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Deciduous fruit industry honours SU alumnus Sheila Storey
Author: Engela Duvenage
Published: 18/09/2019

An alumnus of Stellenbosch University and the Faculty of AgriSciences, Sheila Storey, was among those whose outstanding contribution to the sector was honoured at the 44th annual gala evening of the South African deciduous fruit industry. She received an award in the Innovation category. The agricultural magazine Landbouweekblad received the Izethelo Media Award. Chris Burgess, an alumnus of the SU Department of Journalism, is currently its editor.

According to a press release by the deciduous fruit industry, Storey is recognised as a world-class specialist in the fields of soil life, plant performance and nematode control. She received the Fruit Industry Innovation Award for her longstanding technical and scientific contribution to the deciduous fruit industry.

Storey started the commercial nematode analytical laboratory, Nemlab, in 1987, two years after receiving her Masters degree in Agriculture from Stellenbosch University. Nemlab has since grown to become the largest private operation of its kind in South Africa.

NemaBio (Pty) was launched in 2014. Its focus is on the commercialization of entomopathogenic nematodes for the biological control of insect pests in crops. As a strong force in the discipline of soil science, she also founded the Soil Health Centre in 2015, and has developed nematode control programmes and guidelines for a variety of crop production systems all over the country.

The development of know how in support of the industry is of importance to Storey. She has supervised 13 students, and often employ students. 

  • Photo: Sheila Storey ​with her award.