CHIPS
PepRSV in South Africa: What potato producers should know
Pepper ringspot virus (PepRSV) has been recognised over the past five years as an emerging virus in South Africa. It is frequently present, but often without visible field symptoms. Although…
Read MoreDie speurwerk agter die identifikasie van PepRSV in Suid-Afrika
Dit is nie altyd eenvoudig om die oorsaak van defekte of siektetekens in plante te identifiseer nie. Net so uitdagend was die uiteindelike identifikasie van pepper ringspotvirus (PepRSV). In Maart…
Read MorePrecision irrigation: A key component of precision agriculture
From producers to consumers, everyone is well aware of the statistics on water scarcity, agricultural water use, and the increasing demand for food driven by population growth. For many years,…
Read MoreSuidwes-Vrystaatse kultivarproef onder besproeiing by Petrusburg in 2025/26
Die Suidwes-Vrystaatse aartappelproduksiestreek produseer sowat 1.86% van die land se kommersiële aartappels op 954 ha. Die mees prominente kultivars wat in die streek se hoofoes vir tafelverbruik en verwerking geproduseer…
Read MoreSoft rot and blackleg in potatoes
Soft rot and blackleg are often treated as ‘bad luck diseases’: the kind that appear late, ruin a portion of the crop, and then vanish until the next season. In…
Read MoreRip tillage proves its value in 12-year Sandveld potato trial
Potato production in the Sandveld is carried out in deep, sandy soils that are well suited to cultivation. However, these soils are vulnerable to compaction, wind erosion, and declining organic…
Read MoreGrowing potatoes under challenging soil conditions: GRIMME has the solution
Growing potatoes in stony and cloddy soil can be challenging, but it’s possible. Effective and precise soil preparation and cultivation enable the production of high-quality crops while maintaining production efficiency.…
Read MoreWorld potato markets: Oversupply and uncertainty
The contemporary global potato market is characterised by a pronounced imbalance between supply and demand, particularly in Europe and North America. The 2025 harvest generated a substantial oversupply, which continues…
Read MoreFirst 13 weeks of 2026 at FPMs
The average weekly price of potatoes during the first 13 weeks of 2026 at South Africa’s fresh produce markets (FPMs) showed a week-on-week increase of 25%. Figure 1, which tracks…
Read MoreOVS Groentoer 2026 kweek kennis en innovasie
Die aartappel-groentoer word jaarliks deur die Oos-Vrystaatse of OVS-aartappelwerkgroep in Bethlehem aangebied. Die geleentheid bied ’n belangrike platform vir die uitruil van kennis en tegnologievernuf, en bied ‘n netwerkgeleentheid vir…
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