SA Grain November 2017

November 2017

ensures better hybrids

uPont recently completed the construction of the Africa

Regional Technology Hub, a network of strategically

placed research facilities and testing locations across the

African continent to accelerate product development for

farmers in Africa.

Part of this R100 million investment is a multi-crop drought research

centre at Hoogekraal, near Potchefstroom. The Hoogekraal Research

Centre is a multi-crop research facility for maize, sunflower and

sorghum where research for DuPont Pioneer and Pannar is con-

ducted with a special focus on drought tolerance.

Pannar Seed invited customers and prominent producers in the

area to tour the Hoogekraal Technology Centre on Wednesday,

16 August. They wanted to show how they are making good on

their promise, ‘Together we farm for the future’ by reinvesting in

the producers’ future productivity – globally and locally. Their prom-

ise is to find scientific solutions at the centre to the same yield-

constraining climate, pest and disease problems producers face

on their farms.

The technology centre will leverage the proprietary molecular

breeding technologies of DuPont and will build synergies in breed-

ing and breeding technology deployment across maize, sunflower

and sorghum in Africa. Newer technologies will increase in-coun-

try effort in advanced breeding along with phenotyping capa-

city (including ear and root photometry, modern planters and

combines) and ongoing exploration of the use of dedicated managed

stress environments.

In his welcoming word, Mr John Odendaal (national marketing man-

ager) said this facility will make it possible for Pannar to introduce

improved hybrids to the market sooner. The improvement tech-

nologies help shorten crop breeding cycles and improve accuracy

toward breeding targets, including improved drought tolerance,

insect and disease tolerance, as well as improved yields with

limited inputs.

Pannar team members shared their insights with visitors during

the information sessions. Mr Nick Goble (business manager) gave

an overview of the operations at the research centre. Hoogekraal

Research Centre is one of 100 global research centres managed

by 4 000 researchers in the DuPont group in 25 countries on six con-

tinents. DuPont has similar technology centres in the United States,

Brazil, India and China as part of the company’s global research

network.

The new centre in Delmas, which was officially opened on 23 May,

will serve as the central hub of the African regional technology

centre, which comprises a network of existing research facilities and

testing locations across Africa. The network of research centres will

enable collaboration between crop researchers, maximise resources

and advance research locally and faster.

South African research data adds to the global DuPont data pool

while the facilities in Delmas, Hoogekraal, Greytown and other loca-

tions in Africa also draw on the global DuPont expertise from col-

leagues in other parts of the world to ensure a better product for

the producer.

RELEVANT

Product information

1: An aerial view of the Hoogekraal Research Centre in

the Potchefstroom district.

Photo: UAV ind.

2: The Pannar team who shared their expertise with the

guests. At the back: De Koning Fourie (research scientist),

Benno van Niekerk (biotechnologist), Nick Goble,

Dr Rikus Kloppers (senior research manager) and Chris van Zyl

(RSA West Corn Lead). In the front are John Odendaal,

Pieter Rademeyer (chief agronomist) and SB Coetzee

(senior research associate).

3: Two producers from Hoopstad, Pieter Labuschagne and

Casper du Toit, in conversation with Flip Botha (senior sales

manager) about the new research centre.

4: Adolph Naudé (producer from Odendaalsrus) and

Lourens van der Linde (producer from Wesselsbron)

were interested in what this new facility had to offer.

LOUISE KUNZ,

SA Graan/Grain

contributor