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| 2022-07-29 |
Ugandan scientists visit UFS traditional medicine expert for benchmarking |
| 2022-07-29 |
Ugandan scientists visit UFS traditional medicine expert for benchmarking |
| 2022-06-28 |
Prof Francis Petersen shares insights about his term in conversation with Leanne Manas |
| 2022-06-28 |
Prof Francis Petersen shares insights about his term in conversation with Leanne Manas |
| 2022-07-27 |
Three ISG fellows to publish African history books through international grant |
| 2022-07-27 |
Three ISG fellows to publish African history books through international grant |
| 2022-07-27 |
Pregnancy and breast-feeding an indication for vaccination |
| 2022-07-27 |
Pregnancy and breast-feeding an indication for vaccination |
| 2022-07-26 |
UFS contingent flying national flag at Commonwealth Games |
| 2022-07-26 |
UFS contingent flying national flag at Commonwealth Games |
| 2022-07-26 |
International exchange students back on our campus |
| 2022-07-26 |
International exchange students back on our campus |
| 2022-07-25 |
ASK – A StrangerKind – coming to the UFS |
| 2022-07-25 |
ASK – A StrangerKind – coming to the UFS |
| 2022-07-21 |
USDP candidate creating ear, nose, and throat knowledge relevant to the SA setting |
| 2022-07-21 |
USDP candidate creating ear, nose, and throat knowledge relevant to the SA setting |
| 2022-07-21 |
University Staff Doctoral Programme – exploiting potential |
| 2022-07-21 |
University Staff Doctoral Programme – exploiting potential |
| 2022-07-20 |
Founder of Next Chapter honoured for advocacy work |
| 2022-07-20 |
Founder of Next Chapter honoured for advocacy work |
| 2022-07-20 |
UFS forms partnership with ZZ2, well-known South African farming and fresh produce company |
| 2022-07-20 |
UFS forms partnership with ZZ2, well-known South African farming and fresh produce company |
| 2022-07-20 |
UFS Job Shadows in Germany |
| 2022-07-20 |
UFS Job Shadows in Germany |
| 2022-07-20 |
A collaboration of game changers for women and youth by women |
| 2022-07-20 |
A collaboration of game changers for women and youth by women |
| 2022-07-19 |
Mandela Month: We need collaboration in all sectors to create real social impact |
| 2022-07-19 |
Mandela Month: We need collaboration in all sectors to create real social impact |
| 2022-07-18 |
UFS artists’ work on exhibition at world-famous NIROX Sculpture Park |
| 2022-07-18 |
UFS artists’ work on exhibition at world-famous NIROX Sculpture Park |
| 2022-07-15 |
UFS Lifts its COVID-19 Regulations and Required Vaccination Policy with immediate effect |
| 2022-07-15 |
UFS Lifts its COVID-19 Regulations and Required Vaccination Policy with immediate effect |
| 2022-07-05 |
Winter Warmer Indoor Picnic Concert |
| 2022-07-05 |
Winter Warmer Indoor Picnic Concert |
| 2022-07-11 |
UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor meets Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber |
| 2022-07-11 |
UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor meets Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber |
| 2022-07-11 |
Cyanotic Heart Disease research can help restructure health care, do better planning |
| 2022-07-11 |
Cyanotic Heart Disease research can help restructure health care, do better planning |
| 2022-07-11 |
UFS busy with exciting research into flavours and fragrances |
| 2022-07-11 |
UFS busy with exciting research into flavours and fragrances |
| 2022-05-11 |
More cities may follow Gqeberha in running out of water |
| 2022-05-11 |
More cities may follow Gqeberha in running out of water |
| 2022-07-11 |
‘It takes a good child to be raised by a village,’ says Dr Maramura |
| 2022-07-11 |
‘It takes a good child to be raised by a village,’ says Dr Maramura |
| 2022-07-11 |
Use social media responsibly, advises Deputy Minister John Jeffery |
| 2022-07-11 |
Use social media responsibly, advises Deputy Minister John Jeffery |
| 2022-07-11 |
Gift of the Givers donates food packs to the UFS |
| 2022-07-11 |
Gift of the Givers donates food packs to the UFS |
| 2022-07-08 |
Vrystaat Arts Festival |
| 2022-07-08 |
Vrystaat Arts Festival |
| 2022-07-05 |
From Cathedral Peak to your tap: the role of mountains in providing water |
| 2022-07-05 |
From Cathedral Peak to your tap: the role of mountains in providing water |
| 2022-07-05 |
UFS and police services strengthen partnership for crime prevention |
| 2022-07-05 |
UFS and police services strengthen partnership for crime prevention |
| 2022-07-04 |
Leanne Manas in Conversation with Prof Francis Petersen |
| 2022-07-04 |
Leanne Manas in Conversation with Prof Francis Petersen |
| 2022-07-04 |
The thin line between tradition and christianity as religions |
| 2022-07-04 |
The thin line between tradition and christianity as religions |
| 2022-07-01 |
The University of the Free State Launches an African Languages Press |
| 2022-07-01 |
The University of the Free State Launches an African Languages Press |
| 2022-07-01 |
UFS alumna and Council member honoured by the American Bar Association |
| 2022-07-01 |
UFS alumna and Council member honoured by the American Bar Association |
| 2022-07-01 |
WHO Africa Mission: UFS has facilities for multidisciplinary research |
| 2022-07-01 |
WHO Africa Mission: UFS has facilities for multidisciplinary research |
| 2022-07-01 |
UFS to Prepare Students for Employment |
| 2022-07-01 |
UFS to Prepare Students for Employment |
| 2022-07-01 |
Change makers and game changers: are our glasses half full, or half empty? |
| 2022-07-01 |
Change makers and game changers: are our glasses half full, or half empty? |
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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