Diligent crop protection is crucial
Farmer's Weekly|March 13, 2020
Several methods are available to help farmers protect their crops from weeds, diseases and pests, says Dr Benard Ngwene, the agricultural advisory manager for AGCO Africa.
Diligent crop protection is crucial

Crop protection keeps a farmer busy for most of the season; it begins during land preparation and ends only when the harvest leaves the land. During this time, the farmer can be confronted with unexpected challenges, and must react immediately to prevent weeds, diseases or pests from reducing crop yield. Failure to do so may even lead to complete crop loss.

Technology can be of great help, but to ensure that a crop receives optimal protection, the farmer should walk the lands and visually check the plants.

The following is a brief overview of how to combat plant diseases, weeds and pests.

WEEDS

A weed is any plant growing where it is not wanted, and it is always best to start with a clean land. To achieve this, use a burndown herbicide application or tillage, or even physically remove the weeds.

Weeds are usually well adapted and can be host to pests and diseases, causing further yield losses. It is therefore imperative to prevent weeds from growing on the land in the first place, or remove them if their population is a threat to the crop.

DISEASES

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 13, 2020-Ausgabe von Farmer's Weekly.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 13, 2020-Ausgabe von Farmer's Weekly.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS FARMER'S WEEKLYAlle anzeigen
A Karoo-farm holiday for the family or business traveller
Farmer's Weekly

A Karoo-farm holiday for the family or business traveller

This is the ideal Karoo-farm stopover between the Western Cape and Gauteng,

time-read
4 Minuten  |
June 07, 2024
Toyota 48V: hybrid heavyweights in a changing world
Farmer's Weekly

Toyota 48V: hybrid heavyweights in a changing world

Toyota's global mandate to lower overall emissions via a multi-technology approach sees the venerable Hilux and popular Fortuner packages receive their timely respective doses of hybridisation. By CAR.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
June 07, 2024
Promising new cultivars on show at sorghum demonstration day
Farmer's Weekly

Promising new cultivars on show at sorghum demonstration day

Magda du Toit recently attended a sorghum cultivar demonstration day and takes a look at the exciting new products making their way onto the market.

time-read
7 Minuten  |
June 07, 2024
The basics of sheep shearing
Farmer's Weekly

The basics of sheep shearing

Sheep shearing is a specialised skill, but with adequate training, anyone can learn how to effectively and efficiently shear a sheep,

time-read
9 Minuten  |
June 07, 2024
Healthy soils lead to healthy plants and animals
Farmer's Weekly

Healthy soils lead to healthy plants and animals

Dr Louis du Pisani shed light on why biodiversity is important, and its impact on soil, plant and animal health at the World Veterinary Association Congress held in Cape Town.

time-read
4 Minuten  |
June 07, 2024
'SA's water crisis could turn into a human catastrophe'
Farmer's Weekly

'SA's water crisis could turn into a human catastrophe'

Abysmal management has left South Africa's water and wastewater infrastructure in a severely compromised position, Lambert de Klerk, manager of Environmental Affairs at AfriForum

time-read
6 Minuten  |
June 07, 2024
Uganda gives a helping hand to Zambia with 500 000t maize pledge
Farmer's Weekly

Uganda gives a helping hand to Zambia with 500 000t maize pledge

Drought-stricken Zambia has reached out for more international assistance as the situation, the worst in 40 years, deteriorates in the African country

time-read
2 Minuten  |
June 07, 2024
Shearing shed handover to wool growers
Farmer's Weekly

Shearing shed handover to wool growers

Shearing sheep made just a little easier for Eastern Cape farmers with donation,

time-read
2 Minuten  |
June 07, 2024
Top agriculture students taken on by department
Farmer's Weekly

Top agriculture students taken on by department

Twenty of the top achievers from the Cedara and Owen Sitole colleges of agriculture in KwaZulu-Natal officially received letters of appointment and signed two-year contracts under the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Unemployed Agriculture Graduates Youth Programme.

time-read
1 min  |
June 07, 2024
African leaders vow to tackle soil health ills to bolster food production
Farmer's Weekly

African leaders vow to tackle soil health ills to bolster food production

African Union leaders spoke as one voice at a recent fertiliser and soil health summit, pledging to take measures to improve Africa's soil quality

time-read
3 Minuten  |
June 07, 2024