September 2022
Articles in this Issue
Integrated pest management
Effective pest control in perennial crop monocultures demands a diversified approach. By Anna Mouton. Modern agriculture has created areas of…
The enigma of pear stony pit
What causes pitted pears in South African orchards? Apple stem pitting virus or antestia stink bug? By Anna Mouton. Pear…
Beware of this tiny beetle
The invasive polyphagous shot-hole borer threatens fruit trees. By Engela Duvenage. Polyphagous shot-hole borers began killing trees in gardens and…
Fruit-fly management in Europe
Climate change is driving biological invasions in temperate European zones. What is being done to protect agriculture? By Engela Duvenage.…
Systems approach proves its worth
Dr Aruna Manrakhan of Citrus Research International reviews its use in South African citrus and deciduous fruit. By Engela Duvenage.…
Phytosanitary impacts on markets
South African growers need to practice effective pest and disease control if they want to continue exporting their fruit. By…
South African agriculture and the European Green Deal
The world is going green, and the South African fruit industry needs to go with it. By Kara van der…
Design and manage for fruit quality
Growers need to consider all the preharvest influences on fruit quality when establishing and maintaining apple orchards. By Anna Mouton.…
Geneva rootstocks in Brazil
Prof. Leo Rufato of the Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina in Brazil shared his latest research results. By Anna…
Smart Orchard 2.0
An ongoing project in Washington State puts technology to the test. By Anna Mouton. The explosion of new technologies has…
Protective netting in Washington State
Research results demonstrate the many benefits of putting nets over apple orchards. By Anna Mouton. Sunburn is as much a…
Exploit physiology to transform yields
Will 200 tonnes per hectare become the new normal? By Anna Mouton. Debates about the relationship of yield to planting…
Fruit quality underpins profits
Tonnes are not enough — growers must focus on boosting Class 1 pack-outs. By Anna Mouton. Technical adviser Willie Kotze…
Escape the cost-income wedge
A focus on yield and quality is indispensable to profitable pome-fruit farming. By Anna Mouton. “The good news is that…
Who is going to eat South African apples?
And what should growers be doing to prepare for the future? By Anna Mouton. Rising prosperity in developing countries will…
A sustainable model for agricultural research and education
Sustainability is not about maintaining the status quo. By Kyra Rensburg. “Universities are not in a bad place, but I…
What is Hortgro’s plan going forward?
Anton Rabe, Executive Director of Hortgro, addressed the Hortgro Technical Symposium in a pre-recorded message. By Kara van der Berg.…
Agriculture under current economic conditions
What do the global economic impacts of Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine mean for South Africa? By Kyra Rensburg.…
Fulfilling South Africa’s agricultural potential through shared humanity
We live in an interdependent world. Sustainable success for any individual or sector depends on the success of society as…
Changing global and local political landscapes
South Africa will soon undergo a political upheaval that will alter the country forever. By Kara van der Berg. This…