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Technical guides, safety information, and application notes for crop protection and animal health.
Fungicides control plant diseases by inhibiting specific biochemical processes essential to fungal growth and reproduction. Understanding how different fungicid…
Commercial poultry production in Southern Africa relies on strict biosecurity, vaccination, and targeted use of veterinary products to maintain flock health and…
A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), now formally called a Safety Data Sheet (SDS), is a standardised document that provides detailed information about the haza…
Tank mixing — combining two or more pesticides in a single spray application — can improve pest control efficacy, broaden the spectrum of activity, and reduce t…
Ectoparasites — external parasites that live on the surface of the host — are among the most economically significant health problems in Southern African livest…
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of pest damage through a combination of techniques. Chemica…
Pesticide resistance — the inherited ability of a pest population to survive doses that previously were lethal — is one of the greatest threats to sustainable c…
Improper storage, transport, and disposal of pesticides poses serious risks to human health, livestock, and the environment. South African law (Fertilizers, Far…
Pesticides are essential tools for crop and livestock protection, but they must be handled with respect for the safety of the user, bystanders, and the environm…
Accurate sprayer calibration is fundamental to effective pest and disease management. An incorrectly calibrated sprayer can under-dose (poor control) or over-do…
Spray adjuvants are additives used in pesticide formulations or added to the spray tank to improve the biological performance or physical handling characteristi…
Plant-parasitic nematodes, particularly root-knot nematodes (*Meloidogyne* spp.) and root-lesion nematodes (*Pratylenchus* spp.), cause significant yield losses…
Anthracnose diseases are caused by species of *Colletotrichum* and *Glomerella* fungi. They affect a wide range of crops including beans (*C. lindemuthianum*), …
Late blight (*Phytophthora infestans*) is arguably the most damaging plant disease of potatoes and tomatoes globally. It was responsible for the Irish Potato Fa…
Powdery mildew is caused by obligate fungal pathogens (mainly *Podosphaera* and *Erysiphe* spp. in vegetables; *Uncinula necator* in grapes). It is one of the m…
Broadleaf weeds in maize cause significant yield losses through competition for water, nutrients, and light. Species such as black nightshade (*Solanum nigrum*)…
Post-emergence grass control in cereal crops is one of the most challenging aspects of crop protection in Southern Africa. Annual ryegrass (*Lolium rigidum*), w…
Pre-emergence herbicides are applied to the soil after planting but before crop or weed emergence. They are a cornerstone of maize weed management in Southern A…
Diamondback moth (*Plutella xylostella*) is the world's most destructive insect pest of crucifer vegetables and the most important pest of cabbages, broccoli, c…
Silverleaf whitefly (*Bemisia tabaci*) and glasshouse whitefly (*Trialeurodes vaporariorum*) are key pests of tomato, pepper, cucumber, melon, and many other cr…
Thrips (Order: Thysanoptera) are tiny, slender insects (1–2 mm) that cause silvery scarring on leaves, distorted growth, and — critically — transmit the devasta…
Aphids (Order: Hemiptera) are among the most damaging agricultural pests worldwide. In Southern Africa, key pest species include the green peach aphid (*Myzus p…
Fall armyworm (*Spodoptera frugiperda*) is the most economically significant pest of maize and sorghum across sub-Saharan Africa. Since its arrival in 2016, it …
Adjuvants are additives mixed with pesticides in the spray tank to improve performance. They do not have pesticidal activity themselves — they help the pesticid…
Agrochemicals are powerful tools that can cause serious harm if handled incorrectly. Proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is your first line of defence ag…
The Fungicide Resistance Action Committee (FRAC) classifies fungicides by their mode of action into numbered groups. Products in the same FRAC group have the sa…
Choosing between pre-emergence and post-emergence herbicides is one of the most important decisions in a weed management programme. Applied to the soil before w…
Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is an invasive pest from the Americas that has become one of the most destructive pests of maize in Africa since its arriv…
