Welcome to Research Matters. This curated site highlights some of the University of Pretoria’s most impactful and innovative research which addresses some of our society’s most pressing concerns so that we can transform lives and communities. We are rated as the number one university in South Africa for research outputs. Our vision is to be a leading research-intensive university in Africa that is recognised internationally for its quality, relevance and impact. We develop people, create knowledge and strive to make a difference locally and internationally.
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The articles in this edition showcase work from all nine of our faculties, and underscore our University’s slogan ‘Make today matter’. RE.SEARCH has been named South Africa's top corporate publication as the winner of the 2024 SA Publication's Forum Awards. It is a runner up and finalist in the Excellence category for Communication (runner up), Design and Photography (finalist) and the...
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Over the past two decades, field trips in search of dung beetles have taken University of Pretoria (UP) doctoral student Christian Deschodt across Southern Africa. But it was a well-trodden walk to fetch his kids from school, a mere 1,5km from his home near Hartbeespoort, that saw him stumble upon an entirely new species.
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In another paper, Deschodt described yet another new species. Onthophagus pragtig most likely only feeds on the innards of dead millipedes. It is one of 20 species that is part of a small group of dung beetles in the genus Onthophagus. All other species in this group are known to prefer feeding on the soft internal organs (or viscera) of dead millipedes.
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Dung beetles likely date back to Africa some 40 million years ago. They then spread across the world, except to Antarctica. Most dung beetles feed on dung. They lay their eggs in dung balls that are buried underground so that their developing larvae have enough food and easy access to it. Their digging helps to nourish and loosen the soil, and improves its water-holding capacity.
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In a first for precision agriculture, University of Pretoria (UP) researchers, in association with collaborators from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), have produced maps of smallholder farms in Gauteng that highlight maize plants in green and weeds in red. The maps were shared with farmers to enable them to pinpoint and eradicate weeds with more precision.
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Farmers not only save time and money by cutting down the cost and effort required to manage weeds, but also limit the environmental impact of using harmful weed-killing chemicals by using satellite data and imagery.
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