No new technology is fit for every situation. How can growers decide what to implement? By Anna Mouton. “I’m going to define technology as a tool or technique that increases efficiency or productivity, reduces uncertainty or helps manage risk, or…
What lessons can South African fruit growers learn from the United States? By Anna Mouton. Spotted wing drosophila is an invasive fruit fly that attacks many wild and cultivated fruits. Female flies lay eggs under the skin of ripening fruit…
Pests and diseases threaten food security and farm profits. How can we mitigate the risk of spreading plant pests and diseases through trade? By Dane McDonald. “Plants provide nearly 80% of our daily calorie intake,” said Jan Hendrik Venter, Director…
A 16-year quest to identify a mite intercepted on Italian kiwis highlights critical challenges in biosecurity systems. By Dane McDonald. Entomologist Dr Davina Saccaggi of Citrus Research International illustrated the challenges of navigating international biosecurity by recounting the story of…
Growers can achieve effective mealy-bug control with the correct use of existing tools. By Anna Mouton. Chlorpyrifos was a mainstay for controlling mealy bugs and other sucking insects for nearly 50 years until safety concerns spelled its doom. “The first…
How the pome- and stone-fruit industry can adapt to losing crop protectants. By Anna Mouton. “The crop-protection industry spends a lot of time selecting products with favourable toxicological and environmental profiles,” said Marius Boshoff, managing director of Villa Crop Protection…
Successful incorporation of biological control in integrated pest management programmes requires in-depth knowledge and excellent execution. By Anna Mouton. Integrated pest management has existed since the 1950s but is only now becoming more widely implemented. “The Food and Agriculture Organization,…
Matching rootstock and scion genetics to environmental and management factors is essential for establishing a winning orchard. By Anna Mouton. Rootstock selection begins with a vision of the winning orchard, according to soil scientist Mico Stander of agricultural consultancy Agrimotion…
Ever-evolving apple production systems in a diverse Western Cape environment require a continued focus on optimising tree nutrition. By Anna Mouton. Mineral-uptake characteristics aren’t a primary consideration in rootstock selection, but growers should be aware of the interactions between rootstocks,…
Apple rootstocks directly and indirectly impact fruit’s mineral content and the risk of nutrient-related disorders. By Anna Mouton. “It all starts in the soil, but the soil is often not the main factor driving nutrient-related disorders — it’s the plant’s…