{"id":6490,"date":"2025-05-15T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/?p=6490"},"modified":"2025-05-15T10:38:52","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T08:38:52","slug":"plantsap-a-south-african-innovation-in-crop-nutrition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/articles\/plantsap-a-south-african-innovation-in-crop-nutrition\/","title":{"rendered":"PlantSap\u00ae \u2013 A South African Innovation in Crop Nutrition"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Jan Hendrik Petrus van der Merwe, founder of PlantSap\u00ae, has always had farming in his blood. Growing up on a farm in Bospoort in the North West Province, his path in agriculture began early. After completing four years of agricultural studies in Pretoria\u2014majoring in Agronomy and Soil Science\u2014he added a Finance Management course through UNISA and later completed specialised training in soil microbiology and microscopy through the ARC and Rhodes University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1989 Jan returned to the family farm where he farmed until 2001. Following the sale of the farm, he relocated to Pretoria and began working as an agricultural consultant for local and international companies. During this time, he also ran a part-time flying school, but his focus remained on agriculture. From 2003 to 2015, he served as a technical marketing manager, training agents and transferring agronomic knowledge to assist farmers.<\/s><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2012, he launched a personal research project to distinguish between actively growing and dormant plants. This challenge inspired a deeper dive into the science of plant health. By 2015, Jan  made the bold decision to pursue the development of what would become the PlantSap\u00ae technique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2016, he dedicated an entire year to monitoring crops daily\u2014measuring plant sap, recording data, and analysing results. The process revealed compelling insights. Eager to expand his understanding, he travelled to the Netherlands, a global hub of plant sap analysis expertise. There, he spent a month working closely with leading consultants, applying the methods practically on farms. However, without access to licences or IP from their system, Jan returned home determined to build a unique South African solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though initially disappointed, he took this as an opportunity to create something tailored to local conditions. He assembled a team of experts and advisors, funding the research entirely on his own. The development and validation of the system took nearly four years, culminating in the registration of the PlantSap\u00ae trademark and concept in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since then, PlantSap\u00ae has grown steadily, with the method now implemented at several large, high-performance farming operations across the country. To support scalability, custom software was developed to handle data processing and management\u2014allowing the system to be easily adopted by more farmers and agronomists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Regenerative Recipe for Farming Success<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At its core, the PlantSap\u00ae system and the specific measurements enables regenerative agriculture\u2014also known as \u201cfarming with nature.\u201d Until recently, this approach lacked a practical implementation method. PlantSap\u00ae filled that gap by developing a science-based, replicable system that helps farmers make real-time decisions to support plant health and performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What sets PlantSap\u00ae apart is its dual-focus approach. The consultant\/agronomist combines soil health  <\/s>with plant sap insights to create a complete picture of the soil-plant relationship. By doing so, it empowers farmers to make precise, informed corrections based on what the plant is actually absorbing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another major breakthrough has been PlantSap\u00ae\u2019s method of expressing plant sap from leaves, especially from tree crops. Traditional techniques struggled with woody plants, but the company\u2019s innovative approach proved so effective that it gained recognition  internationally and helped expand their global research database.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Concept to Commercial Success<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The journey from idea to commercial launch took about five years, followed by another five years to refine what Jan calls the \u201cregenerative recipe.\u201d The biggest hurdle was funding\u2014PlantSap\u00ae was entirely self-financed. Every phase of growth required reinvestment into research and development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, the passion for results kept the team motivated. The first major success came when the method was commercialised, and immediate improvements were seen in yield, quality, and farmer satisfaction. The evidence was undeniable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite initial scepticism from the broader agricultural industry and academic institutions, PlantSap\u00ae continued to thrive. \u201cWe no longer need to convince anybody\u2014the results speak for themselves, and farmers are our best advocates,\u201d Jan explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking to the Future<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a decade behind it, PlantSap\u00ae is now positioned to become a standard part of crop monitoring in South Africa. The goal for the next five to ten years is to see the system widely adopted, enabling more farmers to grow healthier crops while reducing chemical inputs and environmental impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The company’s partnerships with digital platforms like FieldView and the use of NDVI technology have further enhanced its capabilities. By integrating digital monitoring with plant sap analysis, PlantSap\u00ae gives farmers a full-spectrum view of their crop health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Science, Speed, and Sustainability<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

PlantSap\u00ae prides itself on delivering fast, research-backed results. Test outcomes are returned to advisors within five working days, allowing quick, targeted intervention. The company also builds on foundational work by respected South African scientists like the late Dr Arrie Jansen van Vuuren and Professor Hannes van Staden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire PlantSap\u00ae technology was build doing statistical trials and underwritten by specialists in there field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Lasting Impact<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, PlantSap\u00ae is recognised globally as a leader in real-time plant nutrition analysis. The method continues to evolve, becoming more accurate each season. Its benefits are clear: early detection of nutrient imbalances, improved fertiliser efficiency, increased yields, and stronger, more resilient crops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Jan reflects on the journey, he remains inspired by the impact: \u201cWe\u2019re doing something different. Talking with Plants is our business\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

JAN HENDRIK PETRUS VAN DER MERWE (FOUNDER OF PLANTSAP)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Though initially disappointed, he took this as an opportunity to create something tailored to local conditions. He assembled a team of experts and advisors, funding the research entirely on his own. The development and validation of the system took nearly four years, culminating in the registration of the PlantSap\u00ae trademark and concept in 2021.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":6493,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,16],"tags":[49],"class_list":["post-6490","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-agricultural","category-articles","tag-national"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-flambo-388007-1112080-scaled.jpg",2560,1440,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-flambo-388007-1112080-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-flambo-388007-1112080-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-flambo-388007-1112080-768x432.jpg",640,360,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-flambo-388007-1112080-1024x576.jpg",640,360,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-flambo-388007-1112080-1536x864.jpg",1536,864,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-flambo-388007-1112080-2048x1152.jpg",2048,1152,true],"magazine-7-slider-full":["https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-flambo-388007-1112080-1536x1020.jpg",1536,1020,true],"magazine-7-slider-center":["https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-flambo-388007-1112080-936x897.jpg",936,897,true],"magazine-7-featured":["https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-flambo-388007-1112080-1024x576.jpg",1024,576,true],"magazine-7-medium":["https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-flambo-388007-1112080-720x380.jpg",720,380,true],"magazine-7-medium-square":["https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pexels-flambo-388007-1112080-675x450.jpg",675,450,true]},"author_info":{"info":["Marinda Sauerman"]},"category_info":"Agricultural<\/a> Articles & Advertisers<\/a>","tag_info":"Articles & Advertisers","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6490","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6490"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6490\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6671,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6490\/revisions\/6671"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6493"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6490"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6490"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelife.digital\/tl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6490"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}