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Agricultural Research Council
INSTITUTE FOR TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL CROPS (ITSC)

Mail address Private Bag 8 1 1208, Nelspruit 1200
Telephone +27 (1311) 520-71 Fax +27 (1311) 238-54
E-mail [email protected] (Dr. Johan van Zyl)

Nature Semi-government
Mission Research
Financial support Government, funds from industries
Working languages English, Afrikaans
Scope of interest Horticulture, biotechnology, physiology, pathology, entomology, soil science, irrigation, cultivar development

Research program
Locations Nelspruit, Malelane, Burgershall, Levubu, Citrusdal, Addo, Friedenheim, East London, Hluhluwe, Nondweni, Messina
Subjects See Scope of interest; research most appliCable to arid regions concerns citrus and includes: evaluation of citrus scion cultivars and selections, Improvement of fruitset on navel oranges, use of micro- and drip irrigation for fertigation, water requirements, influence of water stress on tree survival (Northern Transvaal), and protection of lime and grapefruit against tristeza virus
Status Ongoing

Internal Organization
Chief official Dr. Johan van Zyl, Supervisor
Divisions Horticulture, Biotechnology, Physiology, Pathology, Entomology, Soil Science, Irrigation, Cultivar Development, Information and Marketing, Business Development, Administration and Financial
Division heads Dr. S.F. Du Plessis, Deputy Director; Dr. B. Manicom, Pathology; Dr. P. Joubert, Entomology; Dr. P. Stassen, Crop Management; Dr. J.C. Robinson. Business Development; Ms. M. Purnell, Information and Marketing
Professional staff Ca. 50
Total staff Ca. 500 (including all Locations)

Facilities
Office Ca. 1,500 m² at headquarters in Nelspruit
Library Agricultural
Computer catalog In process
Subcenters See Research Locations
Exchange Facilities Research Associates, PhD students

Publications
Serials Information bulletin series
Other Pamp lets, posters, books

History
Established in 1926 as the Citrus and Subtropical Fruit Research Institute; present name obtained in 1992

Foundation for Research Development (FRD)
ARID ZONE ECOLOGY FORUM (AZEF)

Mail address c/o Mrs. M. Breitenbach, Secretariat, PO Box 2600, Pretoria 0001
Telephone +27 (0 12) 841-3633 Fax +27 (012) 841-3791

Nature National government
Mission Facilitate interaction between academics anti managers
Financial support FRD
Working languages English. Afrikaans
Scope of interest Desertification, livestock, remote sensing, renewable natural resources, wildlife, communal grazing, planted pastures, community ecology, population ecology, land use effects, land use History, animal production, biodiversity, global climate change

Research program
Locations AZEF memberstrip comprises universities, research institutes, agricultural and conservation departments, and farmers throughout South Africa
Subjects A wide variety of research activities are pursued by the member organizations, including livestock production, dryland degradation, and community and population ecology
Status A large number of projects are currently being undertaken within the region
Findings Member organizations encourage their staff to publish their Findings in peerreviewed journals and Other Publications; AZEF keeps track of this output by means of a bibliography of Southern Africa's arid zone literature

Internal Organization
Chief official Dr. M. Timm Hoffman. Chairperson (AZEF, c/o National Botanical Institute, Private Bag 87, Claremont 7735, South Africa; Telephone. (021 ) 7621 166, Fax: (021 ) 797-6903)
Professional staff An FRD employee and secretariat oversee the smooth running of the Forum
Total staff Ca. 500 members within the AZEF

Facilities
Office Secretariat is accommodated in FRD Office space; members enjoy a variety of institutional Office and laboratory space
Library Dependent on member's patent organization
Local databases Bibliography of A rid Zones Research for Southern Africa (covers period until 1991: wordprocessed compilation available from Chairperson for US $30)

Publications
Serials Newsletter (ad hoc basis), Ecofocus (available from FRD secretariat, covers AZEF and Other Southern African organizations' activities)
Publications list Available as computer database; see Local Databases

History
Established in 1991 as AZEF; previous name was Karoo Biome Project

GROOTFONTEIN AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE

Mail address Private Bag 8529, Middelburg, Cape Province 5900
Telephone +27 (4924) 211-13 Fax +27 (4924) 243-52

Sponsoring agency Department of Agriculture
Nature National and regional government
Mission Research, training, extension and soil conservation
Financial support Government
Working languages Afrikaans, English
Scope of interest Livestock, natural resources, ecology

Research program
Locations Middelburg, Cradock, Jansenville, Carnarvon
Subjects Physioendocrine mechanisms underlying adaptability in small stock, utilization of drought fodder crops. evaluation of selection objectives and correlated responses in Woolled sheep, Angora goats and Dorper sheep, evaluation and management of various small stock genotypes in different environments, continuous monitoring of the economy of various small stock industries in different environments, determination of grazing capacity for relatively homogenous farming areas, establishment of drought indices for the extensive small stock farming areas, implementation of a GIS database for the semi-arid Karoo Region
Status Ongoing
Findings Research results indicate a negative relationship between fiber production potential and fitness traits in small stock run in sub-optimum environments, which has far-reaching implications for breeding policies

Internal Organization
Chief official Mr. H. Steynberg, Director
Divisions (1) Research and Training, subdivided into: (1a) Animal Production Research, (1b) Crop Production Research,
( 1c) Agricultural Economics, (1d) Veterinary Research, and (1e) College of Agriculture; (2) Extension and Datametrics, subdivided into: (2a) Pasture Science and Resource Development, (2b) North West Karoo Region, (2c) Great Karoo Region, (2d) Karoo Midlands Region, (2e) Fish River Development Centre, (2f) Datametrics; (3) Soil Conservation
Division heads (1) Dr. D. Wentzel, Deputy Director; (1a) Dr. J.J. Olivier, Assistant Director; (lb) Mr. G.C. de Rock, Agricultural Specialist; (1c) Mr. F. Coetzee, Assistant Director; (Id) Dr. L. Connoway; (1e) Mr. F.C. Hayward, Head; (2) Dr. M. Vorster, Deputy Director; (2a) Dr. L.G. du Pisani, Assistant Director; (2b) Mr. G. Louw, Assistant Director; (2c) Mr. J. Kirstan, Assistant Director; (2d) Mr. E.M. Meyer, Assistant Director; (2e) Mr. J. Theron, Assistant Director; (2f) Dr. P.G. Marais, Animal Specialist; (3) Mr. P.V. de Bruyn, Deputy Director
Professional staff 46
Total staff 435

Facilities
Library 5,183 gricultural books, 3,522 pamphlets, 1,666 official Publications, 5,309 bound serials, 179 current journal titles
Computer catalog Yes, using SABINET
Computer searches Available
Local databases Bibliography of agricultural literature in the Karoo Region
Formal networks Internet
Subcenters Jansenville Experimental Farm: Angora and rangeland research; Carnarvon Experimental Farm: Woolled sheep, Dorper sheep and rangeland research; Cradock Experimental Farm: Woolled sheep, crop production research on irrigated land; also sub-regional offices for North West Karoo Region, Great Karoo Region, Karoo Midlands Region
Exchange Facilities Possible

Publications
Serials Karoo Agric, Grootfontein News Letter
Publications list Available

History
Established in 1918 as Grootfontein College of Agriculture

NATIONAL BOTANICAL INSTITUTE (NBI)

Mail address Private Bag 8 16, Rondebosch 7700
Telephone +27 (21) 650-3686 Fax +27 (21) 650-3726

Sponsoring agency Department of Environment Affairs
Nature National government
Mission Research, education, tourism; NBI aims to provide the Facilities, knowledge and expertise necessary to ensure the conservation, appreciation and enjoyment of South Africa's exceptionally rich flora and vegetation
Financial support Government, private sector
Working languages English, Afrikaans
Scope of interest Plant systematics, data management, herbaria, stress ecology, conservation biology, education, horticulture, renewable natural resources

Research program
Subjects Plant systematics, stress ecology, and conservation biology
Status Ongoing

Internal Organization
Chief official Professor B.J. Huntley, Chief Director
Divisions Directorates of Research, Education and Information, Gardens, and Administration
Division heads Dr. M.C. Rutherford, Deputy Director, Research (Cape); Dr. G.F. Smith, Deputy Director, Research (North)
Professional staff 44
Total staff 553

Facilities
Office Eight national botanical gardens with a total area of 1,437 ha, research centers in Cape Town and Pretoria
Library Library collections comprising books, periodicals, pamphlets and indexed journal articles in Cape Town (ca. 13,000 items) and Pretoria (ca. 17,000 items)
Computer catalog Cape Town collection computerized using CSLS+ - Pick system; Pretoria collection not yet computerized
Computer searches Available
Local databases Southern African Arid Zone Bibliography, produced up until 1991 (word processed file of cat 6,000 references available from Dr. M. Timm Hoffman, Private Bag 87, Claremont 7735, South Africa)
Formal networks SABINET
Subcenters National Herbarium in Pretoria (Private Bag 8101, Pretoria 0001, South Africa, Telephone +27 (12) 804-3200, Fax +27 (12) 804-3211); Plant Herbarium in Durban, Natal; eight regional botanical gardens, including Kirstenbosch, Karoo Botanical Garden and Pretoria Botanical Garden with exceptional succulent collections
Exchange Facilities Visiting scientists are welcome to work in the different parts of the NBI; each application will be evaluated

Publications
Serials Flora of Southern Africa, Palaeoflora of Southern Africa, Bothalia, The Flowering Plants of Africa, Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa, Annals of Kirstenhosch Botanic Gardens
Other Base maps, handbooks, brochures, plant and botanical garden guides
Publications list Available

History
Established in 1990, after amalgamation of the Botanical Research Institutute (BRI) and the National Botanic Gardens (NBG); BRI originated in 1903 with the establishment of the Division of Botany, including the National Herbarium; NBG originated in 1913 with the appointment of Dr. H.H.W. Pearson as first director of the NBG at Kirstenbosch and the establishment of seven Other botanic gardens throughout South Africa

National Botanical Institute (NBI)
STRESS ECOLOGY RESEARCH UNIT

Mail address Private Bag 8 16, Rondebosch 7700
Telephone +27 (021 ) 650-3086 Fax +27 (021 ) 650-3726

Sponsoring agency Supported by input from CSIR, the University of Natal, and the University of Cape Town
Nature National government
Mission To conduct the Stress Ecology Research program (SERP), which aims to develop a predictive understanding of processes in vegetation change under conditions of natural and human-induced environmental stress
Financial support Government, private
Working languages English, Afrikaans
Scope of interest Research into stress ecology, including desertification; conservation biology, including that in arid lands; plant systematics, including arid Southern Africa; horticulture, including plants from arid lands

Research program
Locations Karoo Region of Southern Africa
Subjects Documentation of vegetation changes in the Karoo during the last millenium. but particularly since European occupation, and determination of reasons for change; dynamics of soil erosion and vegetation in Karoo rangeland and their response to altered disturbance regimes: effects of climate change on plant growth, physiology and reproduction
Status Ongoing
Findings Available on request

Internal Organization
Chief official Dr. M C Rutherford, Programme Leader

History
Established in 1990 as an independent program within the NBI

University of Fort Hare
AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH INSTITUTE (ARDRI)

Mail address Private Bag 81314, Alice
Telephone +27 (404) 31 1-54 Fax +27 (404) 317-30
E-mail [email protected] (Professor A O. de Lange, Director)

Nature Academic
Mission Research, consulting, training in agriculture and rural development
Financial support Various
Working languages English
Scope of interest Rural development, livestock, agronomy, commercial land use, small farmers, cropping systems, appropriate technology

Research program
Locations Eastern Cape/Border/Kei
Subjects (1) Extraction processes and marketing for aromatic oils from indigenous weeds, herbs, cultivated crops, (2) evaluation of cropping practices for Ciskeian ecotopes, (3) fish production in Ciskei, (4) policy guidelines for land reform, (5) impact of agriculture on the environment, (6) various socioeconomic studies
Status (1-3) completed, (4) ongoing, (5) in planning stage, (6) ongoing
Findings (1) Extraction methods and markets established for three oils from wild herbs (tagette, eriocephalae, armoire); (2) interseasonal variation in principal crops quantified for different ecotopes; (3) some limited potential for profitable artisanal fisheries raising indigenous species (Labeo umbrata); (4) cultivars and tillage suitable for low-input, lowoutput, low-risk systems not available

Internal Organization
Chief official Professor A O. de Lange, Director
Divisions Research, Agricultural Services
Professional staff 10
Total staff 15

Facilities
Office Adequate Office space, access to Faculty of Agriculture laboratories
Library Working documents and references only at ARDRI; access to Faculty of Agriculture Document Centre (agriculture literature) and University of Fort Hare Library (general collection; ca 150,000 items)
Computer catalog Yes, using Erudite
Remote access Available
Computer searches No, unless you are registered with the network
Formal networks Internet, Sabinet
Exchange Facilities Available, by arrangement

Publications
Serials ARDRINEWS (semiannual newsletter)
Other Research reports on all projects
Publications list Available

History
Established in 1977; previously Agricultural Development Research Institute