Department
Soil and Crop and Climate Sciences
Soil and Crop and Climate Sciences
Office
Agriculture Building: Block 1 1.220
Lecturer/Researcher: Agrometeorology :2016 - Present
PhD- Agrometeorology (2021)
Master of Science. Agric (Agrometeorology)(2014)
BSc. Agric. Honors Agrometeorology (2011)
BSc Agric. Agricultural Economics and Natural Agricultural Resources(2010) All at UFS
BSc Applied Science (2008)(Virginia Poly-technique Institute (USA).
Dr Tharaga worked professional work at ABSA as an Agrometeorologist in 2011, South African Weather Service as a Senior Scientist from 2012 - 2015.
Dr Tharaga Left Weather Service and joined CSIR in May 2015 then in January 2016 he returned to the University of Free State as a Lecturer in Agrometeorology.
Dr Tharaga has presented most of his work in different countries from 2008 onward.
Publications (Short List)
Tharaga, P. C., Tesfuhuney, W. A., Coetzer, G. M., & Savage, M. J. (2023). Heat pulse velocity method for determining water requirements in rainfed sweet cherry trees (Prunus avium L.). Frontiers in Horticulture, 2, 1155862. https://doi.org/10.3389/fhort.2023.1155862
Tharaga, P. C. "Sweet cherry yield, fruit quality and water productivity under rainfed conditions in eastern Free State." In IV All Africa Horticultural Congress-AAHC2021: Transformative Innovations in Horticulture 1348, pp. 105-110. 2021.
Tharaga, P.C., Steyn, A.S. and Coetzer, G.M., 2021. Climate Change Impacts on Temperature and Chill Unit Trends for Apple (Malus domestica) Production in Ceres, South Africa. Atmosphere, 12(6), p.740.
Tharaga, P.C., Tesfuhuney, W. and Coetzer, G.M., Savage, M.J., 2019, October. Transpiration rates of rain-fed sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) using sap flow under warm temperate conditions. In XI International Workshop on Sap Flow 1300 (pp. 1-6).
Tharaga, P.C., Tesfuhuney, W., Coetzer, G.M. and Savage, M.J., 2019, June. Evapotranspiration of a rain-fed sweet cherry orchard in Eastern Free State, South Africa. In IX International Symposium on Irrigation of Horticultural Crops 1335 (pp. 119-126).
Tharaga, P.C., Steyn, A.S. and Coetzer, G.M., 2014, August. Impacts of climate change on accumulated chill units at selected fruit production sites in South Africa. InXXIX International Horticultural Congress on Horticulture: Sustaining Lives, Livelihoods and Landscapes (IHC2014): 1130 (pp. 63-70).
Water use of Apricots under irrigation in Montagu
Water use of pomegranates orchards in the Western Cape.
Climate Change Impacts on Chill Units
Water use and Sweet Cherry Production in the Eastern Free State.
Micro-meteorology
Specialized Meteorological Instrumentation
Flux measurements
Climate Change
Remote sensing and agricultural water management
Watershed Hydrometeorology
CLIM 3724 - Climatology
CLIM 4814/6814 - Micro-meteorology and Specialized Instrumentation
CLIM 2614 - Introduction to Agrometeorology
SCCS 2624 - Crop development
CSSD7900- Climate Change
Humanitarian Work with - UK Humanitarian affairs - Offering relief services in Asia.
Agricultural Impact Assessment
Wetland Ecosystem Management Plan