Latest News Archive
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News Items
2020-10-30 |
Two SARChI Research Chairs at UFS extended for five years |
2020-10-30 |
Two SARChI Research Chairs at UFS extended for five years |
2020-10-30 |
Researchers find new grass species in Maloti-Drakensberg area |
2020-10-30 |
Researchers find new grass species in Maloti-Drakensberg area |
2020-10-29 |
Empowering student entrepreneurs |
2020-10-29 |
Empowering student entrepreneurs |
2020-10-29 |
My roller-coaster ride of mental health |
2020-10-29 |
My roller-coaster ride of mental health |
2020-10-29 |
Mental Health: The Bigger Picture |
2020-10-29 |
Mental Health: The Bigger Picture |
2020-10-28 |
Excellence not a destination, but a journey |
2020-10-28 |
Excellence not a destination, but a journey |
2020-10-28 |
Webinar: The intersection between neuroscience and music |
2020-10-28 |
Webinar: The intersection between neuroscience and music |
2020-10-27 |
Innocensia Mangoato off to Germany for her PhD studies |
2020-10-27 |
Innocensia Mangoato off to Germany for her PhD studies |
2020-10-27 |
The importance of the first 1 000 days of life |
2020-10-27 |
The importance of the first 1 000 days of life |
2020-10-23 |
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: what about black women? |
2020-10-23 |
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: what about black women? |
2020-10-23 |
UFS alumna turned her passion into action |
2020-10-23 |
UFS alumna turned her passion into action |
2020-10-23 |
UFS scholars recognised by Academy of Science |
2020-10-23 |
UFS scholars recognised by Academy of Science |
2020-10-22 |
UFS hosts National Student Entrepreneurship Week (#SEW2020) |
2020-10-22 |
UFS hosts National Student Entrepreneurship Week (#SEW2020) |
2020-10-22 |
Health Sciences lecturer receives faculty’s top student award |
2020-10-22 |
Health Sciences lecturer receives faculty’s top student award |
2020-10-22 |
A story of hope and the value of friendship |
2020-10-22 |
A story of hope and the value of friendship |
2020-10-22 |
Lecturer empowers students to take control of their studies |
2020-10-22 |
Lecturer empowers students to take control of their studies |
2020-10-21 |
Monique Tangah – this year’s winner of UFS ‘3MT’ |
2020-10-21 |
Monique Tangah – this year’s winner of UFS ‘3MT’ |
2020-10-20 |
Warrior of light: a story of hope |
2020-10-20 |
Warrior of light: a story of hope |
2020-10-20 |
Pote Human comes back ‘home’ to coach Shimlas |
2020-10-20 |
Pote Human comes back ‘home’ to coach Shimlas |
2020-10-16 |
Study can increase conviction rate of sex offenders |
2020-10-16 |
Study can increase conviction rate of sex offenders |
2020-10-16 |
Thought-Leader webinar turns spotlight on corruption, social injustice, and ethics |
2020-10-16 |
Thought-Leader webinar turns spotlight on corruption, social injustice, and ethics |
2020-10-16 |
Do we have a culture of violence in South Africa? |
2020-10-16 |
Do we have a culture of violence in South Africa? |
2020-10-16 |
Grant to transform Free State communal woolgrowers |
2020-10-16 |
Grant to transform Free State communal woolgrowers |
2020-10-16 |
Top achieving student makes a positive difference |
2020-10-16 |
Top achieving student makes a positive difference |
2020-10-15 |
2020 UFS Virtual Graduation |
2020-10-15 |
2020 UFS Virtual Graduation |
2020-10-15 |
It’s okay not to be okay |
2020-10-15 |
It’s okay not to be okay |
2020-10-15 |
Incorporate internet into teachings, says UFS Maths lecturer |
2020-10-15 |
Incorporate internet into teachings, says UFS Maths lecturer |
2020-10-14 |
Former Deputy Justice discusses SA’s legal and political landscape post-1994 |
2020-10-14 |
Former Deputy Justice discusses SA’s legal and political landscape post-1994 |
2020-10-14 |
A story of hope |
2020-10-14 |
A story of hope |
2020-10-14 |
Lack of implementing economic growth plans is creating massive implications for SA |
2020-10-14 |
Lack of implementing economic growth plans is creating massive implications for SA |
2020-10-13 |
Player management key to netball team |
2020-10-13 |
Player management key to netball team |
2020-10-13 |
Corruption in South Africa: The politics, the law and all the shenanigans in between |
2020-10-13 |
Corruption in South Africa: The politics, the law and all the shenanigans in between |
2020-10-13 |
UFS management expresses concern about number of positive COVID-19 cases |
2020-10-13 |
UFS management expresses concern about number of positive COVID-19 cases |
2020-10-12 |
SA now experiencing half-year summers |
2020-10-12 |
SA now experiencing half-year summers |
2020-10-12 |
COVID-19 has widened the gap between cities and rural areas |
2020-10-12 |
COVID-19 has widened the gap between cities and rural areas |
2020-10-12 |
Elucidating the reality of human trafficking in South Africa |
2020-10-12 |
Elucidating the reality of human trafficking in South Africa |
2020-10-12 |
The myths of mental health |
2020-10-12 |
The myths of mental health |
2020-10-12 |
Mental Health and understanding Ubuntu |
2020-10-12 |
Mental Health and understanding Ubuntu |
2020-10-12 |
Being physically active and mentally well |
2020-10-12 |
Being physically active and mentally well |
2020-10-09 |
Kgalalelo Motlhabane: Master of her own destiny |
2020-10-09 |
Kgalalelo Motlhabane: Master of her own destiny |
2020-10-09 |
UFS lecturers inspire love for animals in MSc graduate |
2020-10-09 |
UFS lecturers inspire love for animals in MSc graduate |
2020-10-09 |
Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences Dean’s Medal winners |
2020-10-09 |
Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences Dean’s Medal winners |
2020-10-09 |
Disinfectants – are we at the end of the road? |
2020-10-09 |
Disinfectants – are we at the end of the road? |
2020-10-08 |
Master’s graduate’s love for virology and research |
2020-10-08 |
Master’s graduate’s love for virology and research |
2020-10-08 |
Don’t get hacked; protect your WhatsApp account |
2020-10-08 |
Don’t get hacked; protect your WhatsApp account |
2020-10-08 |
‘I want to see other people smile’ |
2020-10-08 |
‘I want to see other people smile’ |
2020-10-08 |
Broadening the heritage landscape |
2020-10-08 |
Broadening the heritage landscape |
2020-10-08 |
Plant Sciences graduate contributes technique to manage stem rust |
2020-10-08 |
Plant Sciences graduate contributes technique to manage stem rust |
2020-10-06 |
Qwaqwa Campus produces record number of science doctoral degrees |
2020-10-06 |
Qwaqwa Campus produces record number of science doctoral degrees |
2020-10-06 |
Working while studying – not an easy journey |
2020-10-06 |
Working while studying – not an easy journey |
2020-10-06 |
UFS Council member Leah Molatseli releases legal tech book |
2020-10-06 |
UFS Council member Leah Molatseli releases legal tech book |
2020-10-06 |
Solving Qwaqwa’s water crisis |
2020-10-06 |
Solving Qwaqwa’s water crisis |
2020-10-05 |
Mojalefa Mosala and Haneke van Zyl part of top-35 2020 SAICA finalists |
2020-10-05 |
Mojalefa Mosala and Haneke van Zyl part of top-35 2020 SAICA finalists |
2020-10-02 |
‘Embrace technology for competitive advantage’ |
2020-10-02 |
‘Embrace technology for competitive advantage’ |
2020-10-02 |
Police brutality has emerged as a serious issue of national concern |
2020-10-02 |
Police brutality has emerged as a serious issue of national concern |
2020-10-01 |
Mental Health Awareness: A Holistic Approach to Improving your Well-being |
2020-10-01 |
Mental Health Awareness: A Holistic Approach to Improving your Well-being |
2020-10-01 |
SRC member participates in HE international webinar |
2020-10-01 |
SRC member participates in HE international webinar |
2020-10-01 |
A day in the life of a COVID-19 essential worker at the university |
2020-10-01 |
A day in the life of a COVID-19 essential worker at the university |
2020-10-01 |
Politics in South Africa: ‘Post-COVID-19, Post-crisis’ |
2020-10-01 |
Politics in South Africa: ‘Post-COVID-19, Post-crisis’ |
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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