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| 2021-07-29 |
Dr Russell Ally appointed as UFS Senior Director: Institutional Advancement |
| 2021-07-29 |
Dr Russell Ally appointed as UFS Senior Director: Institutional Advancement |
| 2021-07-27 |
Violent events will continue to take place if poverty is not eradicated as a matter of urgency |
| 2021-07-27 |
Violent events will continue to take place if poverty is not eradicated as a matter of urgency |
| 2021-07-27 |
Unique X-ray system gives Department of Physics a competitive advantage |
| 2021-07-27 |
Unique X-ray system gives Department of Physics a competitive advantage |
| 2021-07-26 |
Everything you need to know about the 2021 Student Affairs Week |
| 2021-07-26 |
Everything you need to know about the 2021 Student Affairs Week |
| 2021-07-26 |
ARU pioneering mountain range-expanding project |
| 2021-07-26 |
ARU pioneering mountain range-expanding project |
| 2021-07-22 |
Kovsie alumni competes on sport’s biggest stage |
| 2021-07-22 |
Kovsie alumni competes on sport’s biggest stage |
| 2021-07-21 |
The historic context of the current riots and violence |
| 2021-07-21 |
The historic context of the current riots and violence |
| 2021-07-21 |
Building an economy, building hope |
| 2021-07-21 |
Building an economy, building hope |
| 2021-07-22 |
2020 UFS Annual Report |
| 2021-07-22 |
2020 UFS Annual Report |
| 2021-07-21 |
Book discussion: Helen Zille’s new book on South Africa’s woke culture |
| 2021-07-21 |
Book discussion: Helen Zille’s new book on South Africa’s woke culture |
| 2021-07-20 |
Prof Ivan Turok participates in Le Monde video report on city inequalities |
| 2021-07-20 |
Prof Ivan Turok participates in Le Monde video report on city inequalities |
| 2021-07-20 |
UFS Institute for Groundwater Studies earns national accreditation |
| 2021-07-20 |
UFS Institute for Groundwater Studies earns national accreditation |
| 2021-07-19 |
2021 Mandela Day Fitness Challenge |
| 2021-07-19 |
2021 Mandela Day Fitness Challenge |
| 2021-07-19 |
Welcome to Aurora, a new era of sensitivity |
| 2021-07-19 |
Welcome to Aurora, a new era of sensitivity |
| 2021-07-19 |
Dr Molapo Qhobela appointed as UFS Vice-Rector: Institutional Change, Strategic Partnerships and Societal Impact |
| 2021-07-19 |
Dr Molapo Qhobela appointed as UFS Vice-Rector: Institutional Change, Strategic Partnerships and Societal Impact |
| 2021-07-16 |
The UFS Food gardening project: a sustainable solution to food insecurity |
| 2021-07-16 |
The UFS Food gardening project: a sustainable solution to food insecurity |
| 2021-07-16 |
Mandela Day, it is about giving back |
| 2021-07-16 |
Mandela Day, it is about giving back |
| 2021-07-16 |
Gift of the Givers nutrition packs ensuring that no student goes hungry during lockdown |
| 2021-07-16 |
Gift of the Givers nutrition packs ensuring that no student goes hungry during lockdown |
| 2021-07-16 |
UFS partners in programme that promotes internationalisation and virtual exchanges |
| 2021-07-16 |
UFS partners in programme that promotes internationalisation and virtual exchanges |
| 2021-07-15 |
Are you the next 3MT South Africa winner? |
| 2021-07-15 |
Are you the next 3MT South Africa winner? |
| 2021-07-13 |
Human Rights Violations in Africa’s last absolute monarchy, Eswatini |
| 2021-07-13 |
Human Rights Violations in Africa’s last absolute monarchy, Eswatini |
| 2021-07-13 |
South African Doping Control Laboratory gets major financial boost to upgrade world-class service |
| 2021-07-13 |
South African Doping Control Laboratory gets major financial boost to upgrade world-class service |
| 2021-07-09 |
School of Accountancy graduates achieve exceptional results in SAICA ITC professional exams |
| 2021-07-09 |
School of Accountancy graduates achieve exceptional results in SAICA ITC professional exams |
| 2021-07-09 |
Global citizenship and the Sustainable Development Goals |
| 2021-07-09 |
Global citizenship and the Sustainable Development Goals |
| 2021-07-09 |
Kovsie athletes elected to prominent administrative roles |
| 2021-07-09 |
Kovsie athletes elected to prominent administrative roles |
| 2021-07-08 |
Prof Anthea van Jaarsveld wants UFS Drama to shine again |
| 2021-07-08 |
Prof Anthea van Jaarsveld wants UFS Drama to shine again |
| 2021-07-06 |
The Nkandla drama: From tea parties to threats to constitutionalism |
| 2021-07-06 |
The Nkandla drama: From tea parties to threats to constitutionalism |
| 2021-07-06 |
Mutshidzi Mulondo among Mail & Guardian’s influential young South Africans |
| 2021-07-06 |
Mutshidzi Mulondo among Mail & Guardian’s influential young South Africans |
| 2021-07-05 |
Mental Health Awareness: A Holistic Approach to Improving your Well-being |
| 2021-07-05 |
Mental Health Awareness: A Holistic Approach to Improving your Well-being |
| 2021-07-05 |
Voices from the Free State podcast episode six – featuring Karla Pretorius |
| 2021-07-05 |
Voices from the Free State podcast episode six – featuring Karla Pretorius |
| 2021-07-01 |
Local government elections: Don’t expect any real change with new local government |
| 2021-07-01 |
Local government elections: Don’t expect any real change with new local government |
| 2021-07-01 |
Beacon of hope flares the 45th Youth Day anniversary celebration |
| 2021-07-01 |
Beacon of hope flares the 45th Youth Day anniversary celebration |
UFS teams up with Department of Agriculture and donates latest farming technology to Oppermans
2009-03-09
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Attending the recent launch of the latest technology that measures the salinity of soil – the EM38 system – during an information day held in Jacobsdal were, from the left, back: Mr Robert Dlomo, a farmer from Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal, Prof. Leon van Rensburg, Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the UFS, Mr Sugar Ramakarane, head of the Department of Agriculture in the Free State, Dr Motseki Hlatshwayo, national Department of Agriculture, and Prof. Herman van Schalkwyk, Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS; front: Mr Robert Smith and Mr Fagan Scheepers from Oppermansgronde, who will be working with the EM38 system in the area.
Photo: Landbouweekblad |
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UFS teams up with Department of Agriculture and donates latest farming technology to Oppermans
Emerging and commercial farmers of the Oppermans Community in the Northern Cape will now be able to monitor the salinity levels on their farms effectively for the first time.
This is as a result of a donation of the latest technology that measures the salinity of soil – the EM38 system – which the University of the Free State (UFS) is donating to the community.
The unique project was launched by the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the UFS and the Department of Agriculture in the Free State during an information day held at Jacobsdal recently.
The day was attended by members of the Oppermans Community and representatives of the UFS as well as the Department of Agriculture. Mr Sugar Ramakarane, Head of the Department of Agriculture in the Free State, did the welcoming and several academics from the UFS held discussions about various topics related to the salinity levels in soil.
Since the establishment of the Oppermans Community emerging farmers are now for the first time able to accurately monitor the salinity levels on their farms as well as that of irrigation schemes of commercial farms in the area.
“In a region such as the Northern Cape it is very important that the salinity level of soil is monitored properly. As water is administered to crops, salts accumulate in the soil because the roots leave most of the salts in the soil when it transpires. When the salinity of soil increases, the osmotic potential thereof can also increase, which can seriously damage the water intake of crops and can create loss in yield and income,” said Prof. Leon van Rensburg from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the UFS and leader of the Oppermans Project.
To assist the farming community of Oppermans to apply precision farming and to measure the salinity level of soil more accurately the latest technology that measures salinity in soil – the EM38 – will be donated to the community. Although the system is used throughout the world, the UFS is the only tertiary institution in the country that owns the latest version of this system.
“We are also training two persons from the Oppermans Community as technicians that will monitor the use of the system. The advantage of the donation of the system for the university is that we can gather data that can be used for research purposes by our Master’s and Doctoral students. We also want to see if water-table heights can be measured with this system,” said Prof. Van Rensburg.
According to him the system has several advantages for the community’s emerging farmers. “For the first time the salinity level of soil can now be measured accurately, salt maps can be drawn up, we can advise farmers about the corrections that need to be made and salinity management plans can be compiled,” he said.
The system is very accurate as it takes measurements every 200 mm while it is pulled by a four-wheel motorbike. The readings provide the distribution of salts up to a soil depth of 1 500 mm. “In the past the measuring of salinity levels was time-consuming and the cost thereof was R90 for one sample. The new system is more cost-effective,” stated Prof. Van Rensburg.
The instruments will be handed over to the African Spirit Group of the Oppermans Community, who will then become the owners. The service to farmers will then be managed by an operational group consisting of people from the Oppermans Community, a postgraduate student who can compile salinity maps and Prof. Van Rensburg, who will act as project leader and advisor.
The system will also be made available to farmers at the Riet River and Vaalharts Schemes.
Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
9 March 2009
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