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Protein Research Foundation celebrates
a quarter-century of milestones
S
outh Africa managed to exceed
the one million ton mark with re-
gards to soybean production in
2014/2015. This milestone could
not have come in a better year, celebrating
the Protein Research Foundation’s (PRF)
25 year anniversary.
Mr Gerhard Scholtemeijer (chairman: PRF)
highlighted one of the more recent PRF
milestones during one of the foundation’s
25 year anniversary celebratory functions,
held at the Protea Hotel Fire and Ice in Pre-
toria on 8 October 2015. Scholtemeijer took
guests back to the origins of the PRF, as far
as 1973, although the PRF was only inaugu-
rated in 1990. The full 25 year story of the
foundation is currently being put together in
a special commemorative coffee table book.
Some of the other more recent goals
achieved over the past 18 months that
guests shared a toast to was the fact that
South Africa produced more than 50% of its
own protein requirements for animal nutri-
tion during 2014. ‘We are aiming to see self-
sufficiency in 2020 or very soon after that,’
Scholtemeijer said.
Another more recent highlight was the
canola industry that managed to produce
121 000 tons of canola on 95 000 ha in 2014.
‘All these goals fit in to the PRF’s main aim
which is to replace imported protein for ani-
mal nutrition with locally produced protein,’
he said.
Many contributing to the
PRF success story
Not only board members and staff contrib-
ute to the success story of the PRF, but the
PRF also thanked their collaborators and
supporters in the agricultural industry for
all their hard work over the past 25 years.
Several researchers who have come a long
way with the PRF received recognition dur-
ing the special evening.
Prof Gert Krüger, previously associated with
the Unit for Environmental Sciences and
Management at the North-West University,
received an achievement award for an ar-
ticle he wrote together with other authors,
that was published in the
South African
Journal of Botany
in 2014, entitled: ‘Inhibi-
tion of Photosystem
II
activities in soybeans
(
glycine max
) genotypes differing in chilling
sensitivity‘. This article was singled out as
the best article in a scientific journal in 2014.
The PRF bestowed its highest honorary
award on Dr Daniel Ploper from the Estación
Experimental Agroindustrial Obispo Colom-
bres (EEAOC), Argentina and his colleague,
Mr Mario Devani, for pioneering work that
has been done towards promoting the
South African soybean industry as well as
for their ongoing support and always being
willing to share their knowledge.
‘Ploper was the chairman of the Continuing
Committee at the World Soybean Research
Conference (WSRC) IX/2013. He is also the
chief executive of their research station in
Tucuman and a plant pathologist by train-
ing. Mr Mario Devani is one of the most
knowledgeable soybean seed breeders we
have ever met.
‘Some of EEAOC’s cultivars were tested in
the Elite Trials in South Africa. These per-
formed very well indeed and the first of
their cultivars were registered in South
Africa in 2014,’ Scholtemeijer said.
Recognition was also given to Dr Rudolph
Bigalke, the first Chairman of the PRF. ‘Bi-
galke served on the Board as chairman
from 1990 to 2000, a period during which
virtually every step the PRF took was new.
‘To us as board members, who served
with Bigalke, he was always a real gentle-
man, wise and very knowledgeable and
we all looked up to him with great respect.
We wish to thank him for the very sound
foundation with which we could carry on
after his retirement in 2000,’ Scholtemeijer
said.
37
January 2016
RELEVANT
RUTH SCHULTZ,
SA Graan/Grain
contributor
1: Prof Gert Krüger, second from left, received a PRF achievement award for best article
in a scientific journal in 2014. Gerhard Scholtemeijer, left, handed over this award to him.
With them are Andries Theron (vice chairman: PRF) and Gerhard Keun (chief executive
officer: PRF).
2: Dr Daniel Ploper (second from left) and Mario Devani (right) receiving their honorary
awards from the PRF. With them are Gerhard Scholtemeijer, Andries Theron and Gerhard
Keun.
3: Dr Gawie Bredell (one of the first PRF Board members) with Gerhard Scholtemeijer and
Dr Rudolph Bigalke. Scholtemeijer presented Bigalke with a well-earned award for his
extraordinary leadership during the time he served as chairman of the PRF.
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