Archive for January 2022
Die stand van sake met die Bruin Sprinkaanuitbraak
November 2019 was ‘n keerpunt in Suid-Afrikaanse weersomstandighede toe reën alreeds oor baie groot dele van die land se somerreënvalgebiede uitgesak het en steeds voortgeduur het. Die Karoo wat deur die ergste droogte in meer as 100 jaar amper vernietig was, het ook die seëning van die milde reëns ontvang. Saam met al die blydskap…
Read MoreDetermine your soil health using biotic and abiotic indicators in one package – YourSoilTM
Soil is a living system and the foundation of crop production. Soil health is defined as the capacity of soil to function as a vital living system, within ecosystem and land-use boundaries, to sustain plant and animal productivity, maintain or enhance water and air quality, and promote plant and animal health (Doran & Zeiss, 2000).…
Read MoreContribution of informal farming sector should not be underestimated
South Africa’s informal farming sector is contributing far more to the economy and food security than is officially being recognised. More should be done to develop this sector, and to intensify farming endeavours. On the commercial side, policy issues and infrastructure problems, such as electricity supply, rising input costs and backlogs at export ports, are…
Read MoreConsider using less nitrogen fertilizer for Canola
Most Western Cape wheat farmers who also plant canola, might be able to cut back on the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied to canola. This saving is a positive result of the decades’ worth of applying the principles of conservation agriculture. It has improved soil health and has led to soils being naturally richer in…
Read MoreWhat is Conservation Agriculture?
Conventional “arable” agriculture is normally based on soil tillage as the main operation. The most widely known tool for this operation is the plough, which has become a symbol of agriculture. Soil tillage has in the past been associated with increased fertility, which originated from the mineralization of soil nutrients because of soil tillage. This…
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