The fertiliser value of biogas slurry for maize and dry bean production and its effects on soil quality and carbon dioxide emissions was the subject of research by Dr Thandile Mdlambuzi of the Agricultural Research Council’s (ARC) Infruitec-Nietvoorbij Institute in Stellenbosch, who received his PhD in Soil Science from UKZN.

Supervised by UKZN’s Professor Pardon Muchaonyerwa and Professor Mitsuru Tsubo of Tottori University in Japan, Mdlambuzi conducted his research at an ARC experimental site in Pretoria, planting maize and dry bean for three seasons, and collecting data concerning dry matter yield, grain yield and soil nutrient reserves after harvest, as well as carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.

Investigating the effects of climate change on maize production in South Africa earned Mr Tatenda Magodora a cum laude MScAgric degree in Agricultural Economics.

Magodora said growing up in the rural Gutu district in Zimbabwe, he became interested in conducting research on this topic as in his own hometown there was not extensive knowledge about the effects of climate change and about how certain agricultural activities, such as the application of synthetic fertilisers, contributed to the change.

Mr Malven Mushayi, a Senior Research Associate at Seed Co Ltd in Zimbabwe, has graduated with his MSc in Plant Breeding after investigating methods of widening the genetic base of the tropical maize germplasm to enhance maize improvement in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), completing his thesis in one year.

The low maize yield experienced in SSA hinders food security and economic development in a region dependent on maize production. Mushayi sought to develop high yielding hybrid cultivars to withstand current and future production constraints in tropical and sub-tropical environments, after systematic crosses with temperate maize germplasm. Hybrids developed between tropical and temperate maize germplasm had not been widely studied to improve tropical maize germplasm.

Evaluating the feasibility of using human excreta-derived materials as nutrient sources for the hydroponic production of horticultural crops provided the subject matter for the thesis Dr Shirly Magwaza presented UKZN for her PhD in Horticultural Science.

Using Nitrified Urine Concentrate (NUC), a human urine-based fertiliser and effluent from domestic wastewater, as the nutrient source, Magwaza grew tomato plants in a hydroponic system at the Pollution Research Group’s (PRG) Newlands-Mashu research site in Durban. Her research was supervised by Dr Alfred Odindo and Dr Asanda Mditshwa.

Mr Athenkosi Makebe has graduated with his MSc in Plant Breeding summa cum laude after breeding sorghum resistant to the parasitic weed Striga (known as witchweed) and for compatibility with a Striga biocontrol agent.

Makebe’s research, supervised by Professor Hussein Shimelis, involved the advancement of elite sorghum genotypes developed for Striga resistance and compatibility to the fungal biocontrol agent: Fusarium oxysporum strigae (FOS). He evaluated the genotypes for genetic diversity using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, characterised by the agronomic performance of elite sorghum from the greenhouse and field, and assessed nutritional qualities of the genotypes, including compositions of protein, amino acids, zinc and iron.

The fact that obesity plagues more women than men stirred UKZN graduate Mr Zethembiso Lubisi’s creative juices and he decided to do research into finding possible intervention strategies for the “fatty” problem.

Lubisi completed his MSc in Dietetics in one year after examining the body mass index (BMI), body image and possible factors related to weight loss practices of women undergraduate students on UKZN’s Pietermaritzburg campus.

Dr Shenelle Lottering has graduated with a PhD in Geography for her thesis which investigates the socio-economic and environmental impacts of drought on small-scale farmers in uMsinga.

The research also tested the Temperature Vegetation Water Stress Index tool to detect and map drought occurrence, a novel piece of research for southern Africa.

Ms Robyn Horan graduated with her Master of Science in Hydrology for research that used a climate derived water balance as an alternative to a complex soils routine within hydrological modelling – an important new method for areas where complex soils data are not freely available.

Horan’s research involved using climate data from the Cathedral Peak and Two Streams catchments to determine the amount of soil water the roots of vegetation had access to.

Mr Bhekani Zondo is a cum laude graduate after completing an MScAgric degree in Agricultural Economics for research into the adoption of and willingness to pay for organic fertilisers by smallholder potato farmers in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

Supported by Potatoes South Africa (PSA) and supervised by Professor Lloyd Baiyegunhi, Zondo interviewed 189 farmers, analysing data the collected using applied econometric techniques. Zondo’s goal was to discover what factors influence the adoption and use intensity of organic fertiliser or manure by smallholder potato farmers, and to assess their willingness to pay (WTP) premium prices for organic fertilisers.

Grassland ecosystem stability was the topic of research undertaken by Mr Stuart Demmer which culminated in him being awarded a cum laude Master’s degree in Grassland Science.

Supervised by Professor Kevin Kirkman and Dr Michelle Tedder, Demmer compiled a global systematic map to understand better how grasslands are responding to stressors such as shifting rainfall patterns, increased temperatures, impacts from human activity, and biodiversity loss.