Net essentials
What you need to know to get started. By Anna Mouton. Pome and stone fruit production under nets is surging — but are nets appropriate for all orchards? Fresh Quarterly spoke to six people across the industry about their practical…
Sunburn research summarised
Highlights of projects funded by Hortgro Pome and Hortgro Stone Hortgro Pome and Hortgro Stone have funded — and continue to fund — extensive research into the development and control of sunburn. The goal is to better understand the causes…
Sunburn
Why it happens and how to prevent it. By Anna Mouton. Sunburn is the damage caused by too much sun exposure — anyone who spends time outdoors knows this. People tend to find a tan attractive in humans but not…
Drawing the line on plastic use
A new project to reduce plastic in pome-fruit packaging. By Grethe Bestbier. As the pressure on producers and pack houses to use environmentally friendly practices increases, a group of researchers is asking how we can reduce the use of plastic…
Putting it in pictures
Creating a complete image database of pome-fruit diseases and disorders. By Grethe Bestbier. A picture tells a thousand words, and a compilation of pome-fruit disorder images does even more. In fact, according to Dr Ian Crouch, post-harvest physiologist at ExperiCo,…
Monja Gerber
Originally from Vanderbijlpark, Monja Gerber majored in microbiology and botany at North-West University. She completed an honours degree in plant protection, focussing on ecophysiology. In 2016, Gerber made a drastic move all the way to the Namib Desert and worked…
Elke Crouch
Currently a senior lecturer at Stellenbosch University, Dr Elke Crouch holds a doctorate in horticulture and has been affiliated with the Department of Horticultural Science since 2003. Truly passionate about her research field, Crouch loves every part of the job…
Solutions for superficial scald
Finding the best long-term storage strategy for Granny Smith apples. By Grethe Bestbier. For acceptance by international markets, not even 1% of a shipment of Granny Smith apples may be affected by superficial scald. Unfortunately, this cultivar is especially prone…
Polyphagous shot-hole borer
Is it coming to an orchard near you? By Anna Mouton. Shot-hole borers are diminutive beetles that cause oversized trouble. One member of this group — the polyphagous shot-hole borer — has invaded South Africa and was recently detected in…
The secret life of weevils
Shining light on a nocturnal pest. By Anna Mouton. Weevils — kalanders in Afrikaans — are a group of vegetarian beetles. There are nearly 100 000 species of weevils. Most live blameless lives but a few troublemakers cause problems by damaging…