The department is engaged in a wide range of applied research projects commissioned by organisations such as the Water Research Commission and the National Research Foundation, as well as the private sector.
Research in agronomy focuses on the sustainable production of crops under both dry-land and irrigated conditions. Key research fields in the section include:
- Weed control/management
- Crop nutrition
- Effects of environmental stresses on crop establishment
- Discovery of novel plant compounds that can be used as biostimulants or pest control
- Management of water and salt in irrigation systems
- Tissue culture of cactus pear and pecans
The soil science section boasts with expertise in the following themes:
- Soil physics and hydropedology
- Pedology
- Soil chemistry and fertility management
- Biology and soil quality
- Environmental soil science
Key research fields of agometeorology include:
- Identification of climatic trends affecting agricultural production
- Quantifying water use (evapotranspiration) and soil water and nutrient dynamics in crops and orchards with the aim to improve water and nutrient use efficiencies in crops and minimize losses through deep drainage and nutrient leaching
- Modelling climate-crop interactions using crop growth simulation models
- Evaluating fire danger potential and the impact of climate change on local or regional fire danger
- Assessing perceptions of climate change and adaptation measures by farmers