What was achieved during the first phase? By Glenneis Kriel and Wiehann Steyn. The Orchard of the Future programme aimed to future-proof the apple industry; to facilitate learning at different levels; to demonstrate new technologies; to get researchers into orchards;…
The birth of the Orchard of the Future programme. By Glenneis Kriel and Wiehann Steyn. Hortgro Science launched the Orchard of the Future programme in 2010 to stimulate discussion and spark innovation in the apple industry. Ten years later, Fresh…
Do chill units tell us anything? By Anna Mouton. The idea behind chill models is to figure out what trees will do in spring. Will they wake up smartly and crack on with flowering? Or will they linger over bud-break…
Ensuring that decisions about water are informed by science and technology. By Engela Duvenage. The Water Research Commission, which in 2021 celebrated its 50th anniversary, is a valuable knowledge partner to the deciduous-fruit industry. Over the years, the Commission has…
The analysis of water use commissioned by Hortgro provides an interesting perspective on evapotranspiration data for pome and stone fruit. By Anna Mouton. The lead researcher on the project, agrometeorologist Dr Caren Jarmain, collaborated with Dr Nicky Taylor, senior lecturer…
Stone- and pome-fruit growers need water — but so does everyone else. This is why water is high on the Hortgro agenda. By Anna Mouton. Stone- and pome-fruit production in a relatively dry South Africa has always been constrained by…
Hortgro-funded projects that aim to develop a climate-change response strategy for the pome- and stone-fruit industry, and to investigate erratic weather conditions during early spring. By Jorisna Bonthuys. The impact of climate change on agriculture can no longer be ignored…