Post-harvest Innovation Programme and Hortgro’s PHYLA

By Desireé Thompson

On 17 September 2024, the Post-Harvest Innovation (PHI) Programme held its Steering Committee meeting at the Hortgro Science offices on the Welgevallen Experimental farm in Stellenbosch. The meeting was followed by project presentations by five PHI researchers and a site visit to the nearby PHYLA Hortgro phytosanitary facility, where four current PHI research and development (R&D) projects are being conducted.

To provide background: the PHI Programme is a public-private partnership between the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and industry – with the Fresh Produce Exporters’ Forum (FPEF) as the implementing agent. The PHI Programme’s mission is to create a culture of innovation – by providing funding opportunities to deserving applicants who will creatively seek solutions for the technology gaps identified in the fresh horticultural export value chain. This is accomplished through funding that the PHI Programme receives from the DSI – through its Sector Innovation Fund (SIF) – of which R&D project costs are matched in equal part by industry.

The PHI Programme is currently in its fifth phase (PHI-5) – which commenced in April 2022 and concludes on 30 June 2026 – with Hortgro Science, SATI, Subtrop/SAAGA, Cape Flora SA and Berries ZA as industry partners. Thirteen R&D projects are being conducted under PHI-5 at various research institutions, including ExperiCo, AgriSMART SA, Stellenbosch University and the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The PHI Programme provides exciting opportunities to students and interns. Focused on high-end skills development and transformation, several post-graduate students and interns, mostly historically disadvantaged individuals (HDIs), participate in selected R&D projects. These students and interns all benefit from PHI project funding, which is provided through bursaries, stipends, co-funding, or salaries.

Dr Renate Smit – entomologist, researcher and manager at the Hortgro PHYLA phytosanitary facility – was such a student beneficiary. She started her journey with the PHI Programme during the previous third phase of the Programme (PHI-3) when she participated as a PHI-funded MSc bursary student in the project, ‘CATTS as a post-harvest treatment for chill-sensitive plum cultivars and associated phytosanitary insect pests’ – led by Dr Shelley Johnson at Stellenbosch University (SU) for Hortgro Science. The project was initiated in 2015 and her MSc studies concluded in 2017. Smit’s Master’s degree was upgraded by a panel of internal (SU) and external examiners to a PhD in Entomology – a remarkable feat! She conducted her postdoctoral studies (under PH-4) on ethyl formate fumigation and upscaling it to the cold room level. The building of a fumigation cold room was initiated via PHI funding.

However, the cold room had to comply with specific governmental criteria and more funding was needed. It was also 2020 – businesses were closed and disruptions were caused due to the impact of the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic. These challenges prompted Smit to submit a proposal to Hortgro, requesting additional funding to build the intended fumigation cold room. Approval of this proposal subsequently enabled the PHYLA Hortgro phytosanitary facility – officially launched in January 2023.

Today, the PHYLA facility provides opportunities for training, knowledge transfer and capacity building for researchers and students at Stellenbosch University and other institutions. PHYLA also provides access to various insect colonies and access to world-class cold sterilisation and fumigation infrastructure.

The DSI and industry visit PHYLA on 17 September, was initiated as part of the DSI’s oversight role and because four of the current R&D research projects under PHI-5 are being conducted at this phytosanitary facility:

• ‘Cold disinfestation protocol development for oriental fruit fly in pome fruit.’
• ‘Ultra-low oxygen and nitric oxide treatment for pests in pome and stone fruit.’
• ‘Ozone fumigation as post-harvest phytosanitary treatment.’
• ‘Ethyl formate fumigation and alternative application methods.’

Johnson, Smit and Terence Asia are part of the research team for the four projects, whilst two students (MSc and PhD) and one postdoctoral fellow are participating in some of these projects. A total of nine non-academic interns provide technical assistance of which at least three will receive a contract of employment from 1 October 2024 – as a result of their project involvement. These successes bear testimony to the impact of the PHI Programme. Apart from serving as a platform to facilitate and support post-harvest research, development and innovation; the Programme provides opportunities and contributes to capacity building and skills development – to enhance the global competitiveness of the South African fresh horticultural export industry.

Caption: At the PHI/PHYLA day, Dr James Mehl (Technical Specialist: Market Access & SAAGA, SALGA),  Sunita Kalan (Director: Sector and Local Innovation – Department of Science and Innovation), Dr Renate Smit and Dr Shelley Johnson.