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GEWASBESKERMINGKONSORTIUM VIR SOMERGRANE
Somergraan speel ’n noodsaaklike rol in voedselsekerheid sowel as in
die ekonomie van Suid-Afrika. Optimale produksie van hierdie gewasse
word deur onkruid, plae en siektes gekniehalter. Die uitkoms van
Navorsing en Ontwikkeling (N&O) in landbou kan tot beduidende groei
in produktiwiteit lei deur die beste strategieë vir die bestuur van hierdie
bedreigings na vore te bring.
Met hierdie feit in gedagte het die Gewasbeskermingskonsortium (GBK)
ten doel om navorsers en rolspelers byeen te bring om bedryfsverwante
gewasbeskermingsprobleme op te los wat somergraanprodusente
ervaar. Die konsortium poog verder om vennootskappe tussen die
regering, die bedryf, die akademie, privaat maatskappye en ander
belanghebbendes te bevorder ten einde samewerking te verhoog ten
opsigte van die verenigde doelwit om suksesvolle graanproduksie te
handhaaf en ’n volhoubare toekoms vir hierdie gewasse te ondersteun.
’n Gewasbeskermingswerkswinkel is op 4 April in Pretoria gehou en
is deur verteenwoordigers uit die bedryf, die regering en openbare/
privaat navorsingsinstellings bygewoon. Die doel van hierdie werkswin-
kel was om die organisasiestrukture te bespreek wat geïmplementeer
moet word om relevante, uitkomsgebaseerde en produsent-gefokusde
navorsingsprojekte te fasiliteer ten einde die gewasbeskermingsbe-
hoeftes van die somergraanproduksiestreek te hanteer.
As ’n eerste stap is ’n Graannavorsingsprogram aan die Universiteit van
Pretoria gevestig om steun aan produsente te verskaf, menslike kapa-
siteit te ontwikkel om die somergraanbedryf te ondersteun, en om rele-
vante navorsingsprojekte uit te voer. Die Graannavorsingsprogram is
besig om ’n Gewasbeskermingskompendium saam te stel wat toekoms-
tige navorsingspogings sal ondersteun.
BYDRAE TOT LANDBOU
Die GBK laat die regering, die bedryf en die akademie toe om saam te
werk om produsente te help om die voorkoms van siektes te verminder,
gewasopbrengste te verbeter en uiteindelik voedselsekerheid vir Suid-
Afrika te verhoog.
Biosekuriteit: Vroeëwaarskuwingstelsel
vir kommandowurms in Suid-Afrika
’n Moniteringsprogram wat deur Graan SA geïnisieer is, is suksesvol
geïmplementeer om die voorkoms en verspreiding van die herfskom-
mandowurm (
Spodoptera frugiperda
) in Suid-Afrika te identifiseer.
Gereelde vergaderings tussen die bedryf en die regering het die na-
sionale status van hierdie plaag, monitering, diagnostiese kapasiteit,
skadebeoordeling, plaagbeheer en beheerregulasies aangespreek.
Tot dusver is ’n beduidend groter voorkoms van die herfskomman-
dowurm in Limpopo waargeneem, wat beklemtoon dat hierdie streek
dringende intervensie benodig. Verspreidingskaarte van die herfs-
kommandowurm het moontlike verspreidingsroetes daarvan na kom-
mandowurmvrystreke in Suid-Afrika getoon. Gereelde inspeksies deur
produsente is noodsaaklik om moniteringsprogramme aan te vul vir
die vroeë opsporing van indringerplae en patogene wat Suid-Afrika se
biosekuriteit bedreig en om plaaslike gewasproduksie te beskerm.
Dit is interessant dat ’n baie groot getal valskommandowurms (
Leucania
loreyi
) in 90% van die valstrikke vir herfskommandowurms gevang is.
Hierdie moniteringsdata beklemtoon hoe belangrik dit is om bestuurs-
praktyke te implementeer om die groot voorkoms van herfs- en valskom-
mandowurms te verminder.
VOORDELE VAN BIOSEKURITEITSMONITERING
VIR SUID-AFRIKA
Die regering en bedryf is verbind tot die versekering dat voldoende
biosekuriteitsmaatreëls geïmplementeer word om Suid-Afrikaanse
gewasse te beskerm sodat nasionale voedselsekerheid verseker kan
word. Die daarstelling van ’n suksesvolle vroeëwaarskuwingstelsel vir
die herfskommandowurm het die regering en die bedryf in staat gestel
om vinnig te reageer deur produsente oor toepaslike beheerstrategieë
in te lig en landbouchemiese beheerprodukte te registreer. Die huidige
program dien as ’n uitstekende basislyn om huidige biosekuriteits-
bedreigings te voorkom. Dit is van die uiterste belang dat die regering
CROP PROTECTION CONSORTIUM FOR SUMMER GRAINS
Summer grains play an essential role in both food security and in
the economy of South Africa. Optimal production of these crops is
hampered by weeds, pests and diseases. The outcome of Research
and Development (R&D) in agriculture can support significant gains
in productivity, by revealing the best strategies for the management of
these threats.
With this in mind, the Crop Protection Consortium (CPC) aims to
bring researchers and role-players together to solve industry-
related crop protection problems experienced by summer grain
producers. Moreover, the consortium aims to promote partnerships
between government, industry, academia, private companies and
other stakeholders to foster collaboration towards the unified goal of
maintaining successful grain production and supporting a sustainable
future for these crops.
A Crop Protection Workshop was held on 4 April in Pretoria and was
attended by representatives from industry, government and public/
private research institutions. The aim of the workshop was to discuss
the organisational structures that need to be implemented in order to
facilitate relevant, outcomes-based and producer-focused research
projects to address the crop protection needs of the summer grain
production region.
As a first step, a Grain Research Programme was established at the
University of Pretoria to deliver support to producers, develop human
capacity to support the summer grain industry and to conduct relevant
research projects. The Grain Research Programme is in the process
of compiling a Crop Protection Compendium which will support future
research endeavours.
CONTRIBUTION TO AGRICULTURE
The CPC allows government, industry and academia to jointly work
towards assisting producers to decreased disease incidence, improve
crop yields and ultimately increase food security for South Africa.
Biosecurity: Early-warning system for
armyworm in South Africa
A surveillance programme, initiated by Grain SA, was successfully
implemented to identify the occurrence and spread of fall armyworm
(
Spodoptera frugiperda
) in South Africa. Regular meetings are held
between industry and government to discuss the national status of
this pest, surveillance, diagnostic capacity, damage assessment, pest
management and control regulations.
Thus far, fall armyworm (FAW) has been detected at significantly
higher incidences in Limpopo and underlines that this region needs
urgent intervention. Furthermore, distribution maps of FAW has
revealed possible routes of spread of this armyworm into FAW-free
regions of South Africa. Regular scouting by producers is paramount
to complement surveillance programmes for early detection of
invasive pests and pathogens that threaten South Africa’s biosecurity
and protection of local crop production.
Interestingly, very high numbers of false armyworm (
Leucania loreyi
)
were caught in 90% of the FAW traps. This surveillance data emphasises
the importance of implementing management practices to reduce the
high incidences of both fall- and false armyworm.
BENEFITS OF BIOSECURITY SURVEILLANCE
TO SOUTH AFRICA
Ensuring that adequate biosecurity measures are implemented
for protection of South African crops is a priority government and
industry are committed to in order to ensure national food security.
Establishing a successful early-warning system for FAW enabled
government and industry to rapidly respond through informing
producers of appropriate control strategies and registering
agrochemical control products. The current programme serves as
an excellent baseline for preventing current biosecurity threats. It is
critical for government and industry to identify and manage invasive
pest and pathogen entry into South Africa, as crop losses threatens
national food security.