Latest News Archive
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2020-09-30 |
Social Work Student Association raise funds for Sunflower House |
2020-09-30 |
Social Work Student Association raise funds for Sunflower House |
2020-09-29 |
Can COVID-19 change us for the better? |
2020-09-29 |
Can COVID-19 change us for the better? |
2020-09-28 |
UFS’ Next Generation Sequencing Unit designated as a WHO Collaborating Centre |
2020-09-28 |
UFS’ Next Generation Sequencing Unit designated as a WHO Collaborating Centre |
2020-09-28 |
SA needs tough, bold decisions post-COVID-19 |
2020-09-28 |
SA needs tough, bold decisions post-COVID-19 |
2020-09-24 |
International Cultural Diversity Festival connects cultures |
2020-09-24 |
International Cultural Diversity Festival connects cultures |
2020-09-23 |
#HeritageDay: South African diversity a microcosm of the world |
2020-09-23 |
#HeritageDay: South African diversity a microcosm of the world |
2020-09-23 |
Legalising communal artisanal small-scale miners |
2020-09-23 |
Legalising communal artisanal small-scale miners |
2020-09-23 |
The Heritage of Hope |
2020-09-23 |
The Heritage of Hope |
2020-09-23 |
Third Amazing Race journey through Africa |
2020-09-23 |
Third Amazing Race journey through Africa |
2020-09-23 |
Can we use African Indigenous Knowledge to tackle COVID-19? |
2020-09-23 |
Can we use African Indigenous Knowledge to tackle COVID-19? |
2020-09-23 |
UFS hosts 2020 Virtual International Cultural Diversity Festival |
2020-09-23 |
UFS hosts 2020 Virtual International Cultural Diversity Festival |
2020-09-21 |
Update on developments at the UFS |
2020-09-21 |
Update on developments at the UFS |
2020-09-22 |
You too can get behind Ubuntu |
2020-09-22 |
You too can get behind Ubuntu |
2020-09-17 |
Nutrition in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic |
2020-09-17 |
Nutrition in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic |
2020-09-16 |
Student Affairs research colloquium: Connecting meaningfully in a digital world |
2020-09-16 |
Student Affairs research colloquium: Connecting meaningfully in a digital world |
2020-09-16 |
UFS hosts national #HeritageDay webinar with SA Poet Laureate |
2020-09-16 |
UFS hosts national #HeritageDay webinar with SA Poet Laureate |
2020-09-15 |
Plant breeding enhances crop improvement |
2020-09-15 |
Plant breeding enhances crop improvement |
2020-09-15 |
Your safety and survival key during kidnapping |
2020-09-15 |
Your safety and survival key during kidnapping |
2020-09-14 |
UFS part of new international digital humanities history project |
2020-09-14 |
UFS part of new international digital humanities history project |
2020-09-14 |
Kovsie sports star one of Mail & Guardian’s 200 exceptional young South Africans |
2020-09-14 |
Kovsie sports star one of Mail & Guardian’s 200 exceptional young South Africans |
2020-09-11 |
UFS dermatologist publishes first-ever comprehensive skin atlas |
2020-09-11 |
UFS dermatologist publishes first-ever comprehensive skin atlas |
2020-09-11 |
Black women’s hair: A political battlefield |
2020-09-11 |
Black women’s hair: A political battlefield |
2020-09-11 |
The ignored threat of fungal infections |
2020-09-11 |
The ignored threat of fungal infections |
2020-09-10 |
‘Do, Re, Mental Health’ – Harmonising Well-being with Music |
2020-09-10 |
‘Do, Re, Mental Health’ – Harmonising Well-being with Music |
2020-09-10 |
Dr Madiope participating in annual Adelaide Tambo lecture at TUT |
2020-09-10 |
Dr Madiope participating in annual Adelaide Tambo lecture at TUT |
2020-09-10 |
'Kamphoer' author delivers another compelling novel |
2020-09-10 |
'Kamphoer' author delivers another compelling novel |
2020-09-09 |
2020 UFS Thought-Leader Series: The South African Economy |
2020-09-09 |
2020 UFS Thought-Leader Series: The South African Economy |
2020-09-09 |
Call for contributions: 2020 International Cultural Diversity Festival |
2020-09-09 |
Call for contributions: 2020 International Cultural Diversity Festival |
2020-09-08 |
Finding safe havens for biodiversity in the eastern Free State |
2020-09-08 |
Finding safe havens for biodiversity in the eastern Free State |
2020-09-07 |
UFS and CUT research projects get funding |
2020-09-07 |
UFS and CUT research projects get funding |
2020-09-07 |
‘People must be at the centre of what we do’ |
2020-09-07 |
‘People must be at the centre of what we do’ |
2020-09-05 |
We are ready |
2020-09-05 |
We are ready |
2020-09-04 |
Return of students to campus during Level 2 |
2020-09-04 |
Return of students to campus during Level 2 |
2020-09-03 |
Opportunities revealed by COVID-19 for continuously developing a universally accessible university |
2020-09-03 |
Opportunities revealed by COVID-19 for continuously developing a universally accessible university |
2020-08-31 |
ITP Transformation Week: Call for Contributions |
2020-08-31 |
ITP Transformation Week: Call for Contributions |
2020-09-02 |
Faculty of Health Sciences welcomes donations of PPEs |
2020-09-02 |
Faculty of Health Sciences welcomes donations of PPEs |
2020-09-03 |
Virtual Graduation Ceremonies, 6-9 October 2020 |
2020-09-03 |
Virtual Graduation Ceremonies, 6-9 October 2020 |
2020-09-07 |
New biosafety laboratory to improve health quality |
2020-09-07 |
New biosafety laboratory to improve health quality |
2020-09-02 |
UFS postdoctoral fellow wins medal at international webinar |
2020-09-02 |
UFS postdoctoral fellow wins medal at international webinar |
2020-09-02 |
Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela, visits the UFS |
2020-09-02 |
Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela, visits the UFS |
2020-09-01 |
SAA, fly me to the moon |
2020-09-01 |
SAA, fly me to the moon |
2020-09-01 |
First-ever UFS winner of TEN Campaign Award says it will open doors to many learning opportunities for her |
2020-09-01 |
First-ever UFS winner of TEN Campaign Award says it will open doors to many learning opportunities for her |
2020-09-01 |
Devina Harry accepted into the Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme |
2020-09-01 |
Devina Harry accepted into the Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme |
2020-09-01 |
Intersectionality of womanhood unpacked in UFS Women’s Month webinar |
2020-09-01 |
Intersectionality of womanhood unpacked in UFS Women’s Month webinar |
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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