There are several key research foci within the Agronomy, Horticulture and Pasture Science section. Some of these research areas are listed below; you can also find more information about the staff within this section via our Departmental staff list.

Potato research

Current research on potatoes in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences focuses on the improvement of effective irrigation water management, potato production in a changing climate, and the development of more sustainable crop production practices. This research is lead by Prof Martin Steyn.

Fruit tree crop research

Dr Nicky Taylor does research on water use, water relations and modelling of water use of fruit tree species, specifically in citrus, apple, avocado, macadamia and pecans. This involves quantifying transpiration using sap flow systems and evapotranspiration with micrometeorological methods and the driving variables for water use. Ecophysiological measurements (leaf and stem water potential, stomatal conductance and photosynthesis) are also conducted to understand the control over transpiration by the tree.

Weed science research

Prof Juan Vorster is the co-lead in the South African Herbicide Resistance Initiative which investigates herbicide resistance mechanisms in different weed species towards the commonly used herbicide Glyphosate, as well as other herbicides. Currently there is a strong focus on the newly invasive weed Amaranthus palmeri that has been shown to be resistant to multiple herbicides.

Water research

We have a very active Water Research Group in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences that is well supported by the Water Research Commission (WRC) and industry. Prof John Annandale’s group has developed the Soil Water Balance model (SWB), which has been used and further developed by many staff and students over the years.

The group is currently updating the Irrigation Water Quality Guidelines, and developing a user-friendly decision support system that produces multi-tier, risk based guidelines to determine fitness for use or objective setting. In addition, after more than a decade of research in the mining industry, we have started a new project to demonstrate the feasibility of large scale mine water irrigation. A dynamic group of students are involved in this project, covering aspects of Soil Chemistry, Soil Physics, Plant Nutrition, Water and Solute Balance Modelling, the Economics of Mine Water Irrigation, and the Movement of Salts through the Landscape (surface and groundwater flows).

In addition, this group is investigating the role that simple and innovative irrigation scheduling and solute monitoring tools can play in adaptive learning, to assist irrigators better manage water, nutrients and salts. This project is funded locally by the WRC, but has linkages to a large Australian-funded project that is active in Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.