Johan Conradie, ‘n boer van Bultfontein in die Vrystaat, het begin wonder of sy standaard boerderyprogram die enigste manier is om koring te verbou. In ‘n onlangse gesprek verneem Johan van sy pa dat hy so onlangs as twee dekades gelede slegs twee sakke kunsmis per hektaar benodig het om in sy bemestingsbehoeftes te voorsien. Tans benodig Johan ses sakke kunsmis op dieselfde oppervlak – ‘n drastiese drievoudige toename! Johan het ernstig oor hierdie wanverhouding nagedink. Hy besluit vervolgens om realIPM te raadpleeg, die eerste keer gedurende 2018. Tydens die 2019-seisoen willig hy in om, onder leiding van Malvenn Meintjies, een van realIPM se tegniese verteenwoordigers in die Vrystaat, van realIPM se produkte gebruik te maak.
Johan besluit om op ‘n blok koring sy standaardprogram te vergelyk met ‘n kombinasie van sy standaardprogram plus realIPM se aanbeveling. Hy was aangenaam verras met die resultaat van die proef. Daar was ‘n toename in produksie van 2 ton per hektaar by die realIPM-blok teenoor dié van Johan se standaardprogram. Dit het hom gevolglik laat besluit om die proef ‘n stap verder te neem. Gedurende die daaropvolgende seisoen vergelyk hy sy standaardprogram met ‘n kombinasie van realIPM se saadbehandeling plus bykomende voedingsprodukte. By die realIPM-blok was daar ‘n toename in opbrengs van net minder as 2 ton per hektaar. Sedertdien het Johan sy gebruik van realIPM-produkte op sy plaas uitgebrei. Sy alternatiewe benaderings sluit in die toenemende gebruik van AminoK en humate, wat aanleiding gegee het tot ‘n beduidende verlaging in die toediening van kunsmis.
Gedurende 2021 kom daar ‘n sclerotinia-uitbraak op Johan se plaas voor. Dit is ‘n patogeniese swam wat in die grond voorkom en meer as 500 plantspesies kan besmet, onder andere sojabone en sonneblomme. Die sclerotinia het Johan se sonneblomoes bedreig en hy het besluit om Malvenn te raadpleeg. Saam besluit hulle toe op ‘n voorkomende program met Real Trichoderma TRC 900 en PopUp as ‘n saadbehandeling. Johan se sonneblomme was sterker en meer lewenskragtig tydens die nat en koeler weersomstandighede (gunstige toestande vir sclerotinia-ontwikkeling). Dit het sy sonneblomme in staat gestel om die besmetting die hoof te bied.
Die sukses met die realIPM-program op sy sonneblomme het Johan aangemoedig om ‘n realIPM-program op sy mielies te ondersoek. Saam met Malvenn het hy besluit op ‘n Real Trichoderma TRC 900 saadbehandeling plus ‘n invoor-toediening (“furrow aplication”) van SeaBrix en AminoK. Malvenn het Johan ook bygestaan om monitering (“scouting”) en blaarsapontledings te doen. Deurlopende monitering in die landerye het dit vir Malvenn en Johan makliker gemaak om te besluit waar en wanneer bespuiting vir ‘n spesifieke probleem nodig was. Dit het onnodige bespuiting, en die gevolglike vermorsing van spuitstof, aansienlik beperk.
Johan behandel ook sy grondbone en sojabone met Real Trichoderma TRC 900. Ongelukkig is aalwurm egter ‘n probleempes by grondbone. Chemiese plaagdoders teen aalwurm maak ongelukkig ook erdwurms dood en benadeel só die grondgesondheid. Johan probeer om die gebruik van sodanige chemikalieë, en die gevolglike skade wat dit aan die grond aanrig, tot die minimum te beperk. As alternatief gebruik hy ‘n produk soos RealCal wat help om die sterkte van selwande te verbeter as ‘n metode van weerstand teen aalwurm. RealCal word ook meer geredelik deur plante geabsorbeer aangesien dit deur plante se blare opgeneem kan word.
Dit is opmerklik in Johan se landerye dat sy nuuskierigheid en begeerte om oplossings te vind, beslis vrugte afwerp. Sy gesaaides is sterk en lewenskragtig. Waaraan skryf Johan die positiewe verskil tussen sy standaardprogram en dié van ‘n realIPM-program, plus elemente van sy standaardprogram, toe? Hy verduidelik dat sy sukses juis in die kombinasie van praktyke lê, naamlik die kombinasie van bemestingstowwe en humate om die volume kunsmistoediening per oppervlak te verlaag. Dit is egter noodsaaklik om korrek te begin, die beskerming van saad deur saadbehandeling, en die bevordering van grondgesondheid. Hiermee stem ons heelhartig saam.
Indien u in die Vrystaat boer en belangstel om meer van realIPM se programme en benadering te verstaan en te wete te kom, tree asseblief in verbinding met Malvenn Meintjies by +27 71 850 2221.
U kan ook met ons in vebinding tree op ons webwerf by www.realipm.co.za en ons sal u met u plaaslike verteenwoordiger in verbinding bring.
Hier volg ‘n kort agtergrond tot Johan se plaasgeskiedenis:
Johan se oupa het dié plaas gedurende die 1950’s aangeskaf. Die bestuur van die plaas is later oorgedra aan Johan se pa en later na hom. Die plaas is reeds vir 70 jaar in Johan-hulle se familiebesit. Johan se oupa het oorspronklik met aartappels en grondbone geboer. Tans is Johan se belangrikste gewasse eerstens mielies, gevolg deur koring (onder besproeiïng sedert 2007) en sonneblomme. Gedurende die afgelope vyf jaar plant hy ook sojabone.
Step by step – How Johan Conradie is taking all the right steps towards integrated farming.
Johan Conradie, a farmer in Bultfontein, in the Free State started wondering if his standard farming programme was the only way to farm wheat. He had recently spoken to his father and learnt that in his father’s era, a mere two decades prior, two bags of fertilizer per hectare covered his needs, yet now, for the same area, Johan required six bags of fertilizer. Three times as much. This disparity got Johan thinking and he first spoke to realIPM in 2018. In 2019 he agreed to try realIPM’s products under the watchful eye of Malvenn Meintjes, one of realIPM’s technical representatives in the Free State.
Johan agreed to compare a block of wheat using his standard programme, versus his standard programme plus realIPM’s input. Johan was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. The realIPM block yielded 2tons/ha more than the standard block. Johan decided to take his experiment further, and in the following season he compared realIPM’s seed treatment, as well as the addition of nutritional products. The result yielded just under 2 tons more per ha on the realIPM block. Showcasing, year on year improvement. Since then, Johan has been expanding his use of realIPM products across his farm, and adopting alternative approaches, such as increasing his use of AminoK and humates and reducing his fertilizer usage significantly.
In 2021 Johan had sclerotinia, a soil borne fungal pathogen that affects over 500 species of plants, including soybeans and sunflowers. The sclerotinia was affecting his sunflower crop and he asked Malvenn for his advice. Together they developed a programme that opted for a preventative approach. Using Real Trichoderma TRC 900 and PopUp as a seed treatment, Johan’s sunflowers were stronger and more resilient when the weather became wet and cool (ideal conditions for sclerotinia). This helped his sunflowers weather the disease.
His success with the realIPM programme on his sunflowers, encouraged Johan to try a realIPM programme on his maize. Together with Malvenn, they opted for a seed treatment with Real Trichoderma TRC 900, plus in furrow applications of SeaBrix and AminoK. Malvenn then assisted Johan with visual scouting and leaf sap analysis. The ongoing in-field scouting made it easier for Malvenn and Johan to determine when and where to spray, specific to the issue – thereby reducing wastage and over-spraying.
Johan’s peanut and soybean fields are also treated with Real Trichoderma TRC 900, but unfortunately, nematodes are a problem pest. Chemical pesticides kill not only the nematodes but also the earthworms, reducing the soil health. In order to avoid using these products, Johan tries to minimize damage by using products such as RealCal, which help increase the strength of the peanut shell. RealCal is also more easily absorbed by the plant as it can be taken up through the leaves of the plant.
As we wandered through Johan’s fields, it was evident that his curiosity, and desire to seek alternatives have definitely paid off. His crops are verdant and resilient. When we ask him what he believes is the main difference between a standard programme, versus the realIPM programme plus elements of a standard programme, he explains that it’s the combination – the combination of fertilizer with humates, thereby reducing the volume of fertilizer required and most importantly, it’s about starting correctly, protecting the seed and enhancing soil health. We can’t agree more.
If you are interested in understanding more about realIPM’s approach and programmes, please contact:
Malvenn Meintjes if you’re in the Free State on +27 71 850 2221.
Or contact us on our website and we will connect you with your local area representative.
Background to Johan’s farm’s history
Johan’s Grandfather purchased the farm in the 1950’s, and the running of the farm was passed down to his father, and now Johan. The farm has been in the family for 70years.His grandfather originally planted potatoes and peanuts. Johan’s main crops are maize, then wheat (irrigated since 2007), sunflowers and most recently soybeans (in the past five years).