The
operations of the Horticulture business division are carried out through the
following business units:
The purpose of the ARC-ITSC is to provide sustainable and
appropriate technologies for production and post-harvest handling of citrus and
subtropical crops in order to enhance food security and nutrition, global
competitiveness and wealth creation by addressing national priorities through
its research agenda and related activities. Post-harvest technologies include
agro-processing and export protocols; thus, catering for both the commercial and
developing agricultural sectors of South Africa. The main campus is in
Mbombela, Mpumalanga, where the growth of said crops is highly favoured due to
the regional climatic conditions and several other research farms in the regionh
and other selected provinces. The mandate crops of ARC-ITSC include the
following:
citrus, avocado, mango, litchi, banana, guava, macadamia nut,
pineapple, papaya, granadilla, pecan nut, coffee and ginger
medicinal plants, herbs and essential oil crops
indigenous fruit crops
exotic crops such as carambola, surinam cherry, white sapote,
and jaboticaba
The ARC-VOPI situated at Roodeplaat, north-east of Pretoria, is
mandated to do innovative, need-driven and environmentally friendly research,
technology development and technology transfer on commercial vegetables, Afican
leafy vegetables, medicinal plants and ornamental plants. Research involves a
variet of disciplines, including crop science, crop protection, breeding,
genetics, biotechnology and agronomy. The aim is to enhance food and nutrition
security, crop productivity, competitiveness, sustainability as well as wealth
and job creation. Mandate crops include:
vegetables, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions,
tomatoes and garlic
indigenous vegetables, such as amadumbe, anaranth, spider
plant and indigenous leafy Solanaceae and indigenous potatoes
indigenous ornamental plants, such as Lachenalia,
Ornithogalum, Veltheimia and Eucomis; and
indigenous medicinal plants, such as Agapanthus, Scilla,
Tulbaghia, Hypoxis and wild ginger
The mandate of this Institute is to conduct research,
development and technology transfer on deciduous fruit, grapes, alternative
crops (e.g. berries, figs, olives), indigenous herbal teas and regional
medicinal plants. Research involves a number of disciplines, namely soil and
water science, viticulture, horticulture, post-harvest and wine technology,
plant protection, breeding and germplasm. Post-harvest activities include wine
and brandy production, cold storage and other forms of shelf-life extension
(drying, canning, juicing and jam production). The major portion of research
and development is focussed on food security and mitigation of agricultural
risks, but the generation of new knowledge as well as the sustainable use of
natural resources is also addressed.
The Institute is located outside Stellenbosch in the Western
Cape and has 6 research farms representing different climatic regions. Unique
facilities include a winery, cannery, irradiation facility and rooms for cold
storage, as well as for controlled atmosphere storage. Infruitec-Nietvoorbij is
also the custodian of grapevine, deciduous fruit and wine yeast genebanks that
preserve genetic resources for breeding purposes, training and comparative
descriptions.
