Southern Africa Conference Presentations 2015
Please click on an abstract of your choice to access the relevant downloadable papers. Please note, you will need to be logged in as member in order to access the proceeding abstracts.
Author: Damien Naidu & Nicky Jones
Evaluation of mini-cuttings as a propagation system for Eucalyptus hybrids.Clonal asexual propagation by cuttings is an efficient technique for capturing genetic gain in forestry. However, selected clones (selected for growth, wood properties and stem form) often prove to be difficult to root, thereby limiting the rate of deployment for further field testing and subsequent commercialisation. This constraint will also delay the time taken for new clones to be identified. It is thus imperative that a propagation system runs efficiently and economically to realise genetic gain. It is widely hypothesised that rooting ability of clones is under genetic control. Although true for some clones, this study showed that the sand bed mini-hedge system resulted in improved rooting percentages through rejuvenation, better nutrition and improved climatic control of hedges. Additional benefits of this system included a more robust root system, faster growth and improved plant quality of mini-cuttings, which are favourable traits to reduce transplant stress when planted in-field.
Author: Melissa Timothy
Evaluation of the temporary immersion system Bioreactor for in vitro plant production in a commercial tissue culture facility.
The feasibility of a newly developed temporary immersion system (TIS) bioreactor (viz. PlantformTM bioreactor) in a commercial plant tissue culture facility was assessed as an alternate means of shoot multiplication. This technology offers improved plant tissue quality, increased shoot vigour and an overall increase in yields. Hyperhydricity, which is a common occurrence in traditional liquid culture, is avoided with this TIS bioreactor. Further benefits of implementing such a system would include: reduced production costs, less handling of plant material, decreased labour costs, reduction in storage requirements for plant cultures and the number of containers required is reduced. This system was tested on several Saccharum species, hybrids N50, N52, 02K0663, N51, N53, N57, N48, N41, and N12. The aim of this study was to assess the benefits of using such a system with the possibility of it replacing current conventional micropropagation techniques in a large-scale facility.
Author: Warren Confait
Warren Confait is the Managing Director of Renen Energy Solutions, and comes from an engineering background with experience in civils construction of agricultural operations. Warren made a move to the energy fraternity as it became more apparent that clients needed expert advice in energy efficiency, security and generation – with few go-to specialists available. Warren has been the driving force behind Renen since 2010 and has steered the company from an initial focus on energy production from agricultural waste, to a broad specialisation in all things energy – renewable, sustainable and efficient.
Renen Energy Solutions (Pty) Ltd is a “go-to alternative energy specialist” company. With services ranging from energy auditing to engineering energy solutions and installing power generation services, Renen has a broad client base and has assisted private and public entities in achieving a more sustainable and economical operation. Renen’s ability to provide ‘out-the-box-thinking’ energy solutions comes from the strength of its human resources. The team is composite of engineers, economists and market specialists, who have collectively seen the realisation of a diverse range of product offerings and service provision. Renen is the proud installer of South Africa’s largest solar PV roof-top installation (1MWe at Belgotex Carpets) and another of KZN’s top three largest solar roof-top installations at MAN Truck Pinetown. The Renen team continues to extend their offering with experience in gasification products (wood gas), anaerobic digestion (biogas), and small off-grid solutions.
Author: Craig Ford
This talk provides an overview of some of the highlights of Craig’s trip to Oregon State, USA, while attending the International IPPS conference held in Portland, Oregon, in October 2013.
Craig Ford completed a BSc (Honours) degree in Botany at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, in 2005, where he focused on plant pollination ecology, biology, systematics and evolution but has always had a keen interest in horticulture. He has been employed by Sappi Forests as a Researcher at the Sappi Forest Products Shaw Research Centre, in Howick, South Africa since 2007. His area of research is the propagation and nursery disease management of pine species and the plant quality specifications of all taxa. Craig’s responsibilities include; propagation research, both nursery and field trials; management of the Shaw Research Centre nursery; establishment and production of hybrid plant material for the Tree Breeding Programme and commercial cuttings nurseries; plant
quality testing, training and auditing within commercial nurseries; and technology transfer through talks, publications and electronic communications. Craig completed his Masters Degree in Forest Science at the University of Pretoria, South Africa in 2014. Craig has been a member of the IPPS Southern Africa region since 2012 and a board member since 2013.
Author: Jules Kieser
Jules began his career as a geologist in South Africa and then later in Australia. He holds a BSc (Honours) degree and an MBA. He was appointed Group Geologist for the Primrose Group of gold mines (Metorex), then spent some time in the consulting field in the area of marketing and corporate strategy before embarking on a career in Executive Search. Jules was the Managing Partner for Boyden Global Executive Search for Sub Saharan Africa, specialising in Mining, Finance, Marketing
and Agricultural searches. During this time Jules worked extensively in Africa on large Agricultural assignments, in South Africa, Kenya, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Southern Sudan to name a few.
Since 2013, through White Rock Trading, Jules has been the agent and distributor for Jiffy products in South Africa and neighbouring countries. The Jiffy warehouse and offices are in Johannesburg and Jules uses this as a base from which to visit and supply growers throughout the country.
Author: Luke Solomon
Luke Solomon completed a Master’s degree in Genetics in 2008 at the University of Pretoria that focused on gene expression during wood formation in fast-growing Eucalyptus hybrids. He joined Sappi Forests Seed Technology Programme soon after, where he has worked since, and is currently a Senior Research Officer. His work includes managing seed extraction, processing, testing and sales, and the research and development associated with improving quality and consistency of the seed products.
Sappi Forests has an annual seed requirement of over 30 million viable tree seeds from up to ten
different species. Seedlings are produced at Richmond Nursery in KwaZulu-Natal and Ngodwana Nursery in Mpumalanga. The Seed Technology Programme at Sappi’s Shaw Research Centre is responsible for producing, processing and supplying Sappi’s seed requirements and together with Nurseries, maximising seed use efficiency to ensure a continued supply of seedlings with high genetic worth. Working with small tree seeds of varying viability presents challenges in seed sowing and germination, with uneven distribution of plants in seedling trays the result. Seed use efficiency can be enhanced by various pre-germination treatments, accurate seed grading and counting, laboratory and nursery germination testing, pelleting and priming. High value, genetically improved tree seed is available in limited quantities, meaning that if it can be used more efficiently, less seed of lower genetic value will need to be sown, leading to an increased fibre gain in the seedling crop out of the nursery gate.
Author: Karen Eicholtz
I will be sharing my experiences and observations from my year spent in New Zealand. I was employed as Propagation Manager at Growing Spectrum Nursery, but also visited a number of other wholesale nurseries. I will be showing a lot of photos and invite you to ask questions as we go along. Areas that I will focus on:
• Challenges faced by the industry in NZ (distances, season, population)
• Productivity (cost of labour, mechanisation, irrigation) • Media
• Tissue Culture (hardening off)
• New varieties (breeding and imports)
• Speciality lines
Author: Clive Mullet
My interest in horticulture started in about grade9 when I worked at my aunt’s nursery on Saturdays. Those days nurseries we closed on Sundays. At school we had a pretty cute biology teacher ...............
After school it was National service in the Navy for 2 years after which I studied horticulture at the Pretoria Technikon for 18 months. I began working at a retail nursery and as the owner also did landscaping I learnt pretty much about plants and the design of gardens. We all new the botanical and common names of all the plants on the nursery floor, non-negotiable, if you worked
there. After a few years I left to start my own landscaping business but packed it in after 5 years and started helping out at retail again. I then moved to Benoni on the East Rand and managed a small retail nursery for 3 years. Somehow a couple of events at that period got me motivated to get out of a rut that was going nowhere quickly. I moved to the Western Cape and joined Weltevrede Nursery in production. I was promoted to Production Manager and still hold that position today. With the IPPS I have been active as a board member and been President for two years. 2014 marked my 33 year in the Green Industry and 20 years at Weltevrede and with all the new innovations we are working on I have no doubt it will be a exciting few years ahead.