Latest News Archive
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News Items
| 2022-03-31 |
Shimlas back at top in Varsity Cup and on course for semi-final |
| 2022-03-31 |
Shimlas back at top in Varsity Cup and on course for semi-final |
| 2022-03-30 |
International Student Welcome Function – Welcome to Mzansi |
| 2022-03-30 |
International Student Welcome Function – Welcome to Mzansi |
| 2022-03-30 |
Collaboration-based partnership receives nod from US Consul General |
| 2022-03-30 |
Collaboration-based partnership receives nod from US Consul General |
| 2022-03-30 |
Students are not 'generation snowflake' or 'vulnerable young people in crisis' |
| 2022-03-30 |
Students are not 'generation snowflake' or 'vulnerable young people in crisis' |
| 2022-03-29 |
Time to Protest against Protests |
| 2022-03-29 |
Time to Protest against Protests |
| 2022-03-29 |
Six years into the Star of Stars competition and it’s only getting brighter |
| 2022-03-29 |
Six years into the Star of Stars competition and it’s only getting brighter |
| 2022-03-29 |
Centre for Graduate Support welcomes students where they ‘belong’ |
| 2022-03-29 |
Centre for Graduate Support welcomes students where they ‘belong’ |
| 2022-03-28 |
Interdisciplinary Centre for Digital Futures wants to lead in socially responsive and relevant digital future |
| 2022-03-28 |
Interdisciplinary Centre for Digital Futures wants to lead in socially responsive and relevant digital future |
| 2022-03-28 |
UFS MAGIC lab, the go-to geological drone imaging group in South Africa |
| 2022-03-28 |
UFS MAGIC lab, the go-to geological drone imaging group in South Africa |
| 2022-03-28 |
UFS impact emphasised by SA Sports Awards |
| 2022-03-28 |
UFS impact emphasised by SA Sports Awards |
| 2022-03-25 |
The impact of cereal killers on food security |
| 2022-03-25 |
The impact of cereal killers on food security |
| 2022-03-25 |
UFS Choirs Entertaining and Uplifting Staff and Students |
| 2022-03-25 |
UFS Choirs Entertaining and Uplifting Staff and Students |
| 2022-03-24 |
Celebrating Human Rights Day in South Africa: A critical perspective |
| 2022-03-24 |
Celebrating Human Rights Day in South Africa: A critical perspective |
| 2022-03-24 |
Human Rights for Some, Not for All |
| 2022-03-24 |
Human Rights for Some, Not for All |
| 2022-03-23 |
The meaning of life with endometriosis |
| 2022-03-23 |
The meaning of life with endometriosis |
| 2022-03-23 |
Implementation at the heart of local government transformation |
| 2022-03-23 |
Implementation at the heart of local government transformation |
| 2022-03-23 |
Clinical trials to confirm plant-based treatment for COVID-19 to start soon |
| 2022-03-23 |
Clinical trials to confirm plant-based treatment for COVID-19 to start soon |
| 2022-03-22 |
Dr Yolandi Swart – developing the next generation of health professionals |
| 2022-03-22 |
Dr Yolandi Swart – developing the next generation of health professionals |
| 2022-03-18 |
UFS alumna Uyleta Nel-Marais takes Mrs Universe SA crown |
| 2022-03-18 |
UFS alumna Uyleta Nel-Marais takes Mrs Universe SA crown |
| 2022-03-18 |
Academic programme on the Qwaqwa Campus to continue online until 25 March 2022 |
| 2022-03-18 |
Academic programme on the Qwaqwa Campus to continue online until 25 March 2022 |
| 2022-03-18 |
UFS returns to in-person ceremonies for April 2022 graduation |
| 2022-03-18 |
UFS returns to in-person ceremonies for April 2022 graduation |
| 2022-03-18 |
Hunger is a violation of children’s rights. An all-of-society response is needed |
| 2022-03-18 |
Hunger is a violation of children’s rights. An all-of-society response is needed |
| 2022-03-18 |
DF Malherbe Memorial Lecture: Children’s verse and nursery rhymes promote language skills |
| 2022-03-18 |
DF Malherbe Memorial Lecture: Children’s verse and nursery rhymes promote language skills |
| 2022-03-17 |
UFS microbiology research accepted for prestigious Infection and Immunity journal |
| 2022-03-17 |
UFS microbiology research accepted for prestigious Infection and Immunity journal |
| 2022-03-17 |
UFS and Cameroon’s University of Yaoundé 1 collaborate on zoonotic disease research |
| 2022-03-17 |
UFS and Cameroon’s University of Yaoundé 1 collaborate on zoonotic disease research |
| 2022-03-16 |
Drone awareness training pilot on UFS South Campus |
| 2022-03-16 |
Drone awareness training pilot on UFS South Campus |
| 2022-03-16 |
Two-year ground-breaking partnership for Southern African mountain regions |
| 2022-03-16 |
Two-year ground-breaking partnership for Southern African mountain regions |
| 2022-03-16 |
Southern African Mountain Conference a collective voice for sustainable development |
| 2022-03-16 |
Southern African Mountain Conference a collective voice for sustainable development |
| 2022-03-16 |
Crop Research Platform established to promote all crop-related research |
| 2022-03-16 |
Crop Research Platform established to promote all crop-related research |
| 2022-03-15 |
CGAS co-hosts national online think tank on Pan-Africanist futures |
| 2022-03-15 |
CGAS co-hosts national online think tank on Pan-Africanist futures |
| 2022-03-15 |
Inaugural Lecture of Prof Ulrike Kistner: Public Law |
| 2022-03-15 |
Inaugural Lecture of Prof Ulrike Kistner: Public Law |
| 2022-03-14 |
Incident of violent criminal acts on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus on 14 March 2022 |
| 2022-03-14 |
Incident of violent criminal acts on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus on 14 March 2022 |
| 2022-03-11 |
Afromontane Research Unit to host first-ever Southern African mountain conference |
| 2022-03-11 |
Afromontane Research Unit to host first-ever Southern African mountain conference |
| 2022-03-11 |
Cry “Havoc!”, and let slip the dogs of war |
| 2022-03-11 |
Cry “Havoc!”, and let slip the dogs of war |
| 2022-03-10 |
A convulsing state: the opportunities inherent in social movements, including Operation Dudula |
| 2022-03-10 |
A convulsing state: the opportunities inherent in social movements, including Operation Dudula |
| 2022-03-10 |
Pioneering UFS work allows athletics coaches to study online |
| 2022-03-10 |
Pioneering UFS work allows athletics coaches to study online |
| 2022-03-10 |
Fighting Food Insecurity at the University of the Free State |
| 2022-03-10 |
Fighting Food Insecurity at the University of the Free State |
| 2022-03-10 |
The Importance of the Secure the Grad Initiative |
| 2022-03-10 |
The Importance of the Secure the Grad Initiative |
| 2022-03-10 |
Prof Abiodun Ogundeji appointed as Director: Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa |
| 2022-03-10 |
Prof Abiodun Ogundeji appointed as Director: Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa |
| 2022-03-09 |
World Kidney Day - Bridging the knowledge gap and raising awareness |
| 2022-03-09 |
World Kidney Day - Bridging the knowledge gap and raising awareness |
| 2022-03-09 |
UFS Department of Economics and Finance receives prestigious CFA accreditation |
| 2022-03-09 |
UFS Department of Economics and Finance receives prestigious CFA accreditation |
| 2022-03-09 |
National multiplication training on internationalisation in South Africa |
| 2022-03-09 |
National multiplication training on internationalisation in South Africa |
| 2022-03-08 |
Prof Abdon Atangana, South Africa’s top-ranked scientist in Mathematics |
| 2022-03-08 |
Prof Abdon Atangana, South Africa’s top-ranked scientist in Mathematics |
| 2022-03-07 |
Opinion: The economic impact of the Russia-Ukraine crisis |
| 2022-03-07 |
Opinion: The economic impact of the Russia-Ukraine crisis |
| 2022-03-07 |
Jaco Jacobs to deliver 35th DF Malherbe Memorial Lecture |
| 2022-03-07 |
Jaco Jacobs to deliver 35th DF Malherbe Memorial Lecture |
| 2022-03-07 |
Academic programme on UFS campuses to resume face-to-face classes on 14 March 2022 |
| 2022-03-07 |
Academic programme on UFS campuses to resume face-to-face classes on 14 March 2022 |
| 2022-03-03 |
UFS partners with The Conversation Africa |
| 2022-03-03 |
UFS partners with The Conversation Africa |
| 2022-03-03 |
UFS Centre for Labour Law celebrates 2020/2021 students |
| 2022-03-03 |
UFS Centre for Labour Law celebrates 2020/2021 students |
| 2022-03-02 |
UFS welcomes new Director for Academy for Multilingualism |
| 2022-03-02 |
UFS welcomes new Director for Academy for Multilingualism |
| 2022-03-02 |
Billions of litres of raw sewage in rivers and dams a national security issue |
| 2022-03-02 |
Billions of litres of raw sewage in rivers and dams a national security issue |
| 2022-03-01 |
Budget 2022 hits many of the right notes, but … |
| 2022-03-01 |
Budget 2022 hits many of the right notes, but … |
| 2022-03-01 |
The Long Journey Back to Campus |
| 2022-03-01 |
The Long Journey Back to Campus |
| 2022-03-01 |
Be part of UFS alumni community in 2022 |
| 2022-03-01 |
Be part of UFS alumni community in 2022 |
| 2022-03-01 |
UFS appreciates staff dedication through iRecognise |
| 2022-03-01 |
UFS appreciates staff dedication through iRecognise |
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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