Soil water relations and plant water use is studied in order to improve water use efficiency. Crop growth models are developed or modified to mechanistically quantify the components of the soil water balance. These models are used for real time management and long term scenario studies. Causes and remediation of soil erosion, crusting, salinity and physical soil deterioration are researched. Heavy metal pollution from fertilizer sources, and the effect of irrigation with polluted mine waters on crop, soil and groundwater resources are studied. Rehabilitation of open-cost mine lands receive special attention.

Berhane D: Development of methods and techniques for land resource surveying for Eritrea (Prof MC Laker)

Louw H: Bemesting van gronde met sagte karbonaathorisonte [(Br 2000) in die Lichtenburggebied] (Prof MC Laker)

Mbatani BN: Determining the rainfed arable production potential of climatically marginal land in the Northwest Province using the CYSLAMB land evaluation model (Prof MC Laker)

Mhlauli NC: Growth analyses and soil water balance of selected vegetable crops (Dr NZ Jovanovic)

Mulidzi AR: Environmental impacts of wine cellar effluents in the Western and Northern Cape Provinces (Prof MC Laker)

Strohmenger PH: Interactive effects of sulphate dominated salinity and fertility in wheat (Prof AS Claassens)

Van der Waals JH: Slags as agricultural limes: Reactivity and heavy metal and phosphorus bio-availability (Prof AS Claassens)

Weldegiorgis BW: Development of a strategy and structure for land suitability evaluation for Eritrea (Prof MC Laker)

Belay TA: Direct and residual effects of organic and inorganic fertilizers on soil chemical properties, microbial components and maize yield under longterm crop rotation (Prof AS Claassens)

Daka AE: Development of strategies for the sustainable utilization of dambos along the Zambesi river in Western Zambia (Prof MC Laker)

Mentz WH: Tolerance of selected crop and pasture species to problem waters originating in coal mines (Prof RO Barnard)