ProAgri Zambia 15 - January 2017

ProAgri technology for the farmer

Z a m b i a

January 2017 Nr 15

Free

Do I hear robots coming?

Weigh your cattle for profit

DALEIN Plaasbou Pig equipment for Zambia

Farm smartly!

Du Preez de Villiers dupreez@proagri.co.za

Cover

Letter from the Editor

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t never rains but it pours army worms and torrential storms.

But this is how we know Africa.

Fortunately, the government ordered the Air Force to spray those deadly critters before they could do too much harm. We should really be thankful about that. Apparently about 90 000 hectares have been affected so far and we cringe when we remember what happened in 2012 when army worms took away 11 percent of our maize harvest.

In some places, boll worms and stalk borers also took their share this season.

Perhaps the government should consider importing genetically modified seed technology which have already been proven to work in other countries…

Perhaps the government should also

consider the proposal by the visionary school teacher from Kaoma, Mr Lameck Kaluba, to introduce agriculture as a compulsory subject in secondary schools. Compulsory might be a bit harsh, since we need doctors and engineers, and many learners in the cities will never have the privilege to visit farms for practical classes amongst the green pastures and animals. But more focus on agriculture in schools will never be a bad idea since we have to shift the country’s focus from the uncertain mining industry to agriculture, which already contributes almost 10 percent to our economy.

This is a new year and we are embracing the future with this month’s edition. We take a look at robots and futuristic technology and how it will impact on our traditional way of farming. We also look at how pivot irrigation can be controlled from a distance. Dalein Plaasbou is ready to erect advanced piggeries in Zambia like they did on Wangwa farms (Find the Wangwa story in the previous edition).

Dalein Plaasbou are specialists in putting smiles on pigs’ faces. Read on page 7 how they can build you a modern piggery or convert your piggery into a state-of-the-art facility which will ensure profits.

ProAgri technology for the farmer

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Office no. 3 Fens Investment Building Lusaka Show Grounds

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Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. No material, text or photographs may be reproduced, copied or in any other way transmitted without the written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher or of the editor. We recognise all trademarks and logos as the sole property of their respective owners.

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ProAgri Zambia Editor Du Preez de Villiers > +27 82-598-7329 dupreez@proagri.co.za

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General Manager Zambia Quintus Grobler > +26 (0)96-216-9801 quintus@proagri.co.za Reporters Annemarie Bremner > +27 82-320-3642 annemarie@proagri.co.za Benine Cronjé > +27 73-105-6938 benine@proagri.co.za Marketing Xander Pieterse > +27 79-524-0934 xander@proagri.co.za

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Content

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Stefan van Wyk > +27 82-381-7563 stefan@agritrader.co.za Tiny Smith > +27 79-531-0024 tiny@proagri.co.za

Handling of beef cattle: Part 5

Melissa Pols > +27 83-748-3413 melissa@proagri.co.za

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Dalein Plaasbou modernise the Zambian pig industry

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AG Machinery Services: Equalizer plants for profit

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Pivot control becomes remote control

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SOIL: The farmer’s most important asset Part 11

Engela Botha > +27 12-803-0667 engela@proagri.co.za

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FG Wilson generated many Gigawatts over half a century

Accounts Ronel Keet > +27 12-803-0667 accounts@proagri.co.za

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ETG/Zambian Fertilizers Chemicals: Where the farmer feels at home

Distribution Du Preez de Villiers > +27 12-803-0667 dupreez@proagri.co.za.co.za

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Robotic Agriculture: The future for farming is here

Business manager George Grobler

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martly!

Farm s

Design Esta van Niekerk Enquiries Lize du Plooy > +27 12-803-0667 lize@proagri.co.za

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Founded in 1962, Bonnox is the manufacturer and supplier of 70 top class dierent varia ons of fully galvanised fencing to suit every farmer's need for either game and / or livestock. Many heights and pa erns available: from 0,6 m to 2,44 m high.

Visit our website www.bonnox.co.za or e-mail our friendly sales team at sales@bonnox.co.za

How to handle your beef cattle Part 5: Scales

To measure is to know and therefore you will not be a successful farmer if you don’t weigh your cattle on a regular basis. This is the fifth part in our beef cattle handling series and this month we look at scales and the importance of weight record keeping. We thank the ARC-Institute for Agricultural Engineering in South Africa who made their manual on handling facilities available to ProAgri Zambia so that our readers can benefit from their research and knowledge.

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ufficient, accurate knowledge is the first prerequisite for effective decision-making. This also holds true for cattle husbandry, may it be stud farming or beef production. Regular weighing of cattle is necessary to tell the farmer whether he is still on the right track and to warn him in time to make rectifications if needed.

Great demands are placed on scale operators, and psychological and physical exhaustion give rise to inac-

curate results, rough handling of the animals and mistakes on the information gained. Special attention must therefore be given to the choice and placement of a scale to ensure easy and effective handling of animals.

There are basically four categories of scales, namely: • Spring balance scale • Hydraulic scale

• Oil bath scale • Electronic scale Position of the scale in the handling complex Depending on the specific set-up, a scale can be placed in the working area. This is the cheapest option, as an additional passage is not required for weighing. Ensure that the scale has a locking mechanism, to prevent the scale from being subjected to un-

Typical mass scale.

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High, solid sides (approximately 450 mm high) on a scale will prevent animals from stepping sideways and hurting themselves. High walls will also make it easier to weigh calves.

Installation of a scale

It is essential that the scale is calibrated at regular intervals. Scales must then be tested with masses of the same size as the average animal to be handled. Bags of cement, fertiliser or grain can be used for this purpose, if their masses have been determined on an accurate platform scale.

Cheap suspended scale necessary shock loads when cattle move over it for other purposes.

General suggestions for the placing of a scale: • Ensure that sufficient shade is provided for the scale operator.

• Ensure that the scale is placed on a hard, level (preferably a concrete slab) surface. This will prevent inaccurate readings.

• Place the scale in such a way that animals that have been weighed can move to either the loading platform or the holding pen.

Access gates

Access to the scale can be controlled in different ways: • Access gate that swings outwards: The disadvantage of this gate is that it is opened into the face of the approaching animal. To prevent this, animals can be held back in the crush with the aid of a crossbeam. If the animals are used to this type of access gate, they will leave sufficient space for the gate to open.

• Trapdoor This type of gate does not take up much space, but the operation of the gate can be an exhausting exercise because it has to be lifted with a rope.

A counter mass can however be affixed to the gate to make it easier to operate.

• Pipe: Instead of using an access gate, a pipe can be affixed in the crate at a point which can be adapted to the size of the animal. This pipe is held in position with hooks in the side beams.

The choice of control at the entrance depends largely on the conditions on the farm.

Body clamps and crates

Some crates are provided with swinging body clamps that serve two purposes: • To adapt the width of the crate when calves or smaller animals are handled.

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• To keep an anxious, unwilling animal tightly against the side of the crate so that the mass can be determined accurately.

These body clamps work satisfactorily if the locking mechanism is designed in such a way that accidental unlocking is prevented. The body clamp must also run the entire length of the crate to prevent calves from landing up on the wrong side of the clamp.

Exit gates

There are mainly two types, namely:

• Open-beam type exit gate It enables the animal to see past the beams and be reassured it that it will not enter an enclosed space. The gate swings open to the outside.

• Gate with neck clamp This type of gate, combined with a neck clamp to a scale, can also be used for veterinary purposes. The neck clamp must be designed to control animals safely, and it must be provided with an easy releasing mechanism. It is essential that the mass measuring mechanism of the scale should be disconnected when the steel crate is used for dosing, branding or dehorning.

Crate floors

Most scale crates have hard wooden floors. Cross bars on the floors prevent animals from slipping and getting injured. The bars must remain firmly in position at all times.

Some scales have floors made of thick steel. These are durable and are also fitted with cross bars. The farmer must examine the bars beforehand for sharp edges. Anxious animals that stamp about on the steel floors often create a noise that may upset all animals. A thin layer of sawdust can be strewn on the floor to prevent this.

Slippery floors must be prevented at all times.

If manure or urine collects on the scale, it must continuously be removed during the weighing action. It can be swept away, flushed away or covered with sand. Ensure that the scale is “zeroed” before each mass reading.

Re-calibration can be done as follows: • Set the system on nil.

• Place the mass on the platform and get the correct reading.

• Remove all dirt from the platform and make the necessary adjustments.

Maintenance

The general requirements must be adhered to in order to ensure maximum performance from a scale for as long as possible: • The scale must be kept clean to prevent a build-up of dirt and manure, as this can influence the performance of the parts.

• The authenticity of the readings must be examined regularly for re-calibration.

• Use the correct type of oil in the dashpot.

• The spring balance and reading column must be removed after weighing.

• The spring balance must be mounted carefully so that the parts can move freely.

• The wooden floor and scantlings must be examined regularly to ensure that there are no breaks or cracks.

• In the case of an oil bath scale, the oil level in the container must be checked regularly.

• Bearings and hydraulic pressure cells (where applicable) must be examined regularly.

• Ensure that a lightning deflector is coupled to the scale.

• Make provision for wheels on the scale to make it portable (if applicable).

• New-born calves can be weighed with a simple, cheap suspended scale, as shown in figure 1.

Next month we shall look at loading platforms, tilting tables, hoof-lifting crates and dipping facilities.

Published with acknowledgement to the ARC-Institute for Agricultural Engineering for the use of their Beef Cattle Handling Manual. Visit www.arc.agric.za for more information.

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Dalein Plaasbou modernises the Zambian pig industry P

ig farming is regarded as one of the most fragile agricultural operations in respect of biosecurity measures. If you decide to tackle such a delicate operation, you have to find the best specialists in the field with many years of expertise behind them to advise you.

Dalein Plaasbou celebrates their fortieth year of supplying the South African pig industry with high end designs and equipment. Recently they assisted Wangwa farms near Chisamba in creating a unique piggery.

The 500 sow unit had to be designed in existing buildings with large tilapia ponds.

The manure handling facility had to be constructed to supply the tilapia ponds with either separated slurry or fresh water as needed. This facilitates growth of algae for the tilapia.

The dry pig manure from the separation unit is used as organic fertiliser for cost-effective crop farming. Dalein Plaasbou opted for fibreglass silos to reduce the decay of minerals and vitamins in delivered feed due to the lower internal temperature of the silos.

500 sow piggery Due to the importance of biosecurity in modern piggeries, Wangwa is equipped with a state-of-the-art office/shower block, as well as a vehicle sterilisation spray booth. Strict biosecurity measures are vital to prevent the numerous diseases which might reduce the efficiency and profits of the piggery.

“Combining a modern piggery and tilapia farm on one site presented a unique opportunity and challenge”

Farrowing boxes with Rotecna adlib feeding balls allow the sow to perform at her maximum level and simplifies the management in farrowing houses. Adjustable underfloor heating creates a favourable environment for the piglets while being economical to the farmer.

Weaner and grower facilities make use of Dalein Plaasbou’s wet and dry feeders as well as plastic slatted floors to promote growth and reduce stress.

The BEAR (Boar Enticement Area) from PIC (Pig Improvement Company) from which Wangwa bought the franchise, is used to facilitate better gilt handling and selection. Newly designed artificial insemination crates were specially designed for Wangwa farms.

For a wide range of equipment go to www.dalein.co.za or contact Collin Nel at +27 (0) 71-936-9311 ProAgri Zambia 15

GTC – Gene Transfer Centre A mechanically ventilated building with an ultramodern laboratory effects the production of high quality semen. The flow orientated lay-out reduce the required number of workers and thus reduce costs and risks.

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AG Machinery Services:

Equalizer plants for profit

by Du Preez de Villiers

Mashamba Enterprises bought a 12 row Equalizer, similar to this 20 row planter, from AG Machinery Services. They already planted 2 000 satisfying hectares under Tresford Mukuka’s management.

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The planter runs with he Democratic Republic of the ease behind a 186 kW Congo is not an easy place to farm. tractor and maintains a The roads and other infrastructure are speed of 12 km per hour. inadequate due to the past conflict and current political instability. But An Equalizer planter the country is regarded as a farming can boast about the folparadise. The outstanding soil quality lowing: and climate make it a place any crop • Extremely tough and farmer can only dream of. With the strong planter that can Equalizer designed the tine below every row unit to food shortage reaching crisis levels, take whatever Africa brave farmers will accept the challenge move back and over obstacles in its way. throws at it. to take their chances in this wilderness.

• It has a hydraulic tyne Tresford Mukuka has a farming ca“Andrew Mower from AG Machinery option. reer of 31 years behind him. Two years Services is my agent and technical • Precision Planting seed metering ago he joined Mashamba Enterprises to supporter. He is situated in Kabwe. He units ensure very accurate seeding, run their maize production. The farm delivered and calibrated the planter no matter what the speed. is 30 km from Lubumbashi, which is himself and helped us with all the tech• Huge fertiliser bins ensure you have 120 km from the Zambian border. They nicalities until it was up and running. reduced filling time. managed to deforest and plant 700 ha When we order spares, AG Machinery • Fertiliser calibrations are easy and of maize the first year and last season Services promptly ships it from Kabwe quick. they increased it to 1 300 ha. This year which is 430 km from here,” Tresford • Ability to apply different types of they aim to plant a total of 3 600 ha. says. fertiliser through three separate bins.

Initially, they had to use very robust “In Zambia we already sold many • Able to upgrade to hydraulic/electriplanters to defy the rocks and roots, Equalizer planters. Farmers and farmcal drive to meet any farmer’s expecbut last season decided to embrace the ing enterprises like Zambeef, Musiyibi tations. precision way.

Farms, Amatheon Agri, Montique Farms • State of the art planter monitor Tresford approached AG Machinery and Deere Farms are some of our satoptions – Precision planting 20/20 Services who imports Equalizer plantisfied clients,” Marlize Enslin from AG monitor – takes planter monitoring ers manufactured by Theebo Tech (Pty) Machinery Services says. “We are very to a new level.

Ltd in South Africa. Being very satisfied p proud to b be the importers and distribwith what they have to offer, Masham-uters of Eq Equalizer planters in Zambia ba Enterprise bought a brand new and the pr prompt and supreme support 12 row Equalizer planter with a 5 Thee from Theebo Tech empowers us to aston granular fertiliser tank, which sist any ffarmer, whether he is located uses an air and vacuum system to in Z Zambia or under the difficult place the seed and fertiliser. c circumstances in the DRC.” Tresford said they can already see the good profits this planter Precision planting with will ensure for them. He worked an Equalizer planter is with many other planters durthe next level in profiting his career, but the Equalizer able farming. Contact impresses him a lot and Andrew Mower on +26 despite the harsh conditions, it is (0) 97-393- 6092 or made to last. “We still found a lot Marlize Enslin at +26 (0) of surprises beneath the soil, which 97-365-7141 or send her was a challenge, but the planter an e-mail to works fantastically. Our accuracy agmachineryservices@ today is between 95% and 98% gmail.com for more and the skips and doubles became Every row unit of the Equalizer planter is designed to information. insignificant,” he says. place every seed exactly in its place.

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Pivot control becomes remote control

by Du Preez de Villiers

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etter management, improved time utilisation and better use of technology are imperative for meeting the escalating challenges of modern farming.

One of the means that can help the farmer to extend his attention to more areas on the farm and to manage the whole operation more accurately, is remote data communication. This technology is being improved and developed almost daily to serve the farmer even better.

Pivot manufacturers fully realise the value of this technology for the farmer, therefore a data communication engineer or two are included in the development team of every pivot company.

ProAgri Zambia asked each of the four main pivot companies in Southern Africa what they offer the pivot irrigation farmer to save effort, time and trips to the pivots. In addition to these companies, there is a separate company specialising in providing the most basic pivot control functions at a very reasonable price.

One fact that needs no debate, is that a farmer who operates only one or two pivots, needn’t acquire the latest and most advanced control technology.

First, it is too expensive and second, it is superfluous.

On the other hand, farmers or company farms operating scores of pivots

Agrico ProAgri Zambia 15

will surely find it useful to control all the excellent functions of the many pivots from a smartphone, tablet or laptop. With a user friendly graphics display of all his pivots, a farm manager can see the whole operation at a glance to make informed decisions and exercise proper control.

However, solutions are also available for the smaller farmer who does not have time to visit his pivot regularly.

Senter 360 This South African company became renowned for the modular design of their pivots, and this principle is also applied in their remote control systems. They use radio or GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) platforms to send control and feedback signals between the operator and the pivot. As a farmer acquires more pivots, he can easily and affordably adapt his control box by simply adding the necessary remote control components. It can either be a plug-in radio transmitter or a cell phone module and an app for his smartphone.

The app on the smartphone then communicates with the control panel and can be used for single or multi pivots. The farmer may choose between various communication options, including fault messages, basic settings, tamper warnings and extensive provision of information.

However, Senter 360 insists that remote control must always be backed up with a manual control system for those isolated instances where bugs invade an electronic system.

Lindsay In April last year, the American company, Lindsay, who manufactures Zimmatic pivots, introduced the Fieldnet pivot control system.

The main benefit of this system is that it can be used with any other pivot as well.

Simply connect the Fieldnet control box next to the existing control box to gain

Senter 360

remote control of the pivot.

With Fieldnet a farmer can fully operate, control and monitor his pivot by means of remote control with his smartphone or tablet. It works equally well on an Apple or Android platform.

The farmer himself can lay out the simple interface to suit his taste by using the pull and place functions with his fingertips.

The display panel immediately provides a review of your whole system, and by touching a function on the screen with his finger, the farmer can activate his pivot.

The control system permits a farmer to monitor a thermometer, water flow meter and rain gauge that records the precipitation in real time. Furthermore, the farmer can start or stop a pivot or pump, change its direction of rotation and the water application by simply touching an icon on the touch screen.

To see exactly how the pivot moves in the field, a GPS is placed on the end of the pivot. It works in tandem with the control box at the centre of the pivot circle to depict the position of the pivot very accurately.

All the data gathered by the system is saved for possible later perusal.

Agrico The Agrico system is called Advanced RAIN, and it offers two choices for remote control of pivots: First, a farmer can use the cell phone text message control function to start or stop a pivot, to change direction, to alter the precipitation and to run dry to allow movement of implements during planting, crop spraying or harvesting.

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Sole Valley Irrigation agents for Zambia

Irrigation Sales and Design: Ross O’Donoghue 0978 125 2016 ross@irritechsa.co.za (Director) Spares Sales: Gibson Phiri: 0978 772 550 spares@irritechzm.co.zm Technical and service: Brett Pearman: 0977 791389 brett@irritechzm.co.zm

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system with any new Advanced RAIN device.

Lindsay Agrico can also send the status of certain functions, such as the position of the pivot in the land and the water pressure in the pivot, to the farmer by means of a cell phone text message.

Important notifications can be sent to the farmer in the same way.

Second, an Agrico pivot can be controlled through the internet. A farmer can gain prompt access to the control choices of one or more of his pivots with his smartphone, tablet of computer, and with the tablet or computer a map presentation of all the pivots can be seen.

Other choices are scheduling irrigation programmes and the graphic presentation of statistics.

Agrico’s latest addition is pump control though the internet control system. Now, the farmer can change the system pressure with a VSD (variable speed driver) that switches the pump on or off. This means a meaningful saving of electricity.

Presently, Agrico grants two years’ free access to the internet control

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Valley AgSense is the collective name for Valley’s remote control management products that give a farmer access to WagNet (Wireless Agricultural Network), a world-wide network created especially for agriculture.

This network collects data, processes it and sends it back to the farmer in a usable format.

The best known control system in die AgSense fold is the Field Commander that can help a farmer to control up to a hundred pivots. A GPS determines the position of every pivot and sends real time information and alarms to your cell phone. The base station and its antenna are installed in the farm office, and it then communicates with an antenna on every pivot.

The computer in the office is connected to the internet, which in turn communicates with Valley’s special app on a smartphone or tablet.

Valley’s latest remote communication technology is called BaseStation 3.

It enables the farmer to exercise complete pivot control from any spot on earth. The farmer can choose whether he wants to use a cellular signal, data radio or the internet, according to the various cost implications.

Valley

Secucell With BaseStation 3 a farmer can look at his farm through Google Maps or read the moisture levels of his soil.

More than one person can use the system at the same time, and a farmer can now share his irrigation data with a third party, such as his agronomist, irrigation scheduler or seed or fertiliser representative.

BaseStation 3 can also be integrated with other farm management programmes to obtain a better overall view of the whole farming operation.

Secucell Secucell, a company from Vereeniging in South Africa, offers a solution for the farmer who needs a very inexpensive remote control system. Their simple control box contains the necessary electronics and a veteran cell phone, enabling the farmer to start or stop all his pivots one by one by simply giving each of them a missed call.

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technology for the farmer

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ProAgri

Advertise your product, company or service in ProAgri Zambia

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January 2017

We distribute 10 000 copies to farmers and the agricultural community every month.

Contact our Zambian oďŹƒce: Quintus Grobler: +26 (0)96-216-9801 quintus@vanetechnology.com Or our representatives in SA: Xander Pieterse: +27 79-524-0934 xander@proagri.co.za Stefan van Wyk: +27 82-381-7563 stefan@agritrader.co.za Melissa Pols: +26 (0)83-748-3413 melissa@proagri.co.za Tiny Smith: +27 79-531-0024 tiny@proagri.co.za

ProAgri Zambia 15

For further information, please contact: Martiens du Plessis: martiens@nwk.co.za Cornie van Huyssteen: vanhuysteencw@ufs.ac.za

PART 12: SOIL WATER (IV) Martiens du Plessis, Soil Scientist, NWK Limited & Prof Cornie van Huyssteen, Lecturer: Soil Science, University of the Free State

Soil is the most fundamental resource for the farmer, without which food and natural fibre cannot be produced. This article forms part of a series to highlight this resource and will take a closer look at the interaction of soil water and the plant roots.

At any given moment, there is very little soil water directly in contact with the plant root, ready for absorption. In order to adequately satisfy the plant’s needs for water, there are two mechanisms in action: Firstly, the water moves towards the root and secondly the root grows into the moist soil.

Water potential distribution around a root The plant’s leaves exist in relatively dry air and water is constantly evaporating from the leaf via the stomata.

The water that evaporates from the leaf has to be replenished immediately to ensure the leaf does not dry out.

This water shortage causes a suction tension lower down in the plant, as far as the furthermost plant roots.

As a result, there is also a potential difference between the root and soil surrounding the root, with water moving from the wetter soil into the root.

The root then transports the water to those parts above the ground. In fact, the leaves actually “suck” the water upwards.

Figure 1: Maize roots that exploit the soil profile to a depth of 2 metres.

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As a result, the water directly surrounding the root has been absorbed and the layer of soil surrounding the root has dried out. A bit further away (about 1 mm from the root), there is still water in the soil and, as a result, a potential gradient develops: a lower matrix potential surrounding the root (greater suction or tension) and a higher potential somewhat further away. Soil water therefore moves from a higher potential (lower suction) to a lower potential (greater suction).

There is now a difference in the levels of energy and this difference in energy levels results in energy becoming available to move the water from the wetter areas to the drier areas. The plant now has (new) water that it may absorb. Thus a chain reaction takes place here, as the water at 2 mm now moves to 1 mm and later into the root. It is therefore wetter further away from the root and drier close to the root. The water constantly moves from the wetter parts to the roots. If less water moves towards the roots than the atmospheric demand via the leaves, the plant is placed under stress.

Movement of water to the root • Saturated flow When a significant shower of rain occurs or when irrigation is applied, there is a surplus of water in the upper regions of the soil and this water moves downwards due to gravitation. The water potential is high and is easily absorbed by the roots, the rate of movement and replenishment is rapid and far greater than the rate of absorption by the plant roots. The water thus flows to the roots and also past them.

In the case of a water table within

reach of the root zone, the upward saturated flow within the capillary zone is also very rapid and the water is replenished as quickly as the plant roots can absorb it. The lower energy free water thus moves upwards against gravitation due to the potential difference between the uppermost dry soil and the free water deeper down the profile. This capillary rise can be about about 700 mm to 800 mm upwards in the profile in sandy soils.

Water flow can also be lateral, as is applied in the case of drip irrigation, where the water is applied in one place but, moves rapidly sideways as well.

Unsaturated flow After the soil profile has finished draining under gravitation (uppermost limit of available water), unsaturated flow becomes the most important form of water movement to the root. Under dryland conditions it is responsible for the main water movement to plant roots. If one keeps in mind that maize roots are only in direct contact with less than one percent of the volume of soil, the water has to move towards the roots to be absorbed. What is of major importance here, is that this rate of movement is very slow. Under conditions of unsaturated flow, water only moves over a distance of 1 to 2 mm a day. The drier the soil, the slower the progress, until the rate of water movement is almost at a standstill. In the about three to four months that a maize plant absorbs the majority of the water, the water can barely flow 100 mm due to unsaturated flow (while the maize plant roots can grow about 20 mm a day). This means that there must be a root about every 100 mm to get the profile dry within a growth season. The better the root density, the less water needs to move.

During night time the transpiration rate of plants is very slow. However, the redistribution process of water, during which the water moves from the wetter parts to the drier parts, continues and hereby the plant roots once again have “new” water available near the roots in the morning.

• Soil types differ greatly Soil texture plays a major role in the rate of water movement. In a wet sandy soil the rate of water provision is initially rapid and decreases rapidly to a matrix potential of about -1 000 January 2017

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kPa next to the root, after which the water provision rate remains almost constant. The soil will then provide water at a constant rate until the soil dries out, after which the plant will wilt within a few days. In a clayey soil, the rate of water provision will decrease gradually within a decrease in moisture content (matrix potential) and rapidly reaches a point where it moves the water too slowly to make it available to the plant. For that reason, the plant begins to wilt more rapidly in a clayey soil, but gets water bit by bit over a longer period, which keeps the plant alive, albeit under stress.

Root distribution through the soil profile Because water flows so slowly under unsaturated conditions, and moves over a short distance within the growing period of the crop, it is important that the plant roots spread through the soil profile as good as possible.

The growth of roots in wetter parts is of course an important facet of the sustained provision of water to the plant. However, an important principle is that when the plant is under stress and grows more slowly under drought conditions, the roots also grow more slowly. When the plant growth above ground stops, root development also comes to a standstill. For that reason, the standpoint that stress “forces” the plant to “search” for water is simply not true.

Maize roots lengthen about 27 mm per day under optimal conditions, which results in them penetrating about two metres deep into the profile during the plant’s vegetative period, up to just before it flowers (at which stage growth drastically decreases) (FIGURE 1). It has already been

observed in the Northwest Province of South Africa that maize roots can dry out a profile to a depth of 2,4 metres.

Wheat roots grow even deeper into the soil profile and a moisture withdrawal of deeper than three metres has already been observed. Keeping these facts in mind, it is therefore important that the producer should give the plant the opportunity, and stimulate it to penetrate the soil profile as good as possible, to exploit the water. The principle of optimal rooting density is a direct objective of the producer.

Under water table conditions maize roots only grow to a few centimetres above the water table (the level at which the water stands in the profile) and therefore deep within the capillary zone, a zone which to a large degree is saturated with water. It is therefore possible for a maize plant to lower the water table to a depth of 2,7 metres (taking into consideration capillary rise of 800 mm), after which the water table is too deep.

Some sub-soil layers with “signs of moisture” (grey soil colours) are deeply penetrated by maize roots. It has already been observed in the Northwest Province and the Free State that maize roots have penetrated about 1,2 metres into “soft plinthite” and the underlying “unspecified material with signs of wetness” and dried them out.

Soil-root contact When the plant root grows, the tip of the root grows between the soil particles, after which the root thickens and fits tightly against the soil particles.

Soil water can now readily move into the root due to a potential difference in the root. For this process to function effectively, very good soil-root

contact is essential. When the soil is very loose as a result of tilling, good soil-root contact is difficult to achieve.

That is why a number of authors who write about seed beds, refer to a “fine, firm seed bed”.

When a plant is subjected to drought stress, plant cells are not full of water (not turgid) and the plant wilts. The same thing occurs with the plant roots, causing the root to shrink and lose contact with the soil (FIGURE 2). This worsens the problem, as water intake virtually comes to a standstill, which causes the plant to wilt further and the roots to shrink further – a vicious circle. Under these circumstances, plant roots can shrink by as much as 30 – 50 percent in diameter.

The effect of the soil-root contact was clearly demonstrated recently where a shallow, compacted zone occurred in a maize field. The plants only grew to a height of about 30 cm and, during a warm dry period were “wetripped” with a ripper on one side of the row. Within minutes of the plants being tilled, they wilted severely as a result of the broken soil-root contact.

The other side of the row was initially not tilled in order to retain soil-root contact, and was also tilled a week later.

Summary The provision of soil water to plant roots is a complicated process, which is based upon a number of physical and biological principles. These processes are the fundamental basis on which all plant production methods are based. Water moves from wetter parts in the soil profile towards the drier parts. In turn, plant roots crisscross the profile to exploit the maximum volume of soil for water and plant nutrients. If the producer understands these processes and adapts his or her methods in such a way as to benefit these processes, it will directly benefit the growth of the crop.

In the next article in this series, soilair interactions will be discussed.

a)

b)

Figure 2: A diagrammatic representation of a transverse cross-section of a maize root surrounded by soil: (a) during adequate water provision the plant and roots are turgid and the plant root fills the entire root canal in the soil; and (b) when the plant suffers under drought stress, the root shrinks with the result that there is poor soil-root contact (Brady, NC. 1990).

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References Bennie, ATP. 1981 Soil Science 354. Soil and water management. Unpublished class notes for GKD354. University of the Free State, Bloemfontein.

Brady, NC. 1990. The nature and properties of soils. 10th ed. Macmillan publishing company, New York.

Marshall, TJ. & Holmes, JW. 1979. Soil Physics. Cambridge University Press.

New York.

ProAgri Zambia acknowledges Grain SA for the use of this series which originally appeared in Afrikaans in SA Graan/Grain.

January 2017

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FG Wilson

generated many Gigawatts over half a century “Since 1990 we've installed over 600 000 generator sets with a total capacity of almost 90 GW - more than the total installed mains electricity capacity of a country like the UK.” – Ann Brown, Managing Director, FG Wilson

D

iesel generator sets have been a feature of many farms and food processing facilities for a long time and it’s not difficult to see why: they are still probably the most flexible and cost-effective way to insure against interruptions in the mains electricity supply.

One generator set brand, FG Wilson, has just marked 50 years in business, and this month, we interviewed Managing Director, Ann Brown.

FG Wilson hails from Northern Ireland, a part of the world where farming and agriculture are built into the core fabric of the community, a place where it is almost impossible to travel for 20 minutes without passing green fields and farming activities.

Ann says that this farming backdrop has played a big role in the development of FG Wilson products.

“There is a long engineering tradition in Northern Ireland. Many of our engineers grew up around machinery and it’s been a big part of their lives.

It’s always been quite common for many of our people to work with us and at the same time own and operate farms. That life experience has

played a big part in the way a lot of our people look at product design.

The weather environment here can be really harsh and when we’re designing products, that’s always in the back of our minds.”

In its simplest form, a diesel generator set has a diesel engine driving an AC generator/alternator which produces an AC electrical output. The engine and alternator are fixed to a rigid steel chassis which usually contains an 8 to 10 hour fuel tank.

That’s been the basic principle for a long time, and for several decades FG Wilson has been at the forefront in driving that concept to new levels.

Designers of generator sets face a constant battle to control noise and heat. For FG Wilson, that means generator sets are designed to operate effectively in up to 50°C temperatures.

That kind of sweeping statement is much easier make than to achieve.

Ann says: “This needs a really detailed understanding of airflow through enclosures, and over decades we have developed the expertise to the point where we can count on a vast library of documented test data to support all of our design work.

This is really important in high ambient temperature environments.

It’s not difficult to put an enclosure around a generator set. It is much more challenging to make it work in a high ambient temperature.”

A range A technician going through the technical testing ropes. of enclosures

ProAgri Zambia 15

The sound output of every generator design is tested in an anechoic chamber. protects generator sets from weather and also reduces noise to comfortable working levels. Enclosures are made of high grade or galvanised steel protected by powder coat paint which gives them automotive industry levels of finish. Their design is based on modular principles, which means they have interchangeable components for easy on-site repair. Lift-off doors and access panels mean they also offer easy access for service and maintenance.

Control panels are where most interaction with generator sets occurs and these are designed to be compact and intuitive. Panels include traditional key-start analogue control panels and digital control panels with advanced metering, protection and diagnostics; and the next generation of advanced synchronising panels with integrated load management capability, able to synchronise up to 32 generator sets.

“In Africa, we’ve installed over 130 000 units with a total capacity of over 12 GW, double the total installed mains electricity capacity of Nigeria. With that number of machines operating across the world, we take no risks with quality or performance. We don't accept engine performance data without validating it ourselves in the environmental conditions which our products will see. When someone buys one of our products, we can safely say that wherever it will be operating, it will have been tested for that environment,” she says.

Also important to Ann is the way a generator set is sold. She says: “We've worked tirelessly to grow and develop a global network of distributors who offer automotive industry levels of service, starting with product selection through to installation and a lifetime of support. They're trained by us and supported by our parts system which stocks over 11 500 parts and delivers three million parts a year, not only for our current products but also for legacy products.”

For Ann, product quality, design and customer support are the three guiding principles for FG Wilson: “The generator set industry isn't living on an island all on its own. More and more we’re feeling influence and behaviours from other industries. We all expect more from what we buy. And that means constantly challenging ourselves to improve.”

For quality and reliable power supply, contact Aaron Gooding at +44 (0) 28-9049-5165 with internal tie line 7-540-5165, or send him an e-mail to goodiaj@cat.com.

You may also visit their helpful website at www.fgwilson.com.

January 2017

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ETG/Zambian Fertilizers Chemicals: Where the farmer feels at home

O

nce a farmer walks through our premises he feels at home, as all that a farmer needs from fertilisers, seeds and chemicals are available under one roof. With a supply chain that keeps growing significantly, our country-wide presence makes it very easy for farmers to access our products and services at their doorstep.

Our store houses a number of products, ranging from herbicides, insecti-

Plant lice ProAgri Zambia 15

cides and fungicides to foliar fertilisers.

Each of these products serve a specific purpose in a farmer’s field and at a particular stage during growth of the farmer’s crops. To attain the best quality of produce and the desired yields as indicated by seed breeders, farmers need to apply different inputs and in the right amounts.

Herbicides are the most widely used class of chemicals accounting for more

White fly

Aphids

than 60% of all chemicals applied in the agriculture. Herbicide injury is caused by interrupting or stopping some important plant processes. In the category of pre-emergence herbicides, ETG offers Meto-clean, Chlor, Falcon, Blazer, Atra, and the BASF products Optil, Stomp Aqua and Frontier Optima. In addition BASF postemergence products include Quickzalafop, Sweep, Parasuper, Stellar Star, Basagran, and Focus Ultra.

Insecticides are the second most used class of chemicals in agriculture. These chemicals cause death to insect pests such as aphids, whiteflies, semi-looper, weevils, stinkbugs, Tuta, moths, stalk borers, cutworms, and leaf miners. They kill pests by means of stomach poisoning, respiratory poiso-ning, and nervous system poisoning. ETG chemicals in stock are Supra, Lambdex, Vos, Vita, Mectin, Supathion, Thunderplus, and Benzo Extra. BASF products in this category are Fastac and Regent.

Fungicides are a group of chemicals designed for disease prevention and control purposes in all crops. Their active ingredients determine the type of action they deliver and once the plant takes up the chemical either through the leaves or root system, the chemical begins to do its work internally. Fungicides can either arrest the disease-causing pathogen within the affected plant tissues or eradicate the pathogen completely. ETG chemicals in stock are Rova, Protect, Warrior, Twin, and Manco while BASF’s Opera is also available.

Understanding the mode of action of agro chemicals has been the essence of research to improve application methods in various agricultural practices, to overcome resistance problems and to explore toxicological properties. It also allows us to understand how it will affect plants in the case of accidental application or misuse.

Come to ETG/Zambian Fertilizers for all your field needs and concerns as our team of agronomist/crop consultants will be more than able to provide you with the best products and advice.

When farmers grow, we grow.

January 2017

27

Robotics in Agriculture:

by Benine CronjĂŠ

The future for farming is here ProAgri Zambia 15

January 2017

29

and small (less costly) unmanned robots. “If machines are too large, they compact the soil and plants don’t like soil compaction.

This problem was alleviated with controlled GPS machines,” says Professor Corke, “but now there is an even better solution.”

IDTechEx’s research shows that costs always play an important role.

These agricultural robots will need to cost as much as 24 times less to make economic sense, because they are smaller and lighter. The costs are so high because mobile robots require expensive components such as multiple sensors.

Presently, farmers still This robotic Case tractor, which was unveiled last year, is called the Autonomous believe in big machines, Concept Vehicle, and can be programmed using a tablet computer. and they still do not trust robotic equipment, he term, robotic agriculture, may therefore they are not yet year to 2026. “These tractors use RTK sound very unreal and people may prepared to pay for the technology.

GPS technology to autonomously folhave different views about it. However, However, as the benefits become clear, low predetermined paths with cm-level it is a reality and soon it is going to be they are expected to adapt their way accuracy.” on every farmer’s lips. In a decade’s of thinking.

Major tractor companies like John time, most young farmers would want Deere, Case and more, have already a machine like this.

Young farmers will use robotic demonstrated autonomous tractor proRobotic agriculture is a new way for machinery totypes for the future. These tractors farmers to use their implements withThe younger famers are expected to are ideally suited for large-scale crop out any labour and where the tractor invest in more technology with more farming, and will definitely increase operates on its own. Robotic agriculardour than the older ones, and new yields. ture is not restricted to tractors, but technology should be introduced The technology costs of these traccan be applied for any farming need gradually as it evolves. Farmers and tors will be high, but the main benefit you have – even down to a machine their robots should take time to get will be that the tractor will do exactly that can herd your cows. used to one another, and it must be what the farmer expects from it. By The world population is expanding, kept in mind that robots work at their programming it correctly, the farmer and we need a 70% increase in food best in well in constructed environhimself will remain in charge of the production by 2050, says Profesments where they can get used to the tractor. This will improve the agriculsor Peter Corke from the Queensland way that farms are laid out. tural industry around the world, and University of Technology. In order to “Most farmers are old population. famers will save large amounts of achieve this, farming equipment need Some figures say in a decade half of money on labour. to evolve. the farmers will retire in Australia.

A few existing ideas about agriculThen there will be no knowledge or Agricultural implements have been tural robotics are about to change. No skills to produce food. Then, there is transformed drivers will be needed to run robotic a labour problem in agriculture. Input The arrival of mobile agricultural rotractors. The tractors will operate costs of farming are constantly rising, bots will replace heavy, fast and large by themselves. Robotic tractors will and the cost of food production is gotractors with light (no soil compacchange the way that farming is pering up year after year,” says Professor tion), slow (more attention to a plant) formed within our lifetime. It is the beginning of a new future for agriculture.

IDTechEx’s research says that agricultural robots and drones will reach $21 billion mark by 2026. Agricultural implements are going to use more and more navigational technology.

“Hundreds of mobile agricultural robots are in existence already,” say Dr Khasha Ghaffarzadeh, Dr Jon Harrop and Dr Harry Zervos from IDTechEx. “There are 50 or so small-sized ones, but most of them are still in the research or semi-commercial trial stage.”

They predicted that 320 000 tractors equipped with tractor guidance techImages from drone cameras can be used to collect precise visual informanology will be sold in 2016, and that tion for future planning. this number will rise by 660 000 per

T

ProAgri Zambia 15

January 2017

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John Deere Precision Ag Innovative solutions.

Exceptional support.

From planning to harvest, only John Deere seamlessly connects machines, people, technology, and insights to give you an advantage. And while other manufacturers bolt-on equipment that may or may not work throughout your production cycle, John Deere develops precision technology specifically for the tractors, combines, sprayers, planters, hay, and tillage products you own… all supported by a single trusted source: your John Deere dealer.

Start with automatic guidance. AutoTrac™ unlocks more efficiency and more profits throughout the year. In fact, studies show that AutoTrac™ guidance can pay for itself in two years or less, thanks to reduced input use.

Next, vary the application rate of seed, fertilizer, and fungicides/herbicides where they’re most effective, reducing waste – doing it automatically, based on a prescription that you or your trusted advisors create and send wirelessly to your machines. Contact your dealer for more information.

Contact: Vic van den Berg vdb@afgri.com.zm

The premise behind our plan is simple – to help you make more money, year after year. It's easy. It's profitable.

And it's all from John Deere.

www.Deere.co.za Africa@johndeere.com

Aerial surveillance is advancing rapidly with even military standard technology becoming available and even affordable.

Corke. “Thus we need better technology to still produce good food.”

Robotic agriculture on dairy farms, in agrochemicals and fresh fruit Already there are thousands of robotic milking parlours installed worldwide.

“This industry will grow to $8 billion by 2023,” claim the experts from IDTechEx. Also there are robots that can follow the crop rows and identify the weeds - this is the next generation. These robots will locate weeds and take the correct action to eliminate them. This will affect suppliers of crop protection chemicals. According to IDTechEx’s research, farmers will start making use of ultra-precision farming where the farm will be managed on an individual plant basis. Then every plant will get the exact dose of chemicals it needs.

Fresh fruit picking is mostly something that needs to be done by people (labour). This robot really needs to have an arm like a real person to economically and gently pick the fruit without damaging it. It also needs to detect all the fruits. Nothing must be missed.

Drones are here already There is a vast market for drones (remote controlled helicopters) due to their usefulness in various branches of agriculture. The drone industry will reach $480 million in 2026 according to IDTechEx. The main function of drones is the composition of detailed aerial maps of farms. IDTech data says drones can be loaded with multi-spectral sensors that measure key indicators about plant health, yields, water stress levels and nitrogen deficiencies.

This forms part of precision farming.

ProAgri Zambia 15

John Deere, with its well known satellite guiding system, Green Star, has also developed automotive products, from a lawnmower to a tractor.

Strawberries can already be harvested by machine, and a lot of work is being done to develop automotive pickers for fruit such as apples and citrus.

If you are ready for investing in robotic agriculture, read more about it at: http://www.idtechex.com/research/reports/agricultural-robotsand-drones-2016-2026-technologies-markets-forecasts-000491.asp or visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q69RVHy-Xbw to see a video on robotic agriculture.

January 2017

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Torktek is one of the most advanced workshops in Zambia. We specialise in vehicle service, fleet maintenance, suspensions, diagnostics, auto electrics, dyno tuning and brake skimming.

The winner of the Elephant Charge 2016 a Toyota Surf from Sausage Tree was sponsored by Torktek.

Our aim is to maintain our high quality of workmanship and to widen our services in the automotive industry. At the moment we sell good second hand Toyota vehicles.

Not only does Torktek already offers services to customers that never exist in the automotive industry of Zambia, but also ensures customer satisfaction and ensures the quickest turn around time possible.

We specialise in engine, gearboxes and differential overhauls for diesel and petrol fuel injection vehicles.

We also offer: • Reconditioning of 1KD and 2KD Toyota engine fuel injectors, unit injectors and unit pumps.

• A Toyota Land Cruiser V8, 2015 model with 82’000 km for $ 58 000 Vat included, neg.

Plot 7250 Mukatasha Road, Lusaka, Zambia

+260 972 141 685 ProAgri Zambia 15

cobus@torktekltd.com January 2017

37

Livestock feed and handling equipment For all your farm requisites since 1968

GSI Zambia is looking for self-motivated dynamic salespersons: • Agricultural back ground • Able to meet sales target, and work under pressure • Must be able to travel within Zambia • Willing to work away from home • Good administrative skills • Own transport will be an advantage

Any qualified candidates can mail there CV to lanus@gsiafrica.co.za

ProAgri Zambia 15

• Moveable ca le pens • Bale loaders and forks • Scales and neck clamps • Hay ring feeders • Calf l ng devices

• Self feeders • Spray races • Land rollers • Drinking troughs • Loading ramps

e-mail info@nmreng.co.za / Web page www.nmreng.co.za Factory: 033-263-1056 / Fax 086-548-4790 Cell: 082-871-0123

January 2017

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January 2017

ProAgri Zambia 15