Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease (MLND) is a disease that has caused crop losses of up to 90%-100% in African countries such as Kenya and Tanzania and also various areas in the US. A survey was conducted together with University of Stellenbosch to evaluate the risk if the disease entering through trading routes.
Research
Basic research, breeding, seed production and trade are important to ensure that the South African seed industry can provide quality seed to farmers in South Africa and around the world. These are also essential for the country’s farmers to remain competitive and profitable and to ensure food security in South Africa. Research and development should, however, also be driven by industry needs and demands.
One of the focus areas within the South African National Seed Organization (SANSOR) entails supporting and facilitating research and development projects within the seed industry to enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of the seed industry.
SANSOR supports scientific research practices that encourage good relationships among research institutes and agricultural industry partners. SANSOR can provide guidelines to researchers for requesting seed from seed companies for research purposes as well as to companies working with researchers on seed industry-related projects.
How can SANSOR be of assistance?
SANSOR is able to:
- Provide names of seed companies that could be contacted with regard to seed queries
- Can link up researchers and seed companies
- Advise companies on how to protect their Intellectual Property when partnering with a research institute.
For more information please see the attached document
Track Record
In the past SANSOR have been funding and supporting the following research projects:
- National Maize Cultivar evaluation trials
Cultivar choices are important to ensure a maximum yield. Given excellent research in genetics and technology, seed remains one of the most important inputs to increase yields and productivity in the grain industry. It is therefore extremely important that producers select the right cultivars, evaluate price and yield potential against each other as well as do risk diversification.
Grain SA and SANSOR (The South African National Seed Organization) formed a consortium with the seed companies to ensure independent evaluation of cultivar evaluation trials.
Download Results of season here:
Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease
Brassica Stunting Disorder
Brassica stunting disorder has emerged as an economically relevant disease that represent a permanent constraint to the production of brassica crops in South Africa. Taking into consideration the severe impact that BSD has had on brassica production since 2012, it was critically important to identify the disease causal agent(s) and its mode of transmission. To this end, a research project was launched in 2014 at the University of Johannesburg to investigate the BSD-pathosystem, with the aim to provide industry with information to develop knowledge-based control strategies.
Lepidoptera Insect Rearing Facility
SANSOR signed a MOU with the University of Pretoria to establish an insect rearing facility at the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute at the University of Pretoria.