Here are some production tips for grain sorghum. Grain sorghum must be planted shallow, especially on heavy soils. Place the seed in moist soil, otherwise germination could be retarded. The planting depth varies between 3 cm and 5 cm. After planting, the soil crust must be broken up to enable…
Wheat undergoes various stages before it reaches maturity. Farmers need to know what these stages are if production is to be optimal, says Dr. Eric Morojele. Knowing at which stage of development wheat is most vulnerable to certain pests, diseases or weed increase can significantly help to reduce production losses.…
Wheat can be produced under varied climatic and soil conditions. The reason is the diverse genetic material available in the form of different cultivars. Production regions (in South Africa) can be divided into 3 broad areas: • the southern, winter rainfall; dryland area; • the northern, summer rainfall; dryland area; and…
Until recently, only a few livestock farmers have used pods from the carob tree to feed their stock, but agricultural researchers are now encouraging commercial plantings because of their feeding potential. Pods from the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua) – commonly known as St John’s bread – can be used directly…
If you’re a farmer – new or already established – producing crops, you need to know how to handle and store pesticides and chemicals safely and how to protect your workers, and yourself, while doing so. It is the duty of the employer, in this case the farmer, to provide…
The early bird catches the worm is a saying that also applies to farming. Farmers often miss great opportunities to save costs or to seize the moment and achieve good profits. Sometimes farmers experience great losses in terms of damage to natural resources, such as soil erosion during a heavy…
To choose the best planting time for their maize farmers should consider the available heat units on their farms, in other words determine how warm or cool the area is where they farm. Also keep in mind long-term rainfall patterns. The maize plant should have enough time to develop fully…
Managing the soil on your farm is just like stocking a grocery cupboard – so before you set off to buy fertilisers, you should know what your soil already contains. Otherwise, you could use the incorrect fertiliser which will lead to poor crops and could cost you a lot of…
It is possible to increase profitability and reduce risk if you use fertiliser to best effect on your farm. Increasingly expensive input costs are always of concern to farmers and efficient fertilisers and fertilising practices will help them to cope with this challenge. Also read: Farm management: Controlling input costs…
Here’s some useful advice on choosing crops for your rotation system, to ensure you get the most advantages. Crop rotation is a practice whereby different crops are planted in different seasons on the same piece of land. The aim is to enhance sustainable production and increase yield potential, compared to…
Soil tillage has a huge influence on crop production, and is one of the most expensive input costs. Decisions about proper methods cannot, therefore, be hit or miss. A crop farmer’s decision about the correct tillage method to use should be based on information that leads to objectives – not…
Mechanisation costs money, which means it is part of a farmer’s production and overhead outlay, and that makes managing it very important. Mechanical resources include all the trucks, bakkies, tractors and equipment a farmer uses in his farming operations (they do not include vehicles or equipment for private use). And just…
Early identification and effective control practices can significantly reduce the impact of pests on crops. Farmers should not only familiarise themselves with pests that pose threats to their crops, but also learn more about their developmental stages and the best methods to control them. Dr. Annemie Erasmus, a research entomologist…
The farmer has full control over soil tillage so he must plan his actions carefully to ensure that his specific problems are solved when he tills his lands. Favourable conditions for wheat production include creating soil in which sufficient water is stored for germination and early plant development. This is…
Everyone, from the farmer to the baker, have their own ideas about what makes good wheat. Certain wheat qualities should, however, always be kept in mind. It can take at least 10 years from when a wheat crossing is made until a cultivar is released to the industry. Wheat breeders…
Research has shown that an interaction between the ear rot fungi, Fusarium verticillioides, and stalk borer, Busseola fusca, can lead to an increased incidence of fusarium ear rot in maize. HOW TO REDUCE DAMAGE Several practices could be followed to reduce B. fusca and F. verticillioides interactions. These include: The…
Poor weed management is perhaps the single most important factor leading to greatly reduced yields from the fields of the small-scale farmer. Here’s how to manage weeds in your fields. Following conventional tillage practices can lead to on-going depletion of your soil’s fertility, and this, along with poor plant populations,…
Eliminating herbicide resistance is extremely difficult once it has gained a foothold on your farm, but with the correct management practices it is possible to eradicate the problem in a few years. “The best solution is to avoid getting it in the first place,” says Hestia Nienaber from South Africa’s…
Sunflower is an important oil seed crop in Southern Africa. It is grown in virtually all summer rainfall areas. It normally competes favourably and is a good alternative to other summer grain crops. The total area under sunflower production in South Africa varies from year to year because of climatic…
Question: Why is zinc important for crops? Zinc is an essential mineral to all living organisms (animals and plants) and is a co-factor in all enzyme-based reactions. It is required only in small but critical concentrations to allow key plant physiological pathways to function normally. Crops that can be adversely…
Herbicide-resistant weeds are a major concern for crop producers. Farmers fear that, in an extreme case of resistance, they might lose the chemical tools that had previously been effective. Weed species that can survive and reproduce following exposure to a dose of herbicide that is usually lethal to its wild…
Soil tillage is a costly business and intensive tillage can degrade the soil and impact the potential for crop production in the long term. New tillage systems, such as no-till and reduced tillage, were developed to slow down or stop the process of degradation. These systems, which fall under the…
Biological products proved to be the best weapon against bollworm for paprika farmers in South Africa’s North West Province following a great deal of damage and enormous expenditure on chemical control products. “We bred super worms,” explains Stephan Niemann, a paprika farmer from the Stella area in South Africa (SA).…
The Zimbabwean method of basin planting – where small pockets of soil are hoed and filled with seed and fertiliser – is practical and will improve your soil as years go by. Basin planting is one of several techniques available to small-scale farmers to produce a crop using conservation agriculture…
