Knowledge Ventures
Hishtil International invests extensively in nursery activities abroad, including ventures in various fields based on its professional know-how.
Export Know-How tracks:
Turn Key nursery project – a finished, ready to operate complex, of industrialized system for vegetables young plants production. This tailor made program, is designated for construction as an integral part of any modern hybrid seeds and greenhouse production based vegetables project. Further optional services in this track include:
Feasibility study
Site planning
First run safeguarding – training and supervision program for the nursery key personnel:
Two weeks practical workshop in one of Hishtil nurseries.
One month, on site guidance by Hishtil experts.
Upgarding package for existing nurseries – unique tools and technologies which have specially developed by Hishtil and are daily used by Hishtil nurseries. No experiments made on the customer's budget. Everything offered has been tested, examined and used by Hishtil and in a real production roll. No surprises around the corner.
Vegetables soft grafting
ERP data system
Standards
Stock plants holding
Rooting
System and procedure upgrade
Professional \ operational nursery supervision
Unique Knowledge Products:
Plantech: A planting educational and training center operated jointly with "Degem Systems". The project features of a model nursery enables the students learn and experience modern plant theory combined with hands-on nursery operation and management.
Wild flowers production for natural landscape restoration
EcoStarter brand for a reduced chemical production programs.
R&D at Hishtil International
Hishtil's R&D department is involved in a variety of areas, including:
Plant acclimatization
Agro-technological applications development
New products development lines
Joint ventures with companies in the nurseries field
Joint research projects with academic institutions
Professional management of subsidiaries and partnerships
Hishtil RM – A robust sorting system for root analysis in various stress condition (low temperatures, salinity etc.).
Tomaisin - unique raisin tomato project
The process of new plants introduction includes the examinations of dozens of new species and plants, derived from various sources in Israel and around the world. The list of plants intended for introduction is approved by a professional forum that examines the candidate plants and classifies them into an annual list. This list is used to derive the work plan. The process is managed by advanced information systems operating in the organization, enabling the management of operations and the necessary documentation.
New agro-technological applications are mostly performed and tested in response to various needs, such as:
Energy savings
Water treatment
Environmental protection
Plant protection and IPM
Upgrading climate, water, fertilizer and control systems
The applications are tested in one of Hishtil's production sites and are integrated, following the trial stages, within the production processes in the various Company sites in Israel and around the world. The new product and product line development processes are accompanied by the best consultants in the field and by Hishtil's management. In cases where cooperation is required for the development of a planting application, the R&D department works together with relevant external factors toward the promotion of new ideas in the field.
Fast Seedlings on Local Soil
Story and photos Sue Ettmayr
HAENERTSBURG - Hishtil is the only commercial vegetable grafting nursery in the country. Founded in Israel, Hishtil, which means 'fast seedling' in Hebrew, began its South African operation outside Mooketsi two years ago.
The earliest recording of herbaceous grafting was in China in 1510. Hishtil began in Israel 36 years ago and produces 700 million, mainly grafted, vegetable seedlings annually, at its five nurseries in Afula, Yedidya, Nehalim, Ashkelon and The Mountain. Hishtil also has 17 years of international practical grafting experience under hot climatic conditions and has nurseries in Italy, Turkey, Greece, Canary Islands, Honduras, Guatemala, Russia, France and an involvement in United Nations projects. Bosnia and the US are in progress.
The Italian nurseries produce more than four million melon seedlings a year. The advantage of' grafted vegetables is a higher yield and sugar content with produce firmer and heavier than regular seedlings. The ripening of grafted watermelon is delayed by 14 days compared with regular watermelons. Grafted plants have limitations and can be plagued by nematodes. Hishtil is working on a resistance to nematodes. Hishtil also has one of the biggest herb operations in the world with 175 different species.
Hishstil is also the first nursery in South Africa to achieve GlobalGAP certification. This means Hishtil complies with market requirements and assures that customers have peace of mind with regard to the food safen~ of seedlings. Global GAP sets a standard for the certification of agricultural produce across the globe. Shlomo Zuker, who heads up Hishtil SA says “Global Gap uplifts the whole industry."We saw a need in SA in the vegetable seedling market and maximising seeds is our aim."
Hishtil SA began with four greenhouses from Israel and has since added another two. Farmers and interested parties were taken on a recent tour during a workshop programme. A buzzer sounds as a reminder to close the greenhouse doors, as temperatures inside have to be kept constant. Each greenhouse has a name and this one was the -- TIou (elephant) greenhouse. Then it's a quick walk through a puddle of pink liquid to disinfect the shoes and into the heart of the greenhouse to view the grafted seedlings.
There are chambers from sowing to germination and grafting is done manually. Each tray has an ID Tag. This is a record of the client's particulars as well as the deliver-% to seasonal and positioning needs and the heating system is under the seedling tables.
Zuker explains that grafted peppers are in the experimental phase. He also says that grafting makes plants hardy. Squash grafted onto watermelon is a breakthrough in South Africa. but not in the rest of the world. The rootstock of these grafted plants is three to five times bigger than a regular watermelon. Hishtil used watermelon seeds from farmer Jan. Pieterse at Tom Burke near Lephalale. The seed, called All Sweet, is used because of its sweetness.
The depth of planting is of utmost importance for a good yield. Many farmers plant grafted seedlings too deep. Bertus Venter, an agronomist at ZZ2, says the Hishtil seedlings are or a very high standard and excellent quality. Nico van Rensburg from Starke Ayres, suppliers of seeds throughout the country, says this new technology of grafting onto rootstocks is good for the industry.