Vraag na bio-produkte bly groei Die vraag na bio-produkte in die landbou neem daagliks toe en die mark staan bont met etlike handelsname om in die vraag te voorsien. Een van die produkte wat die afgelope tyd na vore getree het, is Biocel, ‘n biochemiese blaarvoeding wat plante die nodige voedingsbalans gee. Dit is een van ‘n reeks blaarvoedings wat ontwikkel is om spesifieke tekorte by groentegewasse en vrugtebome aan te vul in streke waar vinnige groei kenmerkend is. Die middel is die resep van Cosmocel, ‘n wêreldwye maatskappygroep. Insect Science versprei die produk deur die Yield-groep in Suid-Afrika.
By ‘n onlangse vergadering van sitrusprodusente in tydens vegetatiewe ontwikkeling, blomtyd en die Letsitele is die produk uitgewys as ‘n wenner in die vorming van vrugte. bedryf. Dit is verenigbaar met die meeste insek- en Biocel is ‘n organiese produk wat deur middel van swamdoders. streng gekontroleerde gistingsprosesse vervaardig word. Dit verbeter die balans tussen die plant se fotosintese- en respiratoriese proses, en lei volgens die vervaardigers tot ‘n konstante toename in opbrengs. Plante onder stres hou op om sekere ensiemmolekules te vervaardig. Dié produk heropen die pad na gewone metaboliese plantlewe. Dit kan in enige stadium van groei toegedien word, byvoorbeeld Letaba Mining Supplies van Phalaborwa was een van die uitstallers by die Constantia Sitrusstudiegroep se vergadering in Letsitele. Die maatskappy is deur me Chantelle Amos verteenwoordig.
Mnre Nico Coetzee, Koos van Wyk, Thys Coetzee, Marius Boshoff, Ernst Davey en Jacques van Wyk is almal lede van die Yield-groep wat die Constantia Sitrusstudiegroep se vergadering bygewoon het. Mnre Jacques Bredenkamp en Sampie Smith van BASF was ook by die studiegroepvergadering.
Mnre Gerhard Booysen en Martin van Niekerk van Insect Science in Tzaneen saam met mnr Enrique Vanegas van Mexiko (middel), ‘n verteenwoordiger van Cosmocel se hoofkantoor in Mexiko, wat deur die Yield-groep in SuidAfrika versprei word.
Mnre Martin Slabber en Dirk van Rensburg van Isuzu het hul produkte by die Constantia Sitrusstudiegroep se vergadering uitgestal.
Fruit Harvesting on: Avo’s, Macadamias, Litchis and Citrus.
Forestry uses: Pruning and Seed Picking
Male moths lured to extinction Under the banner “Dead males don’t mate” Insect Science in Tzaneen has developed a product that is used to combat the potato tuber moth, an insect known as a pest to potatoes, tomatoes and tobacco since the beginning of the century. It bears the name “Last Call” and is a blend of a sex pheromone and insecticide that lures and attracts the male moth and kills it after “mating” with the alluring substance. The life cycle of the potato tuber moth is three to four weeks and up to five generations per season. The eggs take four to fourteen days to hatch, depending on the temperature. The larvae are one mm long caterpillars on hatching and can grow to a length of twelve mm. They are miners and this is the harmful stage when all parts of the plant may be attacked. Pupation lasts up to seven days in summer and takes place in waste material or just below the soil surface. Insect sex pheromones are valuable pest management tools. It is combined with the insecticide permethrin and applied to the plant in a small droplet. The male moths are lured to the droplet and any contact with the substance is fatal. The effect of the treatment is not immediate, as there is a carry-over of female moths fertilized by many males before treatment. After a second treatment the full effect can be well observed with a noticeable decline in numbers. For best results the product must be applied as a first treatment two to four weeks after planting of potatoes, and at planting on tomatoes and tobacco.