The PPECB is proud to announce that an article outlining research conducted by its Research and Development Department (R&D) on climate change was recently published in the African Phytosanitary Journal.
The article, titled the Effect of climate change on the quality of citrus fruit produced in South Africa, was authored by the PPECB R&D team Ngcebo Parton Khumalo and Wandile Ngcamphalala following extensive research on the topic.
Cognisant of concerns surrounding the impact of climate change on agricultural, the R&D team selected the topic in order to determine the extent of the impact of climate change specifically on the quality of citrus fruit. The research indicated that indeed climate change will have devastating effects due to rising temperatures and extreme weather events, however, the impact on fruit quality is not severe at this stage. This is largely due to the fact that farmers are already adapting to the phenomenon by implementing measures such as shade netting in orchards, climate smart production systems and modern postharvest and packhouse systems.
The research findings were presented at multiple platforms, including a conference in Kenya. Following the presentation, the R&D team was invited to write a research paper for submission to an international peer-reviewed journal. After submission, the article was evaluated by other research professionals and deemed credible and suitable for publication. It has now been published in the latest edition of the African Phytosanitary Journal.
The PPECB is immensely proud of the hard work that the R&D team dedicated to the research of this topic and the benefit that its findings hold for the citrus industry. The R&D team has also been invited to contribute to future editions of the journal and looks forward to making further positive contributions in the agricultural research space.
Read the published article here.