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Jaarverslag 2018
annual report 2018
siektes in graan- en oliesaadgewasse. As deel van hierdie kon-
sortium word grondgedraagde siektes en die impak van boerdery-
praktyke op grondgedraagde siektes bestudeer. Ons begin nou eers
om die magdom mikrobiese spesies te verstaan en identifiseer wat in
ons grond voorkom. Ons het selfs minder begrip van optimale bestuur
van landbougrond om siektes te voorkom terwyl optimale groeitoe
stande volgehou word. Aangesien Sclerotinia ’n grondgedraagde
siekte is wat die afgelope paar jaar ernstige sojaboon- en sonneblom-
opbrengsverliese veroorsaak het, is ’n navorsingsnetwerk gevestig om
te bepaal hoe huidige siektebestuurspraktyke vir Suid-Afrikaanse
toestande aangepas kan word.
Suid-Afrikaanse Sclerotinia-navorsingsnetwerk
In 2017 het sonneblom- en sojaboonprodusente geweldige gewas-
verliese ervaar as gevolg van besmetting deur
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum
,
die swam wat witvrot veroorsaak. Dit was nie die eerste epidemie nie
en sal beslis ook nie die laaste een wees nie, aangesien daar tans geen
bronne van weerstand is om plante teen hierdie patogeen te beskerm
nie, en inokulum bly tot tien jaar lank lewensvatbaar in die grond. In ’n
poging om opbrengsverliese as gevolg van Sclerotinia te beperk, het
navorsers van die Universiteit van die Vrystaat met Graan SA kragte
saamgesnoer om praktiese oplossings vir die Sclerotinia-epidemies in
sojabone en sonneblomme te kry.
Die voorkoms van Sclerotinia in Suid-Afrika word al hoe groter omdat
daar nie voldoende beheer is nie. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Sclerotinia-
navorsingsnetwerk (SASRN) is gevolglik geskep om ’n platform vir
dialoog tussen navorsers, die bedryf en produsente te verskaf. SASRN-
navorsers sal ook navorsingsprojekte uitvoer wat op die modellering van
die siekte se epidemiologie en die identifisering van potensiële bronne
van weerstand deur middel van molekulêre siftingsmetodes fokus.
Resultate van hierdie studies sal tot doeltreffende bestuurstrategieë vir
hierdie patogeen bydra.
Bydrae tot landbou
Die Gewasbeskermingskonsortium bring navorsers met hulle eie
vaardighede en kundigheid byeen om probleme op te los wat die pro-
dusente van somergraan- en oliesaadgewasse ervaar, en uiteindelik
voedselsekerheid vir Suid-Afrika te verbeter. Die produsent-gefokusde
navorsingsprojekte is nie net daarop gemik om oplossings te vind nie,
maar ook om kommunikasiekanale tussen die regering, navorsers, die
bedryf en produsente oop te hou vir vinniger identifikasie van proble
me en verspreiding van resultate. Op die lang termyn stel die Gewas-
beskermingskonsortium die regering, die bedryf en akademie in staat
om saam te werk om produsente te help om beter grondgesondheid,
kleiner voorkoms van siektes, groter gewasopbrengste en – uiteindelik
– groter voedselsekerheid vir Suid-Afrika te bewerkstellig.
Algemene opmerkings ten opsigte van die projek
Die vernaamste rolspelers sluit in die DWT, Noordwes-Universiteit,
Universiteit van die Vrystaat, die LNR-PGB en LNR-GG.
in collaboration with them. A presentation was made by the Project
Leader (Stellenbosch University) of the Wheat breeding Platform
during this conference.
Crop protection consortium
The Crop Protection Consortium is focused on monitoring, pre-
venting and/or managing the most prevalent and destructive diseases
of cereals and oilseed crops. As part of this consortium, soil borne
diseases and the impact of farming practices on soil borne diseases
are being studied. We are only beginning to understand and identify
the plethora of microbial species that occur in our soils. Optimal
management of agricultural soils to prevent diseases while sustaining
optimal growth conditions is even less understood. As Sclerotinia rot
is a soil borne disease which caused severe soybean and sunflower
yield losses over the past few years, a research network was estab-
lished to address how current disease management practices can be
adapted for South African conditions.
South African Sclerotinia Research Network
In 2017, sunflower and soybean producers experienced major crop
losses due to infection by
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum
, the fungus causing
white rot. This was not the first epidemic and certainly will not be the last
as there are currently no sources of resistance to protect plants against
this pathogen and inoculum remains viable in the soil for up to ten years.
In an effort to minimise Sclerotinia yield losses, researchers from the
University of the Free State joined forces with Grain SA to find practical
solutions to the Sclerotinia epidemics of soybean and sunflower.
The occurrence of Sclerotinia in South Africa is becoming more
prominent as adequate control is lacking. Therefore, the South African
Sclerotinia Research Network (SASRN) was created to provide a
platform for dialogue to take place between researchers, industry and
producers. In addition, SASRN researchers will carry out research pro-
jects focused on modelling of the disease epidemiology and identifying
potential sources of resistance through molecular screening methods.
Results from these studies will contribute to effective management
strategies for this pathogen.
Contribution to agriculture
The Crop Protection Consortium brings together researchers
with their own skills and expertise to solve problems experienced by
producers of summer grains and oilseed crops, and ultimately, increase
food security for South Africa. The producer-focused research projects
aim to not only find solutions, but also to open up communication
channels between government, researchers, industry and producers
for quicker identification of problems and dissemination of results. In the
long term, the Crop Protection Consortium allows government, industry
and academia to jointly work toward assisting producers in obtaining
Panel discussions at the end of the
CA conference at Reitz.
Paneelbesprekings aan die einde van
die BL-konferensie op Reitz.