Graan SA Jaarverslag 2019 New

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CONSORTIA AND MULTI-STAKEHOLDER
PARTNERSHIPS
Crop improvement, crop protection, biosecurity, climate re-
silience and conservation agriculture are the main research
priority focus areas of Grain SA. The department’s primary
objective is to establish research consortiums that drive innovation
to enhance the productivity, profitability and sustainability of South
African grain and oilseed producers and benefit the industry as
well as South Africa. Feedback and progress of the consortiums
are provided below.
Crop improvement: Wheat breeding
South Africa’s area planted to wheat decreased with an alarming
trend the last 30 years due to immense pressure on profitability. The
Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and Grain SA therefore
committed to the development of a platform to drive improved wheat
yields in South Africa.
The Wheat Breeding Platform (WBP) was established in 2014 as a
consortium consisting of both public and private partners. It ultimately
seeks to increase wheat production through the development of
germplasm with targeted yield improvement as well as drought and
heat tolerance. Germplasm with targeted improvements are developed
using a pre-breeding approach, and subsequently provided to wheat
breeders for inclusion into breeding programmes and development of
new cultivars.
STRATEGIC PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
The WBP is a joint initiative between government and industry and
is part of DSI’s efforts to implement the South African Bio-economy
Strategy. The platform has been co-funded by industry for the last
five years from the Winter Cereal Trust (WCT). Other partners include
the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), Sensako, Pannar and
Stellenbosch University.
CONTRIBUTION TO AGRICULTURE
An estimate of 300 selections have been made by seed companies
from the WBP material, and has been incorporated into the breeding
programmes of the ARC, Sensako and Pannar.
CONSORTIUM HIGHLIGHTS OF 2019
Human capital development
The programme currently hosts a post-doctoral fellow, a PhD student,
five MSc students and six BSc Hons/BSc Agric students. Three
graduates from the programme have obtained employment in industry,
of which one is employed as a junior lecturer at Stellenbosch University
and who is actively participating in the WBP.
Future development: Phenotyping Platform
To harness the power of breeding, efficient selection is key. When
coupled with genotyping or genomic screening, genes underlying traits
of interest can be identified and information used to inform breeding.
KONSORTIUMS EN MULTIBELANGHEBBER-
VENNOOTSKAPPE
Gewasverbetering, gewasbeskerming, biosekuriteit, klimaataan-
pasbaarheid en bewaringslandbou is die vernaamste navorsings-
prioriteit-fokusareas vir Graan SA. Die departement se primêre
doelwit is om navorsingskonsortiums te vestig wat innovering gebruik om
die produktiwiteit, winsgewendheid en volhoubaarheid van Suid-Afrikaanse
graan- en oliesaadprodusente te verbeter en die bedryf en Suid-Afrika tot
voordeel te strek. Terugvoer oor en die vordering van die konsortiums word
hieronder verskaf.
Gewasverbetering: Koringteling
Die oppervlakte in Suid-Afrika wat met koring beplant is, het die
afgelope 30 jaar as gevolg van geweldige druk op winsgewendheid
kommerwekkend gekrimp. Die Departement van Wetenskap en Inno-
vasie (DWI) en Graan SA het hulle dus daartoe verbind om ’n platform te
ontwikkel om beter koringopbrengste in Suid-Afrika te verseker.
Die Koringtelingsplatform (KTP) is in 2014 as ’n konsortium met
openbare sowel as privaat vennote gestig. Die platform poog om
uiteindelik koringproduksie te verhoog deur kiemplasma met geteikende
opbrengsverbetering as gevolg van droogte- en hitteverdraagsaamheid te
ontwikkel. Kiemplasma met geteikende verbeterings word ontwikkel deur ’n
voortelingsbenadering te volg, en word dan aan koringtelers verskaf om by
telingsprogramme en die ontwikkeling van nuwe kultivars in te sluit.
STRATEGIESE VENNOOTSKAP TUSSEN DIE OPENBARE
EN PRIVAAT SEKTOR
Die KTP is ’n gesamentlike inisiatief tussen die regering en die bedryf
en is deel van die DWI se pogings om die Suid-Afrikaanse Bio-
ekonomiestrategie te implementeer. Die platform word die afgelope
vyf jaar deur die bedryf uit die Wintergraantrust (WGT) medebefonds.
Ander vennote sluit die Landbounavorsingsraad (LNR), Sensako,
Pannar en die Universiteit Stellenbosch in.
BYDRAE TOT LANDBOU
Tot op hede is ’n geraamde 300 lyne wat deur die KTP verskaf is deur
die verskillende koringtelingsprogramme van die LNR, Sensako en
Pannar opgeneem.
KONSORTIUMHOOGTEPUNTE VIR 2019
Menslikekapasiteitsbou
Die program huisves tans ’n postdoktorale genoot, ’n PhD-
student, vyf MSc-studente en ses BSc Hons-/BSc Agric-studente.
Drie gegradueerdes van die program het werk in die bedryf gekry, van
wie een as junior lektor by die Universiteit Stellenbosch aangestel is en
aktief aan die KTP deelneem.
Toekomstige ontwikkeling: Fenotiperingsplatform
Om die krag van teling in te span, is doeltreffende keuses noodsaaklik.
Wanneer dit met genotipering of genoomkeuring gekombineer word,
kan gene se onderliggende belangrike eienskappe geïdentifiseer word
Grain Research and Policy Centre
Graannavorsing en Beleidsentrum
Consortia and research
network established and
gaining momentum
Konsortiums en navorsings-
netwerk gevestig en verkry
momentum