Citrus vs the salt of the earth
LJ Venter & Markus van Renssen (Horticulturists, Agri Technovation) The challenge of salinization Soil salinization presents a serious challenge in areas with a semi-dry climate. Saline soils lead to a variety of complications, especially in citrus, which could have a direct or indirect impact on the producer’s pocket. Where soils are irrigated with high-salinity water (high […]
PICKLOGGER™ is a game changer
By Albert Bijker and Erald Smith PICKLOGGER™ is a game-changing device that helps farmers and their stakeholders to identify and manage various factors that affect the yields of hand-harvested crops. By recording and logging data points during harvesting, PICKLOGGER™ makes it possible for farmers to produce yield maps, giving them a clear picture of how […]
How your avocado orchard benefits from carbohydrate analyses
By Dr Elmi Lötze (Head of ITEST™CARBOHYDRATES and ITEST™LEAF) and Wilmé Brown (Plant Physiologist), Agri Technovation Carbohydrates as physiological indicator of plant status The use of carbohydrate analyses to study plant performance is an established practice in the research environment (Wolstenholm, 1987; Whiley et al., 1988; Davie et al., 1995). The selection of tissues/organs most […]
Blue Gold: Let’s start digging
Responsible and efficient irrigation A satellite remote sensing study conducted by the WRC reported that 1 334 562 hectares were actively irrigated in South Africa during 2015. The agricultural industry is under constant pressure to account for the allocation of this water and to ensure that irrigation water is applied in an efficient manner (Jarmain […]
Measure, understand, improve
The combination of PICKLOGGER™ and MYSOIL CLASSIFICATION™ in fruit crops By Marnus Ferreira, Head of Grains, Agri Technovation This article focuses on three actions or concepts as outlined in the title: measure, understand and improve. Together these three actions represent the best current method available for improving yields meaningfully, especially on farms that already perform […]
Almond mineral nutrition
By Antonio Perez Ortiz, Senior Agronomist Agri Technovation, California Considerable research has been conducted on the fundamentals of mineral plant nutrition for almond trees. The objective of this article is to provide a concise overview of the knowledge gained by the industry and to offer insights on what producers need to consider when designing a […]
Secrets to successful almond production
Starter fertiliser for improvedmaize production By Brady Colburn Horticulturist Agri Technovation California California is the world’s largest almond growing region with over 1.3 million acres producing overall, and an average yield of just under 2,200 pounds per acre (USDA NASS, 2022). Most growers begin to harvest at the third or fourth leaf and see a […]
Blueberry flowers
By Jaques LandmanTechnical ManagerAT New Zealand / AT Australia East Coast Over the past five years, global blueberry consumption has doubled to reach 650 000 tons per annum. Indications are that it is set to double again during the next five years, reaching a global consumption rate of 1,5 million tons per annum. As the […]
Why do irrigated fruit crops perform better on some soils
By Marnus FerreiraHead of Soil SciencesAgri Technovation This article aims to better explain the intricacies of how soils behave under irrigation in a scientific yet practical way. Due to the massive variation in soil types that exists in areas of Southern Africa, we experience variation in irrigated fruiting crop performance. To better expand on this […]
Avocado: What is happening in spring
By August KrugerHorticulturalistAgri TechnovationPhysiology Research Center With higher mean temperatures and the in- creased length of daylight that accompany our seasonal transition from winter to spring, the stage is set for the next important step in annual avocado tree phenology, fruit set, cell division and cell enlargement. Integral physiological processes – the precursor to the […]