Contact us Plant Virology

Dr. David Read:


Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute
Room 1-35, FABI II
Lunnon Street
University of Pretoria
Pretoria
South Africa

Tel: +27 83 325 9077

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

New Publications

Coertze S, Visagie CM, Rose L, Slippers B, Mostert D, Makhura T, de Villiers D, Basson E, Coetzee B, Read D. (2025) First report of Clavibacter nebraskensis, causing Goss’s bacterial leaf blight on maize (Zea mays L.) in South Africa. Plant Disease 10.1094/PDIS-01-25-0164-PDN PDF
Mapfumo P, Archer E, Swanevelder ZH, Wilken M, Creux N, Read DA. (2025) Plant Pathology. Genomic Characterisation of Bidens mottle virus in South Africa and an Assessment of the Impact on Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) in an Open Field Setting 10.1111/ppa.14089
Espach A, Esterhuizen L, Africander N, Thiart S, Read DA, Pietersen G. (2025) First report of pepper ringspot virus on potato (Solanum tuberosum) in South Africa. Journal of Plant Pathology 10.1007/s42161-025-01887-1
Hough B, Wingfield B, Read DA. (2024) Identification and characterization of mycoviruses in transcriptomes from the fungal family Ceratocystidaceae. Virus Genes 10.1007/s11262-024-02112-4 PDF
Read DA, Pietersen G, Slippers B, Steenkamp E. (2024) Genomic characterization of novel viruses associated with Olea europaea L. in South Africa. Archives of Virology 169 10.1007/s00705-024-06132-1 PDF
Pietersen G, Morgan S, Read DA. (2024) First report of Citrus concave gum-associated virus (CCGaV) on apple (Malus spp.) in South Africa. Journal of Plant Pathology 10.1007/s42161-024-01629-9
Robert R, Robberste N, Thompson GD, Read DA. (2024) Characterization of macadamia ringspot‑associated virus, a novel Orthotospovirus associated with Macadamia integrifolia in South Africa. European Journal of Plant Pathology 10.1007/s10658-024-02832-1 PDF
Read DA, Thompson GD, Swanevelder DZH, Pietersen G. (2023) Metaviromic Characterization of Betaflexivirus Populations Associated with a Vitis cultivar Collection in South Africa. Viruses 15(7):1474. 10.3390/v15071474
Hough B, Steenkamp ET, Wingfield B, Read DA. (2023) Fungal viruses unveiled: A comprehensive review of Mycoviruses. Viruses 15(5):1202. 10.3390/v15051202 PDF
Morgan SW, Read DA, Burger JT, Pietersen G. (2023) Diversity of viroids infecting grapevines in the South African Vitis germplasm collection. Virus Genes 10.1007/s11262-023-01971-7
David Read, Bernard Slippers, Emma Steenkamp. (2022) Genomic characterization of a novel potyvirus infecting Barleria repens in South Africa. Archives of Virology 10.1007/s00705-022-05662-w
David Read, Ronel Roberts, Goddy Prinsloo, Genevieve Thompson. (2022) Genomic and phylogenetic characterization of wheat yellows virus, a novel tenuivirus infecting wheat in South Africa. Archives of Virology 10.1007/s00705-022-05649-7
Read DA, Pietersen G, Slippers B, Steenkamp ET. (2022) Chrysanthemum virus B and chrysanthemum chlorotic mottle viroid infect chrysanthemum in South Africa. Australasian Plant Disease Notes 10.1007/s13314-022-00478-8
David A Read, Elrea Strydom, Bernard Slippers, Emma Steenkamp, Gerhard Pietersen. (2022) Genomic characterization of soybean blotchy mosaic virus, a cytorhabdovirus from South Africa. Archives of Virology 10.1007/s00705-022-05526-3
Otlotleng Moloto, Gerhard Pietersen, Dirk Swanevelder, Genevieve Thompson, David Read. (2022) First report of grapevine polerovirus 1 in South Africa. Australasian Plant Disease Notes 17(1) 10.1007/s13314-022-00459-x
David A. Read, Genevieve D. Thompson, Nathan Le Cordeur, Dirk Swanevelder, David Read. (2022) Genomic characterization of grapevine viruses N and O: novel vitiviruses from South Africa. Archives of Virology 10.1007/s00705-021-05333-2
Read DA, Thompson GD, Swanevelder D, Pietersen G. (2021) Detection and diversity of grapevine virus L from a Vitis cultivar collection in Stellenbosch, South Africa. European Journal of Plant Pathology 10.1007/s10658-021-02380-y
Read DA, Roberts R, Swanevelder D, Pietersen G, Thompson GD. (2021) Novel viruses associated with plants of the family Amaryllidaceae in South Africa. Archives of Virology 10.1007/s00705-021-05170-3
Read DA, Roberts R, Thompson GD. (2021) Genomic characterization of two novel viruses infecting Barleria cristata L. from the genera Orthotospovirus and Polerovirus. Archives of Virology 10.1007/s00705-021-05150-7
Welgemoed T, Pierneef R, Read DA, Schulze SE, Pietersen G, Berger DK. (2020) Next generation sequencing reveals past and current widespread occurrence of maize yellow mosaic virus in South Africa. European Journal of Plant Pathology 158(1):237-249. 10.1007/s10658-020-02070-1
Roberts R, Pietersen G. (2016) A novel subspecies of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter africanus’ found on native Teclea gerrardii (Family: Rutaceae) from South Africa. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek :1-8. 10.1007/s10482-016-0799-x
Kleynhans J, Pietersen G. (2016) Comparison of multiple viral population characterization methods on a candidate cross-protection Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) source. Journal of Virological Methods 237:92-100. 10.1016/j.jviromet.2016.09.003
Read DA, Pietersen G. (2016) PCR bias associated with conserved primer binding sites, used to determine genotype diversity within Citrus tristeza virus populations. Journal of Virological Methods 237:107-113. 10.1016/j.jviromet.2016.09.004
New SA, van Heerden SW, Pietersen G, Esterhuizen LL. (2016) First report of a Turnip Yellows virus in association with the Brassica Stunting Disorder in South Africa. Plant Disease 100(11):2341. 10.1094/PDIS-12-15-1443-PDN
Lin H, Pietersen G, Han C, Read DA, Lou B, Gupta G, Civerolo EL. (2015) Complete genome sequence of “Candidatus Liberibacter africanus,” a bacterium associated with Citrus Huanglongbing. Genome Announcements 3(4):e00733-15. 10.1128/genomeA.00733-15 PDF
Read DA, Pietersen G. (2015) Genotypic diversity of Citrus tristeza virus within red grapefruit, in a field trial site in South Africa. European Journal of Plant Pathology 142(3):531-545. 10.1007/s10658-015-0631-x
Roberts R, Steenkamp ET, Pietersen G. (2015) Three novel lineages of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter africanus’ associated with native rutaceous hosts of Trioza erytreae in South Africa. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 65:723-731. 10.1099/ijs.0.069864-0
Zablocki O, Pietersen G. (2014) Characterization of a novel citrus tristeza virus genotype within three cross-protecting source GFMS12 sub-isolates in South Africa by means of Illumina sequencing. Archives of Virology 159(8):2133-2139. 10.1007/s00705-014-2041-3
Almeida RPP, Daane KM, Bell VA, Blaisdell GK, Cooper ML, Herrbach E, Pietersen G. (2013) Ecology and management of grapevine leafroll disease.. Frontiers of Microbiology 4(94):1-13. 3389/fmicb.2013.00094 PDF
Pietersen G, Spreeth N, Oosthuizen T, Van Rensburg A, Van Rensburg M, Lottering D, Rossouw N, Tooth D. (2013) A case study of control of Grapevine Leafroll Disease spread at a commercial wine estate in South Africa. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture 64:296-305. 10.5344/ajev.2013.12089 PDF