MAFULONG A MATALA HYDROPONIC AND MEDICINAL PLANT INCUBATORS
Contact: Ms. Erika van den Heever, +27 (0)12 841 9611
The Incubators were initiated in 2006 and the infrastructure, funded by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) was completed during 2007. The training facilities at the incubators are of a high standard and are utilized for research as well as training on most vegetable crops in several hydroponic production systems as well as cultivation practices for medicinal plants. The research programme includes basic and applied research in order to develop new technology and methodology aimed at optimization of cultivation practices.
The Incubator projects at ARC-Roodeplaat aim to address poverty alleviation and job creation in Gauteng by transferring of knowledge to beneficiaries of the project. The beneficiaries consist of farmers and traditional health practitioners, and are selected by GDARD, the main funder of the project. Both of these Incubators provide training to empower the trainees to become financially independent and to provide income in a susta
inable manner. Training in hydroponic vegetable production and medicinal plant propagation started in April 2006 and January 2007, respectively.
RESEARCH TEAM
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Dr. G. Prinsloo (Senior Researcher)
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M. Maboko (Researcher)
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S. Chiloane (Junior Research Technician)
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M. Mofokeng (Junior Research Technician)
RESEARCH FOCUS AREAS
The Hydroponic Incubator provides training in vegetable production, utilizing different hydroponic systems of which some require a high level of technical skill. The training is supported by the extension officers of the GDACE who visit the farmers to intervene in possible challenges experienced by the trainees once they are in production. These farmers produce vegetables, which include tomatoes, green and red peppers, spinach and cucumbers for the formal and informal markets situated all over Gauteng. Research projects focus on the optimal use of fertilisers and the effect of variation in the fertiliser treatments applied in hydroponic systems. The research provide valuable information to farmers in optimizing their vegetable production.
Medicinal Plant Incubator: The knowledge created by this programme is transferred to small scale farmers and traditional health practitioners. The aim of the incubator is the development of skills and empowering the trainees to apply knowledge to grow, maintain and multiply medicinal plants. The long term goal is to establish enterprises that can produce medicinal plants sustainably. The secondary benefit of the incubator is to relief pressure on the harvesting of medicinal plants from the wild, and to strengthen conservation of medicinal plants for future use. The infrastructure, funded by GDACE, was completed during 2007 and the training facility is now fully operational with more than 30 traditional healers trained on cultivation and multiplication of medicinal plants during 2007.
PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
LOONAT, T. Hydroponics vegetable production. Groente & Vrugte / Vegetables & Fruit magazine May 2006
MABOKO, M. Blossom-end rot in tomato. Nu Farmer & African Entrepreneur 07/2006, 11:11
MABOKO, M. Pruning and trellising of tomato. Undercover Farming. 08/2006. Vol 3: pp 24-25
MABOKO, M. Fruit cracking in tomatoes cause economic losses. Undercover Farming 09/2006. 3: 8 & 27
MABOKO, M. Leafy lettuce in a hydroponic system. Undercover Framing 3/2007. Pp 3 & 8
MABOKO, M. Gravel-film technique for leafy vegetable growers. Undercover Farming. Vol 3 No. 4 page 22 & 27. 11/2006.
MABOKO, M. Physiological disorders in lettuce’.Undercover Farming. January-February 2008. Vol. 4, No: 5. Page 20 by Martin Maboko
MABOKO M M, S CHILOANE AND E VAN DEN HEEVER. Yield response of hydroponically grown tomato (Lycorpersicon esculentum Mill.) to different environmental conditions. 26th Annual congress of the South African Society of Agricultural Technologists, Shelley Point Country Club and Spa, West Coast, 16-19 September 2008.
PRINSLOO, G. Establishing a medicinal plant incubator at ARC-VOPI Roodeplaat’. Annual Congress of the South African Association of Botanists in Cape Town from 14-18 January 2007 with a paper ‘
MOFOKENG, M. ‘Investigation on optimum conditions for germination of medicinal plants seeds’ .SASAT congress from 28 to 31 August 2007 .
PRINSLOO, G.. Propagation and cultivation of medicinal plants in the medicinal plant incubator at ARC-VOPI” at the IPUF conference at the University of Johannesburg from 2-5 July 2007.
VAN DEN HEEVER, E. Effects of N fertiliser on Tulbaghia violaceae at a Pharmatoxocoly presented at the TOXSA congress from 2-5 October 2007 at Buffelspoort resort.
VAN DEN HEEVER, E Healing power by medicinal plants at the Herb happening in October 2007
PRINSLOO, G & VAN DEN HEEVER, E. Introduction of medicinal plants at Landboukorrels organised by RSG in Cullinan 4 Oct 2008
PRINSLOO, G.presented the Medicinal Plant Incubator to the Botanical society on 18 Oct 2008
VAN DEN HEEVER, E. Healing powers of medicinal plants presented at the Herb Happening, 20 May 2008 in Midrand
Commercialization of medicinal plants in South Africa. J.C. Viljoen & E. van den Heever. 24th SASAT Congress, Pooks Hill Hotel, Knoppieslaagte, 5 - 8 September 2006.
Establishmnet of Bophelo ke Matla Plant Nursery. 25th SASAT Congress, Olivia Game Lodge, Bloemfontein, 28-31 August 2007.
Bophelo ke Matla Medicinal Plant Incubator, Sasolburg. Medicinal Plant Research Programme. ARC-Roodeplaat, Pretoria, 25 July 2008. Jan Viljoen & Erika van den Heever.
Inorganic fertilizer trial (Artemisia afra) 2007/2008 feedback. Medicinal Plant Research Programme. ARC-Roodeplaat, Pretoria, 25 July 2008. Jan Viljoen & Gerhard Prinsloo.
Inorganic fertilizer trial (Artemisia afra) 2008/2009 Project Proposal. Medicinal Plant Research Programme. ARC-Roodeplaat, Pretoria, 25 July 2008. Jan Viljoen & Gerhard Prinsloo.
The effect of fertilizer on the growth of Artemisia afra. 25th SASAT Congress, Shelley Point Country Club and Spa, Western Cape, 16 – 19 September 2008.
The effect of fertilizer on the growth of Artemisia afra. 25th Research Forum. ARC- VOPI. 10 October 2008.
