Latest News Archive
Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
02 January 2025
|
Story Gerda-Marie van Rooyen
|
Photo Supplied
Leading the research in South Africa is Prof Linus Franke from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences.
Scientists are actively pursuing the successful breeding of diploid hybrid potatoes from inbred lines. This is expected to revolutionise potato breeding as it holds the key to rapid genetic progress. It will introduce new varieties for commercialisation through seed. Currently, existing potato variants have a gene that renders self-pollinated seeds infertile.
Prof Linus Franke, an academic in the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the UFS, is leading the research in South Africa. “This technology allows the production of genetically uniform potato seed that is easy to transport and largely disease-free.” He says this differs from conventional breeding whereby only vegetative propagation is possible due to tetraploid varieties in potatoes. It also risks carrying pests and diseases from one generation to the next – leading to the accumulation of pests and diseases with each round of multiplication.
Seed innovation
Prof Franke explains that Solynta BV, a seed company based in the Netherlands that produces potato varieties that can be grown from seed, has included South Africa in their research efforts because it is one of Africa’s largest producers and exporters. Through his academic relationship with Wageningen University and Research, a Dutch institution renowned for its agricultural endeavours and food production, the UFS became involved in researching hybrid potatoes grown from seed.
Diploid seeds containing two sets of chromosomes allow easier gene manipulation to increase predictability and speedier genetic progress. The breeding approach enables the incorporation of tolerance to pests, diseases, abiotic stresses (cold, heat, drought) and other desired genetic traits.
Although Prof Franke is optimistic about this research, he is not blind to disadvantages. “Potato seeds are tiny and have little energy reserves, making it harder to grow potatoes from seed than from tubers.” He says potatoes from seed will take longer to cultivate than tubers, as farmers need to grow plantlets from seeds first, adding six weeks to the growing period. “It is possible that commercial farmers can grow potatoes directly from seed. Alternatively, perhaps more likely, specialised growers will produce tubers of potatoes from seed; these tubers are then sold as seed tubers to other potato farmers, who then continue their normal practices of producing potatoes for the market from tubers.”
Financial benefits
Prof Franke says farmers have reason to get excited. “Seed potatoes will reduce input costs, as varieties with enhanced tolerance to pests and diseases require less pesticides. Planting one hectare of potatoes requires three to four tonnes of potato tubers, but only one 25 g packet of potato seeds.” Since potatoes are a more valuable commodity than maize, this technology might also increase farmers’ income potential.
Deadline for written submissions extended to 12:00 on Wednesday 15 November 2017
2017-11-08
Deadline for written submissions extended: Investigation/review into the handling of student protests on the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa campuses by private security companies during october 2017.
A panel, consisting of Mr Ashraf Mahomed and Ms Nomfundo Walaza, has been appointed by the University of the Free State (UFS) to investigate/review the handling of student protests on the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses by private security companies during October 2017.
Mr Ashraf Mahomed is an attorney and director at Ashraf Mahomed Attorneys in Cape Town. He specialises in constitutional law, administrative law, public law, alternative dispute resolution (including mediation, arbitration, negotiation and facilitation), and land reform law. Mr Mahomed serves as a board member of the Dullah Omar Institute (DOI) for Constitutional Law, Governance and Human Rights at the University of the Western Cape, as well as the Tshisimani Centre for Activist Education. He recently completed his second term as President of the Cape Law Society (CLS).
Ms Nomfundo Walaza is a clinical psychologist who has worked in the human rights field for the past two decades. For the past nine years, she has served as the CEO of the Desmond Tutu Peace Centre and also served for 11 years as the Executive Director of the Trauma Centre for Survivors of Violence and Torture in Cape Town. Ms Walaza is currently the Executive Director of PeaceSystems – a civil-society organisation that supports the development of sustainable institutions and systems that prevent, manage, and resolve conflict in African societies.
This is an independent panel, which was requested by the Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS on behalf of the UFS Executive, and supported by the President of the Central Student Representative Council on behalf of the student body.
Submissions by students and staff are awaited and can be submitted as follows:
1. Written submissions
The deadline for written submissions has been extended to 12:00 on Wednesday 15 November 2017. Submissions can be sent to news@ufs.ac.za.
2. Oral submissions
The panel will visit the campuses as follows to receive oral submissions:
Bloemfontein Campus:
Monday 13 November 2017
Time: 09:00-17:00
Venue: SRC Chambers, Steve Biko Building
Kindly confirm attendance of the sessions by contacting Ms Rochelle Ferreira at +27 51 401 9808 or FerreiraR1@ufs.ac.za by 14:00 on Friday 10 November 2017.
Qwaqwa Campus:
Tuesday 14 November 2017
Time: 09:00-17:00
Venue: Senate Hall, Intsika Building
Kindly confirm attendance of the sessions by contacting Ms Thabile Zuma at +27 58 718 5094 or ZumaMT@ufs.ac.za by 14:00 on Friday 2017.
Enquiries can be directed to Mr JC van der Merwe at vdmjc@ufs.ac.za.
Released by:
Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Brand Management)
Telephone: +27 51 401 2584 | +27 83 645 2454
Email: news@ufs.ac.za | loaderl@ufs.ac.za
Fax: +27 51 444 6393