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06 December 2018 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Barend Nagel
Marcelle Vermeulen
Marcele Vermeulen, a graduate from the Department of Plant Sciences, explores possible threats to crop production; contributing to food security in South Africa.

Global food security is currently threatened both by climate change and the low diversity of crops relied on by humankind to feed a growing world population. Marcele Vermeulen, a graduate in the Department of Plant Sciences who will receive her PhD at the December graduation ceremonies at the University of the Free State (UFS), is part of a team that is working hard to add to the diversity of staple foods in South Africa.

In the drive to focus on alternative crops, Marcele is researching the crop, Amaranthus cruentus, (grain amaranth). It is more tolerant to environmental stress for large-scale production, thereby also diversifying staple crops.

Relatively new development

“Amaranthus cruentus is an excellent candidate due to its high nutritional value and tolerance to drought and high temperatures. It can be mixed with conventional maize meal, to increase the protein intake of its consumers,” said Marcele.

The production of A. cruentus as a grain crop in South Africa is a relatively new development.

In her research, exploring the possible threats to crop production and paying particular attention to dominant plant pathogens in the Amaranthus cruentus, Marcele found a correlation between fungal pathogens and insect pests. 

Insect pests can influence plant diseases

Although reports on fungal pathogens and pests specific to A. cruentus are limited to and information for South Africa is limited to this study, there is a possibility that by controlling insect pests such as weevils, one might also be able to control fungal pathogens of Amaranthus cruentus.

Marcele believes that control of weevil pests should thus be the focus of future pest and pathogen management strategies and breeding programmes in A. cruentus.  

“Knowledge gained in my thesis will hopefully aid in the development of future cultivation practices, integrated pest/pathogen management programmes, as well as for the registration of crop protection products for A. cruentus,” Marcele added.

Research Contributes to Food Security from University of the Free State on Vimeo.

News Archive

In search of the new Kovsie CyberSta: The Top Five
2017-05-02

Description: Reuben Davids, FaceOfFacebook Tags: Reuben Davids, FaceOfFacebook

Reuben Davids, outgoing #FaceOfFacebook ambassador
for UFS digital channels
Photo: Rulanzen Martin

Do you want to have a say in who becomes the next #KovsieCyberSta? This newly facelifted competition provides the opportunity for not one, but two Kovsie students to live out their dreams in front of the camera. The two winning candidates, as voted by you, our discerning viewers, will be used on all UFS digital channels.

Our top five contestants have been selected, and you can now vote for them on Instagram. The two videos with the most likes on the UFS Instagram page will be declared the winners. Terms and conditions apply.

The top five are (in the order in which their videos were submitted):

  1. Tammy-Jane Fray: https://www.instagram.com/p/BTgh-A2hwrS
  2. Ay-muu Mathebula: https://www.instagram.com/p/BTgiV1KBKwJ
  3. Lindelani Jones Nomnganga: https://www.instagram.com/p/BTkzs51BfeA
  4. Thulaganyo (Thuli) Molebalwa: https://www.instagram.com/p/BTk0GaNhmJg
  5. Georgina Phumeza Mhlahlo: https://www.instagram.com/p/BTk0aQghiSe

The fine print

  1. The finalists’ videos have been reposted on the @ufsuv Instagram account
  2. Vote for your favourite candidate by liking their post on this account. Only likes on the @ufsuv Instagram timeline will be used to determine the winners
  3. Each like will count as a vote, and the person with the most votes at the closing time will be declared the winner
  4. You will need to be a registered Instagram user to vote
  5. We have a panel of four judges who will also select their favourite two entries. Their votes will be added to the total likes on the closing day
  6. The deadline for voting is 12 May 2017 at 12:00
  7. The two winners will be announced on the afternoon of 12 May 2017, and they will feature in their first video during the Bloemfontein Campus Open Day on 13 May 2017

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