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02 January 2025
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Story Gerda-Marie van Rooyen
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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.
Translation Day Seminar
2007-10-22
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Subverting the West? Engaging language practice as African interpretation.
With the above-mentioned title in mind, about 30 people gathered at the Main Campus of the University of the Free State (FS) in Bloemfontein for a Translation Day Seminar. The day was attended by academics, language practitioners, government departments, students, and other stakeholders in language practice.
Prof. Jackie Naudé, the Programme Director for the Programme in Language Practice at the UFS, gave a short historical overview of developments in research and training in language practice of the past decade. He argued in favour of a socio-constructivist approach to teaching and research in language practice. His point was that students need to be given the opportunity to engage with the complexities of real-life problems, specifically the complexities of the African context.
Dr Kobus Marais, Senior Lecturer in Translation Studies at the UFS, gave an overview of the state of the art of translation research. This meant that language practitioners are agents in communication, not mere conduits of meaning. He argued that translators’ agency implied that they have to make informed choices, the most important of which is whether to indigenise or foreignise when translating. He developed wisdom as a notion in translation, indicating that translators need to be wise to interpret their context and translate in such a way that (Western) ideology does not ride piggy-back on their translations into the African target culture.
Prof. Joan Connoly, Associate Professor in the Centre for Higher Education Development at Durban University of Technology (DUT), took the audience on a breathtaking journey on the topic of oral knowledge. Her presentation showed examples, both European and African oral knowledge and had a clear message for language practitioners: What can Africans learn from the Western mind? Her answer: "Africans can learn how easy it is to loose one’s oral knowledge base. Africans can look at the West and see what the consequences are when a culture loses its oral-based knowledge. Language practitioners have it in their power to consider this possible loss and do something about it."
Lastly, Ms Lolie Makhubu, Head of the Department of Language and Translation at DUT, spoke about enticement in interpreting to use loan words to impress either the audience or peers or clients. Her argument boils down to the interpreter’s attitude towards African culture and language. If Western culture is regarded as higher than African culture, interpreters will be tempted to boast their knowledge of Western culture by means of their choice of words. However, if interpreters are “Proudly South African”, as she put it, they have not need for showing off by using loan words.
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Dr Kobus Marais (Senior Lecturer in Translation Studies at the UFS) during the seminar.
Photo (supplied)
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