The September 2026 issue of Oilseeds Focus delivers essential insights into identifying tricky stem and root diseases, the rules and trade-offs of saving soya bean seed, and strategies for balancing crop safety when applying in-furrow fertilisers, herbicides, and rhizobia inoculants. We also look at updates in South Africa’s Agricultural Remedies Regulations, alongside an analysis of the market dynamics behind a record-breaking soya bean harvest.
Recognising soya bean stem and root diseases
During the 2025/26 soya bean season, a research group surveyed 25 national soya bean cultivar trial sites. Disease incidence – defined as the percentage of symptomatic plants – was recorded, and representative plants were collected for laboratory examination. This article in the September issue of Oilseeds Focus looks at soya bean stem and root diseases that are commonly confused in the field. Recognising their distinguishing symptoms and signs supports accurate diagnosis, early detection of emerging pathogens, and appropriate management decisions.
Saving soya bean seed: The right choice for your farm
Soya beans are self-pollinated, meaning that self-fertilisation occurs before flowers open, and that seed can be planted season after season. Hybrid crops, such as maize, are completely different, and their seed should not be replanted. When hybrid seed is replanted, the next generation of plants loses the beneficial traits of the previous generation. Visually, plants are not uniform and differ greatly in appearance from the original seed planted. Therefore, when retaining soya bean seed, several factors must be considered. Read more in this issue of Oilseeds Focus.
Agricultural Remedies Regulations: Important concepts
The South African regulatory landscape for agricultural remedies is evolving. The Regulations Relating to Agricultural Remedies published in August 2023 under the Fertilisers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act, 1947 (Act 36 of 1947) introduced several new concepts that shape how agricultural remedies are evaluated, monitored, and managed. This article in the September issue of Oilseeds Focus focusses on the key updates and impacts of these new framework changes.
Soya bean crop safety: Managing in-furrow fertilisers, herbicides, and rhizobia inoculants
The intention of in-furrow technology is to enable the precision placement of crop seeds and the direct application of liquid fertilisers, pesticides, and biological products into the seed trench during planting. The primary aim is to boost and protect the crop at its most vulnerable growth stages: seed germination and seedling establishment. However, this highly efficient approach of combining chemical and biological products in a single operation is not without risks to crop safety. Read more in this issue.
Record production and processing with limited exports for South African soya bean
South Africa’s soya bean industry is once again on course for a record-breaking season. According to the Crop Estimates Committee’s July production estimate, the country is expected to harvest 3,04 million tonnes of soya bean, surpassing last season’s record crop of 2,8 million tonnes by more than 240 000 tonnes (8,7%). However, a combination of strong crushing demand, firm local prices, and shifting international market dynamics has made a large soya bean (and maize) export season unattainable at this stage. This article looks at how these dynamics present in the market.
The September 2026 issue of Oilseeds Focus can be downloaded as an interactive flipbook at https://digimags.agriorbit.com/books/Oilseeds-Focus-September-2026/ or as a PDF here. To subscribe, phone Rochelle George on 074 153 8380 or SMS ‘Subscribe’ and your phone number to 064 890 6941, and we will get back to you.
