Research Snippets

Dr Riekert van Heerden – SASRI Research Manager

30th July 2025

RD&E Topics

Project pre-proposals were submitted by SASRI researchers for applicable topics that growers and other participants raised at the six regional Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) workshops during February – March 2025. These pre-proposals are currently being developed into detailed project proposals. Responses by SASRI specialists on all the RD&E topics received are available here.

Climate Change

SASRI is currently investigating past climate change trends in rainfall and temperature at selected weather stations representing agroclimatic regions across the sugar industry. Preliminary findings indicate that maximum temperature indices have increased at all the selected weather station sites during the period 1980 – 2024, with related increases in extreme heat indices in the northern parts of the industry. Potential implications for sugarcane maturity, pest and disease pressure, and harvest cycle length (e.g. in the Midlands) have been identified. Findings further indicate that the northern irrigated areas are getting warmer, but not wetter, which possibly raises concern for future irrigation water availability.

Eldana Stalk Borer

A team of SASRI researchers have discovered a section of DNA in South African sugarcane cultivars that potentially provides a genetic basis for natural resistance against eldana. They also developed a rapid molecular screening method to detect this section of DNA in cultivars. Further confirmation of the resistance association could allow plant breeders to accelerate the development of cultivars with enhanced eldana resistance.

GM Sugarcane

Exciting progress has been made in developing genetically modified (GM) sugarcane plants potentially resistant to yellow sugarcane aphid (YSA) and thrips. The resistance of the GM plants against these insects will be evaluated in pot experiments during 2025.

Drone Ripening for Small-scale Growers

Spraying drones are an appropriate technology for application of chemical ripeners to small-scale growers’ crops. A current SASRI project aims to advance the implementation of chemical ripening in the small-scale sector and further demonstrate the economic benefits. This is being done through pilot implementation projects in partnership with small-scale growers, SACGA, SAFDA, government, economists, millers, crop spraying drone contractors and harvesting/transport contractors.

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