvoet-simptome op die wortels van brokkoli.

beroking skoon is van dikvoet vir ‘n periode wat geen persoon kan voorspel nie.

Die kanse is goed dat voertuie, diere of mense die siekte binne 6 tot 12 maande weer na die land toe gaan versprei en omdat koolgewasse ‘n gewas met lae waarde is, regverdig dit nie die koste/risiko om die siekte só te beheer nie.

Die koolgewas-produsent se gewasproduksiestelsels Die koolgewas-produsent behoort eerstens sy plaas teen dikvoet-besmetting te beskerm deur voete en verkeer van bronne buite die boerdery deur sy plaas en landerye te beperk.

Tweedens, wanneer dikvoet wel op die landerye gevind word, moet die produsent klem lê op die volgende aspekte: • Gewasrotasie om gashere vir die siekte te beperk.

• Beheer onkruide tussen gewasse, sodat daar nie gashere op die lande kan groei nie en maak gebruik van dekgewasse.

• Bestuur die grondstatus deur te fokus op pH >7, beperk oorbenatting van lande of gebruik drupbesproeiing, vermy die produksie van brassicas wanneer die grondtemperatuur >20 °C is.

• Maak van chemiese beheerprodukte gebruik wat koste­ doeltreffend is, wanneer die teikengebied groter is as 100 m2 is.

Daarbenewens kan produsente gebruik maak van weerstandbiedende kultivars van Syngenta Vegetable Seeds. Saam met die genoemde beheermaatreëls, haal hierdie kultivars die risiko uit die verbouing van blomkool, brokkoli, kopkool en Brusselse spruite in besmette grond.

GROENTE & VRUGTE | SEPTEMBER • OKTOBER 2021

Twee blomkoolkultivars se genetiese weerstand teen dikvoet.

21

‘N OSEAAN VAN VOORDELE AFRIKELP ® BIOSTIMULANTE

Bevorder groei, kwaliteit en obrengs.

Waar land en water ontmoet … daar lê ’n oseaan van voordele.

Afrikelp® het met die natuur kragte saamgespan om vir jou ’n natuurlike oplossing vir verbeterde landbouprestasie te bring. Ons vloeibare seewierekstrak is wetenskaplik ontwikkel om noodsaaklike komponente te behou wat opbrengs en gewaskwaliteit verbeter en weerstand bied teen omgewingstresfaktore. Bou ’n vennootskap met ’n maatskappy wat die voordele van die oseaan benut tot die voordeel van jou boerdery.

Bou ’n vennootskap met Afrikelp.

Mengbaarheid: Afrikelp is mengbaar met ’n wye verskeidenheid ander landbouprodukte.

Grond: Verbeter die groeikragtigheid van saailinge deur middel van direkte aanwending by die wortels.

Volhoubaarheid: Ons vloeibare seewierekstrakte word geproduseer van seewier wat op ‘n volhoubare wyse geoes is, vir die wedersydse voordeel van die oseaan en jou boerdery.

Groei: Afrikelp se unieke samestelling van natuurlike biostimulante, hoofsaaklik ouksien, stimuleer die groei van wortels, spruite en vrugte.

Plant: Kan direk aangewend word op die blare van plante deur middel van blaarsproei.

Dinamies: Verbeter die dinamiese biochemiese prosesse in die plant vir optimale plantselontwikkeling.

Kelp: Die unieke Suid-Afrikaanse kelp, Ecklonia maxima, ryk in ouksien, sinchroniseer en bevorder gewasproduksie.

Het jy al die krag van die natuur aangewend?

Gesels met ons vir meer inligting.

+27 21 551 3556 www.afrikelp.com

Elim is ’n eksklusiewe verspreider van Afrikelp-produkte. Kontak jou naaste

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ALGEMEEN

Met kontrole en veldproewe word kwaliteit gehandhaaf Afrikelp® het oor die laaste drie dekades gegroei tot een van die toonaangewende maatskappye wat vloeibare biostimulante vir die landbousektor uit kelp vervaardig.

”O

ns mikpunt is om ’n betroubare waardeskakel in die landbousektor te wees, omdat ons produkte van goeie kwaliteit aan boere verskaf wat hulle produktiwiteit verbeter. Om seker te maak ons lewer gehalteprodukte aan produsente, het ons ’n unieke standaardiseringsproses ontwikkel.

Elke versending is aan hierdie omvattende proses van gehaltekontrole onderhewig. Omdat ons produk uit kelp vervaardig word, ’n natuurlike produk, is standaardisering noodsaaklik om voortdurend ons belofte van gehalte na te kom,” sê Salo Minnaar, kommersiële direkteur by Afrikelp.

Afrikelp se unieke, vloeibare seewierkonsentraat is ’n na­ tuu­ r­­ like plantbiostimulant wat ouksien bevat, ’n planthormoon afkomstig van die bruin kelp, Ecklonia maxima. Ter wille van voortgesette kwaliteit word die konsentraat nie net by Afrikelp se laboratorium in Kaapstad getoets nie, maar ook by eksterne en internasionale laboratoriums.

“Ons gehaltebeheer gaan selfs verder as die chemiese ont­ ledings in die laboratorium. Om die biologiese aktiwiteit en pre­stasie op die plaas te verseker, doen ons ook bio-standaardtoetse. Met hierdie tweeledige biologiese toetsprosedure sorg

Afrikelp dat die aktiewe bestanddele in die regte hoeveelhede in die produk teenwoordig is en dat dit in die vervaardigings­ proses behoue bly.

“Hoewel hierdie laboratoriumtoetse kontroleer dat dit wat op die etiket staan, wel in die houer is wat op die plaas afgelewer word, is dit net so belangrik dat ons die produk op die plaas onder kommersiële produksietoestande evalueer.

Daarom plant ons landboukundiges verskeie gewasproewe oor meervoudige seisoene op verskeie lokaliteite en in ’n verskeidenheid klimaat- en grondtoestande.

“Met die proewe kan ons die produsent reg adviseer en akkurate aanbevelings van dosering- en toedieningstydstip maak, sodat die boer optimaal voordeel trek uit sy ekonomiese belegging. Die veldproewe sluit interne en eksterne statistiese proewe in, asook kommersiële en demonstrasie proewe,” sê Salo.

“Die proewe is ’n uitstekende manier om ons produk te evalueer, maar ook om insig te kry in die boer se behoeftes, gewasbeplanning en praktyke. Ons baseer ons evaluerings­ programme op sekere sleutelgewasse en neem die behoeftes van ons verspreiders ook in ag.

“Om proewe op verskillende plase en verskillende streke onder SuidAfrikaanse toestande te plant bied baie voordele. Hoe meer lokaliteite ons kan benut, hoe meer betroubaar is die inligting daaruit en hoe beter is die aanbevelings wat ons uiteindelik maak.”

Volgens Salo bied die proewe op plase die geleentheid aan produsen­ te om toegepaste navorsing, asook die produkte en praktyke op hul eie grond, te toets.

Goeie verhoudinge en voortdurende ge­ sprekke met boere lewer konstruktiewe terugvoering en hou voordeel in vir die produsent wat die produkte gebruik. Salo Minnaar (links) bespreek die gebruik van Afrikelp op avokado-saailinge met Zander Ernst van Allesbeste in Tzaneen.

Foto: Magda du Toit.

GROENTE & VRUGTE | SEPTEMBER • OKTOBER 2021

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ALGEMEEN

High global demand and elevated prices bode well The stage is set for another record export year for agricultural products.

International demand remains high and prices for major export products continue to be at elevated levels. The year started on a high note when South Africa recorded an agricultural trade surplus and the second largest export earnings on record in the first quarter.

FNB

T

he outlook for the rest of the year remains favourable, says Dawie Maree, Head of Information and Marketing at FNB Agriculture. The weather came to the party and allowed for an excellent agriculture season that saw record crops across most commodities. The grain and oilseed crop topped 17,07 million tons, which is almost 2% higher year-on-year.

Citrus “The country’s production capacity for export products is quite robust. We expect that we will once again see record exports for our citrus products this year.” Maree says initial export figures for oranges up to the end of June were on an upward trajectory. Growth in exports to Africa, Asia and the Middle East rocketed by almost 30%. At the start of the season, total orange exports increased by 2% to 10,8 million cartons (15 kg cartons).

Soft citrus, referred to as “easy peelers” such as tangerines and clementines, recorded a 12% growth yearly. This represents exports of 9,84 million cartons. The third-largest market for soft citrus is the Middle East, with a market share of 14%.

Exports in that market grew 61% year-to-date.

Logistical issues have impacted initial export volumes for the year negatively. Maree says the unavailability of containers for exports resulted in delays in shipments. However, the delays were not only limited to SA; it was a global issue. This, coupled with the unrest in KZN and Transnet’s IT problems, put the export of citrus on the back foot, but it seems as if it recovered from the initial setbacks.

According to TradeMap data, total citrus exports during the first quarter this year were 852 964 tons, up 0,7% yearon-year. Strong demand on export markets due to the health benefits of citrus commodities in the wake of the Covid-19 global crisis underpinned the good export performance.

In value terms, the second quarter citrus export revenue reached 14,2% higher year on year. The Netherlands account-

GROENTE & VRUGTE | SEPTEMBER • OKTOBER 2021

Dawie Maree

ed for 20,6% and 19,8% of the total second quarter and half-year volumes of the top ten country destinations. The cumulative total exports of grapefruit, lemons and soft citrus for the year to week 30 of the export season have increased 15%, 1%, and 9% respectively, year-on-year at 14,64 million, 21,77 million, and 16,01million cartons.

Production conditions for the rest of the year remain favourable. “We are seeing good rainfall for winter crops in the Western Cape. Dams which are critical for irrigation are currently at good levels, apart from areas in the Eastern Cape where lower dam levels will impact production,” says Maree.

The most important export items remain fruits, nuts, grain and meat.

Meat and edible meat offal posted substantial gains in exports in the second quarter with volumes up 86% quarter-onquarter and 96% year-on-year at 46 650 tons. This brought the total year to June meat exports to 71 707 tons which 46% higher year-on-year.

Good export revenue was underpinned by strong export demand despite the rand/dollar exchange rate appreciation.

The average exchange rate appreciation for the first half of 2021 was a whopping 13% relative to the same period in 2020.

“The South African agricultural sector remains well-diversified and with the geographical distribution of crops and livestock, we remain optimistic about another stellar performance from the sector,” says Maree.

25

ALGEMEEN

SA’s first saffron season exceeds expectations South Africa started its first full-fledged planting of saffron this year, and the first season exceeded all expectations, with most farmers producing successful crops.

A

ccording to Bennie Engelbrecht, founding member and director of Saffricon, the company at the helm of the local saffron revolution, saffron has been planted in all provinces.

The feedback from farmers indicates a success rate of about 95%.

“Here and there farmers experienced some hiccups, but the vast majority's crops were successful and produced flowers. In many cases, year one's harvest yielded more flowers than initially expected. This bodes well for the next seasons' harvests and the expansion of the industry.”

Saffron corms multiply underground under favourable conditions, on average three times a year, with flower production usually peaking in year three. Saffron is a winter crop and corms are typically planted between March and April.

The flowers – which have the blood-red saffron threads – are harvested 40 days after the corms sprout. Furthermore, flowers should be harvested immediately, on the day they start flowering.

Saffricon signed outgrower contracts with three farmers – one in Laingsburg and two in Pretoria – with plantings ranging from about 6 000 corms to just over 150 000 corms. Next year, however, many more contracts will be concluded thanks to the greater number of corms available to supply farmers.

The outgrower contracts with farmers will be concluded on a franchise basis and according to Engelbrecht, there is massive interest from prospective saffron farmers. Corné Liebenberg,

GROENTE & VRUGTE | SEPTEMBER • OKTOBER 2021

marketing director of Laeveld Agrochem, says this demand has primarily been driven by the enormous media interest and coverage that the cultivation of saffron received in South Africa.

Saffricon also sold 173 starter packs to 134 interested parties. A starter pack contains approximately 700 prepared corms, plant nutrition and a growing programme, soil analyses done by Nvirotek and recommendations made by Agri Technovation, a manual to help with cultivation, as well as support from Saffricon.

“The starter packs are ideal, as they allow prospective farmers to test the cultivation of saffron all over South Africa in different growing conditions before considering farming on a larger scale,” says Engelbrecht.

“For everyone I talk to, the most attractive part of the current offer is the fact that they ‘only need to get the corms in the ground’ and that Saffricon buys back the saffron, as well as the corms after year three. So, there is a certain outcome that gives peace of mind,” says Liebenberg.

Buyer interest from the Middle East According to Engelbrecht, there is a lot of buyer interest in their saffron, and they are currently negotiating with various parties in the Middle East. The world demand for saffron is much greater than what is produced annually – good news for TO PAGE 28

27

GENERAL

SA's first saffron season exceeds expectations FROM PAGE 27 local production. According to Statista, a supplier of market and consumer data, Iran is by far the largest producer and produced 430 tonnes in 2019. India’s Kashmir region was the second-largest producer with 22 tonnes, followed by Greece with 7,2 tonnes.

SA climate ideal for saffron cultivation ISO classification indicates that saffron is of top quality

SCAN ME

28

Engelbrecht believes that South Africa has the potential to become one of the world’s top suppliers of saffron, provided it is done on a rational and orderly basis. Saffron is graded according to the International Organisation for Standardisation’s ISO3632 classification for saffron. Initial indications are that Saffricon’s saffron is of a very high quality, which means that their product should fetch a reasonable price on the international market, according to Engelbrecht.

In South Africa, saffron (also called “red gold”) sells for as much as R250/g or R250 000/kg. This hefty consumer price is attributed to labour-intensive harvesting methods: everything is done by hand, from picking the flowers to removing the threads. About 150 000 flowers are needed for the delivery of 1 kg of saffron. When production reaches a peak, the yield per hectare in year three can vary from 1 kg to 5 kg.

The farming of saffron is ideally suited to the South African climate, especially as a severe drought has hit large parts of the country in recent years. Saffron requires much less water than several of the large traditional crops in South Africa. The most prevalent annual crops require roughly between 500 mm and 800 mm of irrigation per season and saffron only needs between 250 mm and 300 mm per season.

Saffron is primarily used in the food industry as a seasoning to enhance flavour and aroma but also has great use in the natural cosmetics and natural medicine industries and as a dye in the textile industry.

Saffricon will soon launch new franchise opportunities for the cultivation of saffron. Those who have already put their starter packs to the test will be given preference. Information regarding starter packs for 2022 will also be available soon.

For more information, keep an eye on their website at www. saffricon.co.za, or send an e-mail to info@saffricon.com.

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ALGEMEEN

Modern supply chains of the future will be digitalised, data-driven and look to harness the power of machine learning and artificial intelligence to optimise processes and operate at previously unthinkable levels of precision.

Disrupting the supply chain with better data analysis According to the SAS Experience 2030 research, 65% of South African consumers have indicated that they will not be returning to traditional shopping practices. However, following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, 37% of those stated they will use even more online and digital apps than currently. This puts significant pressure on supply chain planning and logistics as organisations must ensure products arrive on time and deliver a quality customer experience.

A

ccording to Ronald Breedveld, Senior Retail & CPG Director, SAS Institute in France, the old ways of operating businesses will not succeed in the future given how consumer buying patterns, the supply chain and logistics are all subject to significant and rapid changes in the highly connected world.

“A key component for retailers is accurately forecasting short-term consumer demand to ensure that their products are available to consumers when they need them,” says Breedveld.

Implementing a short-term (one to eight week) forecast is critical to understanding and predicting changing consumer

GROENTE & VRUGTE | SEPTEMBER • OKTOBER 2021

demand patterns associated with sales promotions, events, weather conditions, natural disasters and other unexpected shifts (anomalies) in consumer demand.

“Short-term demand sensing allows retailers to predict and adapt to those changing consumer demand patterns and has become an imperative for success in the local operating environment,” continues Breedveld.

This is where a machine learning (ML) approach to creating these weekly and daily short-term demand forecasts becomes TO PAGE 30

29

GENERAL

Disrupting the supply chain with better data analysis FROM PAGE 29

To achieve effective demand-supply planning requires collaboration between all business departments, not least of all marketing, sales, supply chain and finance.

invaluable. Using this approach, combining segmentation analysis, ML, and traditional time-series forecasting models, retailers can generate improved forecasts using historical supply signal (shipments) data. It can be combined with point-of-sale data (demand signal), sales promotions, trade inventory, etc.

“Fundamental to all this is effectively managing the explosion of data being generated by the myriad of touchpoints.

The vast network of connected sensors and involved devices is altering how we think about supply chains and how they are managed. We can now see much more about what is going on, and that inevitably means that new opportunities are opening, as well as new challenges,” says Breedveld.

“The artificial intelligence of things (AIoT) is also adding new opportunities and challenges. More data is available from both inside and outside the organisation, whether a retailer or otherwise. Understanding has increased around the value of analytics in the supply chain, and more analytical processes are available. Therefore, adoption is increasing, but slowly.”

Modern supply chains are networks of the incumbent and potential service providers. All of them produce an incredibly complex range of data and – if harnessed correctly – can form the basis for quick and simple decisions to ensure the sustainability of a business.

Demand sensing, trend analysis and pattern recognition can be leveraged daily to make decisions about how, when and where to send goods to optimise replenishment, improve

30

inventory levels and maximise availability on the shelf where demand is highest. Pattern and trend analysis allow for quick decision-making in responding rapidly to changing consumer buying patterns.

Breedveld indicates that business value is increasingly driven by the volume of satisfied and repeat customers.

“The pressure to get the right product to the right place at the right time at the right cost is even higher than it has been before. The people who turn that big picture into executional reality are supply chain leaders. This is increasingly the case as value chains become more network-based. We are in an age of instant gratification and as a result, board members are increasingly turning to those executives who can change strategies into execution reality.”

The Experience 2030 research also found that 16% of customers globally have switched service providers for faster or more convenient delivery options and a further 13% changed providers due to a negative customer experience.

“Today’s long, complex supply chains generate huge amounts of data. The importance of understanding the supply chains and gauging how resilient they are has been brought into sharp focus by the pandemic. Analytics help organisations to make sense of this data and make sure organisations fully understand what is happening and how best to adapt to customer demand,” concludes Breedveld.

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GENERAL

Deciduous fruit industry awards Johannes Fourie

The South African deciduous fruit industry recently honoured individuals for excellence at the 46th Fruit Industry Gala Awards, in a year marked by unusual challenges and successes.

T

Fritz Bekker

he awards recognise an inclusive range of individuals in the agricultural sector, such as agricultural workers, researchers, scientists and industry leaders.

According to Jacques Jordaan, chairman of the awards committee and CEO of the Canning Fruit Producers Association, the awards play a vital role in maintaining the morale of the agricultural workers and the industry as a whole. In addition, Jordaan said, “The awards as a platform motivates and inspires people to strive for their goals and in so doing helps to build an industry that is a major player in the international fruit arena."

According to Jordaan, the industry negotiated the covid pandemic over the past year by continuing production, harvesting, and packing without disruptions to the value-chain, showed character and backbone. He said that agriculture is about people and therefore it is only apt to recognise the people that make the industry what it is.

List of award winners 2021

Ricard Myburgh

• General Agricultural Worker: Xolani Nameko, Kromfontein, Dutoit Agri • Specialist Agricultural Worker: Gert Jantjies, Kromfontein, Dutoit Agri • Advanced Agricultural Worker: Dumisani Jackson Booi, Graymead, Fruitways • New Entrant Award: Ricard Myburgh • Izethelo Media Award: Carolize Jansen • Research and Technology Award: Gariep Watch • OSH Reinecke Industry Frontrunner Award: Johannes Fourie The winner for general agricultural worker is Xolani Nameko from Kromfontein, Dutoit Agri in the Koue Bokkeveld. Nameko proved himself as a hard worker who is willing to learn.

He gained experience at Dutoit Agri’s Bergsig development where he was responsible for about 110 hectares. Here he ensured that everything from the training systems, irrigation, and planting of the trees was completed correctly and on time. Nameko then joined Kromfontein full time working on training systems structures for overhead nets.

The winner for specialist agricultural worker is Gert Jantjies from Kromfontein in the Koue Bokkeveld. Jantjies grew up

Dumisani Jackson Booi

32

TO PAGE 34

VEGETABLES & FRUIT | SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2021

GENERAL

Deciduous fruit industry awards FROM PAGE 32

on Kromfontein and, from a young age, loved farm life. He started working as a general worker at Kromfontein for Dutoit Agri in the Koue Bokkeveld in 1977. Over the years, Jantjies has increasingly proven himself as an employee who can apply the correct pruning methods to different trees. He is always eager to learn new orchard methods and became interested in graft and bud work. Later, he was appointed as a foreman that managed a specialist team of 16 people.

The winner for advanced agricultural worker is Dumisani Jackson Booi from Graymead farm (Fruitways Group), Vyeboom. At the age of 20, Booi started working as a general worker at Fruitways Graymead in 1988. After fulfilling different roles as part of the irrigation maintenance and spray teams, he was appointed as a permanent supervisor with a team of 12 people performing pruning, thinning, and picking in 2010. In 2015, his team grew to 18. In 2021 his management skills won him the title of ‘best performing supervisor in the categories production, quality, and bruising’. He is also closely involved with the community and serves as a committee member on the Street People Committee forum in Villiersdorp. This speaks to his passion for people and his drive to make a difference.

The winner for the new entrant award is Ricard Myburgh for his exceptional performance as a new entrant in the agricultural arena. Cortina Farms is a successful 100% blackowned business managed by the Myburgh family. Myburgh joined the family business in 2013 and took over the fruit production unit management from his father.

While most farms suffered during the drought period in 2016/17, Cortina Farms managed to do exceptionally well despite the challenging conditions. He improved their water management systems through enhanced technology and improved general farming practices. The farm has approximately 40 hectares of established pome fruit orchards and produces between 6 000 and 6 500 bins annually. Of this, 50% is exported. Previous accolades by Myburgh include winning the Toyota SA New Harvester award in 2017 and being awarded the Jobs Fund Young Entrepreneur Award in 2019. By winning this award, he follows in the footsteps of this father Richard Myburgh who won the award in 2014.

The research & technology award went to Gariep Watch.

Over several years, the water quality of the Orange River has been deteriorating with an increase in salinity, heavy metals, and bacteriological contamination. The Orange River is the only reliable water source in the Northern Cape. Many communities, industries, and agricultural producers are dependent on clean water from this water source. The river is also home to an important ecosystem.

Catchment management approaches by the local authorities failed to deal with the challenges posed by the complex river systems, such as population growth, poor maintenance, and urbanisation. The lack of resources and accountability exacerbated the problem and put the Northern Cape’s decidu-

34

Gert Jantjies

Xolani Nameko

ous fruit industry at risk.

Gariep Watch was founded as a non-government organisation with the aim to spearhead research and stakeholder engagement. The strategy aimed to ensure acceptable water quality and water availability in the Orange River and Lower Vaal River. The study area extends over 777 km, ranging from the Vanderkloof Dam in the east to Onseepkans in the west.

The Vaal River, downstream from Bloemhof Dam, was included in the Gariep Watch monitoring programme in December 2020. Fritz Bekker received the award on behalf of Gariep Watch.

The Izethelo media award, went to Carolize Jansen. Jansen is a journalist at FreshPlaza and responsible for daily news reporting on Southern Africa’s fresh produce industry.

The O.S.H. Reinecke frontrunner award went to Johannes Fourie as the industry leader of excellence in 2021. Fourie was a board member of the former Dried Fruit Council until its dissolution in 1996 and a board member of the SA Dried Fruit Cooperative (SAD). Fourie was a director of Dried Fruit Technical Services from 2003 and became chairman in 2005, which he held until the DFTS’s integration with Hortgro. He then chaired the newly established Raisins SA. He was also chairman of the Dried Fruit Industry Trust from its inception until 2019. He was also the chairman of the International Raisins Association for two terms.

VEGETABLES & FRUIT | SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2021

Tindrum 19/115

Tamatieprodukte wat werk Kry doeltreffende beheer van skadelike swamsiektes, insekte en Rooispinmyte met Philagro se kragtige tamatie-treffers: Rooispinmyte • Meothrin® beheer onvolwasse en volwasse myte, terwyl Smite® alle onvolwasse stadia, insluitende eiers dood en wyfies steriliseer.

• ‘n Tenkmengsel van Smite® en Meothrin® is die oplossing vir ‘n populasie Rooispinmyte waar eiers, onvolwassenes en volwassenes teenwoordig is. Buiten die effektiwiteit is hierdie tenkmengsel ook die perfekte anti-weerstandsbespuiting.

• Milbeknock® 1% EC is ‘n is `n middel van natuurlike oorsprong wat alle stadiums van die Rooispinmyt lewenssiklus beheer. Hierdie produk pas uitstekend in ‘n anti-weerstandsprogram saam met Smite® en Meothrin®.

Afrika bolwurm en Tamatie blaarmyner (Tuta absoluta) • SumiPleo® word met groot sukses aangewend vir die beheer van Afrika bolwurm in tamaties en Aartappelmotlarwes in aartapples. SumiPleo® behoort aan ‘n nuwe chemie groep met geen kruisweerstand met ander produkte wat vir dieselfde gebruik geregistreer is nie. SumiPleo® het ook onlangs registrasie ontvang vir die beheer van tamatie Blaarmyner.

• S umi-Alpha® 200 EC en Sumi-Alpha® 200 EW is twee middels met goeie UV sonligweerstand wat alle Snywurm spesies en Afrika bolwurm effektief in tamaties sal beheer.

Afrika bolwurm en Valslandmeterwurms • DiPel® DF en Florbac® WG is van natuurlike oorsprong met geen onthoudingsperiode voor oes nie, wat beteken dat produsente tamatievrugte selfs tot een dag voor oes, sonder onthouding, teen kleiner Afrika bolwurms en Valslandmeterwurms kan behandel.

• Hierdie is middels met geen invloed op natuurlike insekvyande asook bestuiwers soos heuningbye het nie wat sal verseker dat die boer sy oes op die veilige manier beskerm.

Vroeëroes en Botrytis • Sumisclex® SC is ’n ou staatmaker wat nog gereeld met groot tevredenheid toegedien word teen Vroeëroes en Botrytis op tamaties.

Praat gerus met jou naaste Philagro-agent oor betroubare tamatieprodukte wat werk.

RAADPLEEG DIE ONDERSKEIE PRODUKETIKETTE VIR VOLLEDIGE GEBRUIKSAANWYSINGS & -BEPERKINGS Smite® (Reg. nr. L6011, Wet nr. 36 van 1947) bevat etoksasool, versigtig. Sumisclex® SC (Reg. nr. L6377, Wet nr. 36 van 1947) bevat prosimidoon. Sumi-Alpha® 200 EC (Reg. nr. L6452, Wet nr. 36 van 1947) bevat esfenvaleraat, giftig. Sumi-Alpha® 200 EW (Reg. nr. L8821, Wet nr. 36 van 1947) bevat esfenvaleraat, skadelik. Meothrin® (Reg. nr. L6385, Wet nr. 36 van 1947) bevat fenpropatrien, giftig. DiPel® DF (Reg. nr. L6441, Wet nr. 36 van 1947) bevat Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki. Florbac® WG (Reg. nr. L5531, Wet nr. 36 van 1947) bevat Bacillus thuringiensis var aizawai. Milbeknock® 1% EC (Reg. nr. L6654, Wet nr. 36 van 1947) bevat milbemektien, versigtig. SumiPleo® (Reg. nr. L8377, Wet nr. 36 van 1947) bevat piradaliel dichloropropeen derivaat, versigtig. Milbeknock® is die geregistreerde handelsmerk van Sumitomo Corporation, Japan. Smite®, Sumisclex®, Sumi-Alpha®, SumiPleo® en Meothrin® is geregistreerde handelsmerke van Sumitomo Chemical Company, Japan. Florbac® en DiPel® is die geregistreerde handelsmerke van Valent BioSciences, VSA.

Philagro Suid-Afrika (Edms) Bpk l Reg. nr.: 98/10658107 PostNet Suite #378, Privaatsak X025, Lynnwoodrif 0040 Pretoria: 012 348 8808 l Somerset Wes: 021 851 4163 www.philagro.co.za

P R O D U K T E W AT W E R K V A N M E N S E W AT O M G E E

GENERAL

Moderne fasiliteite vir Argo in Suid-Afrika

Argo Tractors is een van die maatskapye in landboumeganisasie met Landini en McCormick as twee van die bekendste en gerespekteerde handelsmerke.

Argo Tractors is een van die maatskappye in landboumeganisasie met Landini en McCormick as twee van die bekendste en gerespekteerde handelsmerke in landboumeganisasie wêreldwyd.

Met stewige ankers in die gespesialiseerde wingerd-, boord- en groentebedrywe, sowel as in rygewasse, stap die maatskappye ’n blink toekoms saam met produsente tegemoet.

T

ydens ’n sooispit-geleentheid in Pomona, Kempton Park, het Argo aangekondig dat hulle ’n splinter nuwe fasiliteit in Suid-Afrika gaan bou.

Tydens die geleentheid het Simeone Morra, Direkteur Korporatiewe Besigheid van ARGO Tractors in Italië, gesê “dat die besluit om in hierdie fasiliteit te investeer uit hul globale visie spruit wat inhou dat hulle uitstekende kliëntediens aan al hul strategiese markte, insluitend Suid-Afrika, wil lewer.”

Die maatskappy beplan om in April 1922 die nuwe fasiliteit wat ook die nuwe hoofkantoor sal wees, te betrek.

36

“Hierdie nuwe aanleg sal ook die tuiste wees van ons ge­ vorderde opleidingsentrum wat ons plaaslike handelaars in Suid-Afrika gaan ondersteun en vanwaar ons ook spesiale geleen­thede vir ons kliënte sal aanbied. Hierdie ’n vooraan­ staande operasionele fasiliteit is ontwerp om ons hoë-werk­ verrigtingprodukte die beste ten toon te stel,” het Godfried Heydenrych, Besturende Direkteur van Argo Industrial gesê.

Volgens Heydenrych is die gebou is spesiaal ontwerp en gebou om die groeiende behoeftes van Argo se kliënte aan te spreek. Hy meen verder dat die ligging in Pomona, Kempton

VEGETABLES & FRUIT | SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2021

ALGEMEEN

Sedert die terugkeer van Landini na Suid-Afrika het hulle, hul produkaanbieding uitgebrei en bied vandag Landini en McCormick trekkers.

Park, asook die 6 400 m² gebou ’n beduidende verbetering op die huidige fasiliteite is. “Die gebou is so ontwerp dat dit maksimum lig kan benut en ook die lugdruk binne die gebou sal stof bekamp. Beide hierdie eienskappe sal uiteindelik bydra tot verminderde energieverbruik."

Die diensarea sal met 9 diensstasies spog waar trekkers aanmekaar gesit sal word wat verskepingskoste aansienlik sal verminder. Die versterkte vloere sal die swaar masjinerie met gemak kan hanteer. Verder sal daar ’n toegesegde wasarea en stoor wees. Die implemente en ander toerusting sal op ’n netjies geplaveide gedeelte van die terrein ten toon gestel word. In die 700 m² vertoonlokaal sal die nuutste moderne

trekkers en ander implemente van beide Landini en McCormick ten toon gestel word.

"Ons is daartoe verbind om wêreldgehalte trekkers, implemente en diens aan ons kliënte te lewer,” sê Heydenrych.

"Die nuwe fasiliteit sal ons personeel en handelaars nie net ondersteun in hul verkoopsaksiess nie, maar ook met kliëntediens en na-verkoopdiens."

Die hele maatskappy, insluitend die administratiewe, bemarkings, verkope, en onderdele, opleiding en ander ondersteunende dienste sal na die nuwe fasiliteite skuif en sal die markte in Angola, Botswana, die DRC, Malawi, Mosambiek, Tanzanië, Zambië en Zimbabwe ondersteun.

“Ons personeel en die omgewing staan sentraal in ons besigheid en hierdie fokus word bevestig deur ons verbintenis om die werksplek so veilig en gemaklik as moontlik vir ons personeel in te rig,” het Heydenrych bygevoeg.

Sedert die terugkeer van Landini na Suid-Afrika in 1994, het Argo Industrial hul produkaanbieding uitgebrei en bied vandag Landini en McCormick trekkers, Maschio Gaspardo en Morra implemente asook Sigma 4 voorlaaiers. “Die groei in ons besigheid en markaandeel het die investering in hierdie fasiliteit genoodsaak en ons weet dat hierdie belegging op sy beurt weer verdere groei in die besigheid in Suid-Afrika sal bring,” het Simeone Morra afgesluit.

37

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INSECT COLUMN

Common cutworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) The common cutworm (Agrotis segetum) is polyphagous and one of the most important pests in Africa, Asia and Europe. It has a very wide range of host plants that include, tomato, maize, brassicas, cotton, spruce, leeks, beetroot, sunflower, potato, sweet potato, wheat, clover and tobacco.

Nozibusiso Maphumulo IPM-PROGRAMME, NORTH-WEST UNIVERSITY, POTCHEFSTROOM

Figure 1: Eggs of the turnip moth.

Source: https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/3797#toPictures

Common cutworm classification: Common (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Class: Insecta (insects) Order: Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) Family: Noctuidae Genus: Agrotis Species: Segetum

M

oths lay eggs 5 to 11 days after emergence from the soil. Eggs are laid on vegetation, especially on weedy plants, inside soil cracks or on soil surfaces next to emerging seedlings. Moths preferably lay eggs on wet soils from dripirrigated crops where the eggs are more likely to survive. Eggs are laid either singly or in small clusters.

Larvae hatch after 3 days (at high temperatures) to 24 days (at low temperatures) and start feeding on vegetation close to the soil surface. They are mostly nocturnal and spend most of their life in the soil close to plants. There are six larval stages and the duration ranges from 34 to 114 days in the soil, depending on the temperature of soil and the availability of host plants. They pupate below soil level and the pupal period lasts between 2 and 8 weeks. Moths can live for about three weeks and there can be up to 4 generations per year.

Eggs that are freshly laid are pale and whitish and turn to a reddish pattern on a paler background, resulting in a pinkishbrown appearance at a later stage. They are roundish in shape and about 0,5 mm in length. The colour of common cutworm larva may vary until the final instar. Larvae that are fully grown are approximately 45 mm long and greyish-brown, often smooth with a slightly greasy appearance. It may appear more brown than grey. It has two spotted yellow stripes that runs down the back. Adult moths are greyish-brown in colour, 4050 mm wide and 20-30 mm long.

The larva is the damaging stage of the common cutworm.

It can be easily identified by curling into a C-shape when hiding in the soil during daytime. The characteristic feeding damage of the common cutworm is a cleanly cut off seedling at the surface of the soil as a result of the larva that ate through the stem. External feeding on leaves can be noticed by very tiny round windowpanes, after the larvae have eaten the upper epidermis, leaving the lower epidermis. Damage to seed-

38

Figure 2: Turnip larva.

Source: https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/3797#toPictures

Figure 3: Turnip moth.

Source: https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/3797#toPictures

lings of crop plants is usually observed once the seedlings wilt or fall over. Attacked tubers and roots can be noticed by holes ranging from small and shallow to very big and deep holes.

Control methods include hand-picking, pheromone traps, bait traps, weed control, avoiding wet fields, netting or row covers and insecticide application. Biopesticides such as entomopathogenic fungi (e.g., Metarhizium) may also be used.

Enquiries: mashimanenozi03@gmail.com

VEGETABLES & FRUIT | SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2021

Ons rugsteun jou deur GEWASBESKERMING

Serenade® is geregistreer vir Bakteriese spikkel op tamaties en Botrytis op druiwe. // Wanneer toegedien op druiwe as deel van die “Bayer Flower Power” geïntegreerde gewas-

Buigsaamheid +

beskermingsprogram, sal

Serenade® die beheer van Botrytis ondersteun.

// Hierdie unieke biologiese stam teiken die organisme wat die

siekte veroorsaak op verskeie

maniere. Dit bied ’n sterk weerstandsbestuur hulpmiddel.

// Serenade® bied buigsaamheid in toedieningstydperk aangesien daar geen

onthoudingsperiode is nie.

Jou trots

ons passie

Kom ons gesels ... @Bayer4Crops

A28125/V&F

Bayer (Edms) Bpk. Reg. Nr. 1968/011192/07 Wrenchweg 27, Isando, 1601.

Posbus 143, Isando, 1600.

Tel: +27 11 921 5002 www.cropscience.bayer.co.za /// www.bayer.co.za

Serenade® Reg. Nr. L8544 (Wet Nr. 36 of 1947).

Serenade® bevat Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. (Versigtig).

Serenade® is ’n geregistreerde handelsmerk van Bayer AG, Duitsland. Gebruik slegs volgens etiketaanwysings.

Biologies Verbeterde Gewasbeskerming

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www.firsttech.co.za /company/first-technology

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