The Macadamia Protection Programme (MaPP) was established in 2017 as collaborative initiative between Macadamia South Africa NPC (SAMAC), the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) and the University of Pretoria. The programme is headed by Dr Gerda Fourie, with the major research focus on macadamia plant diseases and pests.

Macadamia is one of the fastest growing agricultural industries in the country and is of economic importance to South Africa. The industry is however hampered by a number of pests and diseases which can cause major economic loss, both in terms of yield as well as nut quality. The industry currently relies heavily on the use of commercially available pesticides and chemicals for pest and disease control.

Research conducted within the MPP aims to develop and improve pests and diseases management. These strategies may range from the introduction of natural enemies or biological control, disruption of the pest’s reproductive systems, planting of resistant cultivars as well as timely application of chemicals or pesticides. Effective implementation of these, are built on information regarding pest identity, population dynamics, disease cycle, infection biology, epidemiology and spread. Such information, however, is often lacking or not well understood. The current research focus areas of the MaPP will aim to fill these knowledge gaps.

 

New Publications

Maduke N, Slippers B, Van der Linde E, Wingfield M, Fourie G. (2024) Botryosphaeriaceae species associated with branch dieback and decline of macadamia trees in South Africa. Australasian Plant Pathology :1-16. 10.1007/s13313-024-00992-6
Twiddy D, Fouché A, Akinsanmi OA, Fourie G. (2024) Biology and pathogenicity of fungi causing husk rot of macadamia in South Africa. European Journal of Plant Pathology :1-18. 10.1007/s10658-024-02915-z
Jami F, Duma S, Fourie G, Schoeman M. (2024) First report of Botrytis cinerea causing flower blight on macadamia in South Africa. Journal of Phytopathology 72:e13325.:1-4. 10.1111/jph.13325
Pal E, Allison J, Hurley BP, Slippers B, Fourie G. (2024) Lethal and sublethal effects of insecticides on Bathycoelia distincta (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). African Entomology 32: e16992:1-9. 10.17159/2254-8854/2024/a16992
Fourie A, Venter S, Slippers B, Fourie G. (2023) Pantoea bathycoeliae sp. nov and a Sodalis sp. are core gut microbiome symbionts of the two-spotted stink bug. Frontiers in Microbiology :1-19. 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1284397 PDF
Fourie G, Mkhize T, Twiddy D. (2023) Bark and Ambrosia beetles and their fungal symbionts in macadamia orchards in South Africa. SAMAC Journal :78-79.
Twiddy D, Akinsanmi F, Fourie G. (2023) Towards management of macadamia nut diseases in South Africa. SAMAC Journal :80-81.
Fourie G. (2023) Disease diagnostic clinic and field extension: a service to the macadamia industry. SAMAC Journal :96-97.
Moffat R, Hurley BP, Fourie G. (2023) Biology of the invasive macadamia felted coccid, Acanthococcus ironsidei Williams (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) and potential native enemies as biological control agents. SAMAC Journal :82-83.
Smith A, Fourie G. (2023) The Macadamia nut borer genome: What are the benefits?. SAMAC Journal :84.
Pal E, Allison JD, Hurley BP, Slippers B, Fourie G. (2023) Life History Traits of the Pentatomidae (Hemiptera) for the Development of Pest Management Tools. Forests 14(5) 10.3390/ f14050861 PDF
Pal E, Fourie G. (2023) Evaluation of the lethal and sublethal effects of various insecticides on Bathycoelia distincta (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). SAMAC journal :51-53.
Wingfield BD, Berger DK, Coetzee MPA, Duong TA, Martin A, Pham NQ, Van den Berg N, Wilken PM, Arun-Chinnappa KS, Barnes I, Buthelezi S, Dahanayaka BA, Durán A, Engelbrecht J, Feurtey A, Fourie A, Fourie G, Hartley J, Kabwe ENK, Maphosa M, Narh Mensah DL, Nsibo DL, Potgieter L, Poudel B, Stukenbrock EH, Thomas C, Vaghefi N, Welgemoed T, Wingfield MJ. (2022) IMA genome‑F17 Draft genome sequences of an Armillaria species from Zimbabwe, Ceratocystis colombiana, Elsinoë necatrix, Rosellinia necatrix, two genomes of Sclerotinia minor, short‑read genome assemblies and annotations of four Pyrenophora teres isolates from barley grass, and a long-read genome assembly of Cercospora zeina. 13:19. 10.1186/s43008-022-00104-3
Pal E, Allison JD, Guignard Q, Hurley BP, Slippers B, Fourie G. (2022) Characterisation of the Alarm Pheromone of Bathycoelia Distincta (Pentatomidae). Journal of Chemical Ecology 10.1007/s10886-022-01388-w
Maduke A, Slippers B, Van der Linde E, Wingfield M, Fourie G. (2022) Botryosphaeriaceae on Macadamia leaves, nuts and racemes and their association with disease. SAMAC Journal
Botha G, Van den Berg N, Yilmaz N, Akinsanmi OA, Fourie G. (2022) Flower blight in South African macadamia orchards. SAMAC Journal :56-58.
Pal E, Hurley B, Allison J, Slippers B, Fourie G. (2022) Potential management tactics hidden in the life cycle of stink bugs. SAMAC Journal :53-55.
Smith A, Fourie G. (2022) Macadamia nut borer and false codling moth pheromone trap specificity. SAMAC Journal :36-38.
Twiddy D, Fourie A, Akinsanmi OA, Fourie G. (2022) Up close and personal with Husk Rot. SAMAC Journal :39-41.
Sonnekus B, Slippers B, Hurley B, Joubert E, Stiller M, Fourie G. (2022) Diversity and Molecular Barcoding of Stink Bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) Associated with Macadamia in South Africa. Insects 13(7) 10.3390/insects13070601 PDF
Pal E, Allison JD, Hurley BP, Slippers B, Fourie G. (2022) Genetic diversity of the two-spotted stink bug Bathycoelia distincta (Pentatomidae) associated with macadamia orchards in South Africa. PLoS ONE 17(6) 10.1371/journal.pone.0269373
Ranketse M, Hefer CA, Pierneef R, Fourie G, Myburg AA. (2022) Genetic diversity and population structure analysis reveals the unique genetic composition of South African selected macadamia accessions. Tree Genetics and Genomes 18(15):12. 10.1007/s11295-022-01543-0
Smith AK, Slippers B, Hurley BP, Fourie G. (2022) Diversity of Lepidoptera associated with macadamia nut damage in South Africa and development of molecular tools to monitor pest populations. Agricultural and Forest Entomology :1-22. 10.1111/afe.12497
Pal E, Almasri H, Paris L, Diogon M, Pioz M, Cousin M, Sene D, Tchamitchian S, Tavares DA, Delbac F, Blot N, Brunet JL, Belzunces L. (2022) Toxicity of the pesticides Imidacloprid, Difenoconazole and Glyphosate alone and in binary and ternary mixtures to winter honey bees: Effects on survival and antioxidative defenses. Toxics 10(3):104. 10.3390/toxics10030104 PDF
Fourie A, Venter SN, Slippers B, Fourie G. (2022) A detection assay to identify alternative food sources of the two-spotted stink bug, Bathycoelia distincta . Journal of Economic Entomology :1-7. 10.1093/jee/toab256
Mkandawire RI, Yilmaz N, Steenkamp ET, Kvas M, Wingfield MJ, Fourie G. (2022) Diversity of Fusarium species associated with healthy and malformed Syzygium cordatum inflorescences in South Africa.. European Journal of Plant Pathology 10.1007/s10658-021-02447-w
Botha G, Fourie A, Hartley J, Van den Berg N, Fourie G. (2021) The impact of Rosellinia necatrix on South African macadamia orchards. SAMAC Journal :54-56. PDF
Fourie A, Venter N, Slippers B, Fourie G. (2021) It takes "guts" to understand stink bugs. SAMAC Journal :33-37. PDF
Maduke A, Slippers B, Van der Linde E, Wingfield MJ, Fourie G. (2021) Macadamia branch dieback and decline in South Africa. SAMAC Journal PDF
Ranketse M, Hefer C, Pierneef R, Fourie G, Myburg Z. (2021) South African locally selected macadamia cultivars have a unique genetic identification profile compared to imported cultivars. SAMAC Journal PDF
Smith AK, Hurley BP, Slippers B, Fourie G. (2021) Nut borers in South African macadamia orchards: the main culprit and research towards improving control. SAMAC Journal :57-58. PDF
Geiser DM, Al-Hatmi A, Aoki T, Arie T, Balmas V, Barnes I, Bergstrom GC, Bhattacharyya MKK, Blomquist CL, Bowden R, Brankovics B, Brown DW, Burgess LW, Bushley K, Busman M, Cano-Lira JF, Carrillo JD, Chang HX, Chen CY, Chen W, Chilvers MI, Chulze SN, Coleman JJ, Cuomo CA, de Beer ZW, de Hoog GS, Del Castillo-Múnera J, Del Ponte E, Diéguez-Uribeondo J, Di Pietro A, Edel-Hermann V, Elmer WH, Epstein L, Eskalen A, Esposto MC, Everts KL, Fernández-Pavía SP, da Silva GF, Foroud NA, Fourie G, Frandsen RJN, Freeman S, Freitag M, Frenkel O, Fuller KK, Gagkaeva T, Gardiner DM, Glenn AE, Gold S, Gordon T, Gregory NF, Gryzenhout M, Guarro J, Gugino B, Gutiérrez S, Hammond-Kosack K, Harris LJ, Homa M, Hong CF, Hornok L, Huang JW, Ilkit M, Jacobs A, Jacobs K, Jiang C, Jimenez-Gasco MDM, Kang S, Kasson MT, Kazan K, Kennell JC, Kim H, Kistler HC, Kuldau GA, Kulik T, Kurzai O, Laraba I, Laurence MH, Lee TY, Lee YW, Lee YH, Leslie JF, Liew ECY, Lofton LW, Logrieco A, Sánchez López-Berges M, Luque AG, Lysøe E, Ma LJ, Marra RE, Martin FN, May SR, McCormick S, McGee CT, Meis JF, Migheli Q, Mohamed Nor NMI, Monod M, Moretti A, Mostert D, Mulé G, Munaut F, Munkvold GP, Nicholson P, Nucci M, O'Donnell K, Pasquali M, Pfenning LH, Prigitano A, Proctor R, Ranque S, Rehner S, Rep M, Rodríguez-Alvarado G, Rose LJ, Roth MG, Ruiz-Roldán C, Saleh AA, Salleh B, Sang H, Scandiani M, Scauflaire J, Schmale D 3, Short DP, Šišić A, Smith J, Smyth CW, Son H, Spahr E, Stajich JE, Steenkamp E, Steinberg C, Subramaniam R, Suga H, Summerell BA, Susca A, Swett CL, Toomajian C, Torres-Cruz TJ, Tortorano AM, Urban M, Vaillancourt LJ, Vallad GE, van der Lee T, Vanderpool D, van Diepeningen AD, Vaughan M, Venter E, Vermeulen M, Verweij PE, Viljoen A, Waalwijk C, Wallace EC, Walther G, Wang J, Ward T, Wickes B, Wiederhold NP, Wingfield MJ, Wood AKM, Xu JR, Yang XB, Yli-Matilla T, Yun SH, Zakaria L, Zhang H, Zhang N, Zhang S, Zhang X. (2021) Phylogenomic analysis of a 55.1 kb 19-gene dataset resolves a monophyletic Fusarium that includes the Fusarium solani Species Complex. Phytopathology 111(7):1064-1079. 10.1094/PHYTO-08-20-0330-LE
Twiddy D, Fell S, de Beer ZW, Fourie G. (2021) Screening for susceptibility of Macadamia to E. fornicatus and its fungal symbiont Fusarium euwallaceae. Plant Disease 105(4):739-742. 10.1094/PDIS-07-20-1555-SC
Mufamadi Z, Fourie G, Willis-Boyum A, van den Berg N. (2020) Husk rot disease: causal agents and disease epidemiology. SAMAC Journal PDF
Pal E, Hurley BP, Slippers B, Fourie G. (2020) Progress towards characterisation of pheromones of Bathycoelia distincta. SAMAC Journal PDF
Smith A, Hurley BP, Slippers B, Fourie G. (2020) Life stage characterisation of Thaumatotibia batrachopa on an artificial diet. SAMAC Journal PDF
Twiddy D, de Beer ZW, Fourie G. (2020) The PSHB and its potential impact on the South African macadamia Industry. SAMAC Journal PDF
Drenkhan R, Ganley B, Martin-Garcia J, Vahalik P, Adamson K, Adamcikova K, Ahumada R, Blank L, Braganca H, Capretti P, Capretti P, Cleary M, Cornejo C, Davydenko K, Diez J, Lehtiharvi H, Dvorak M, Enderle R, Fourie G, Georgieva M, Ghelardini L, Hantula J, Ioos R, Iturritxa E, Kanetis L, Karpun N, Koltay A, Landera E, Markovskaja S, Mesanza N, Milenkovic I, Musolin D, Musolin D, Nikolaou K, Nowakowske J, Ogris N, Oskay F, Oszaka T, Papazova-Anakieva I, Paraschiv M, Pasquali M, Pecori F, Rafoss T, Raitelaityte K, Raposo R, Robin C, Rodas C, Santini A, Sanz-Ros A, Selikhovkin A, Solla A, Soukainen M, Soulioti N, Steenkamp E, Tsopelas P, Vemic A, Vettraino A, Wingfield M, Woodward S, Zamora-Ballesteros C, Mullet M. (2020) Global geographic distribution and host range of Fusarium circinatum, the causal agent of Pine Pitch Canker. Forests 11(724):1-38. 10.3390/f11070724
Roux J, Wingfield MJ, Fourie A, Noeth K, Barnes I. (2020) Ceratocystis wilt on Eucalyptus: first record from South Africa. Southern Forests: A Journal of Forest Science 82:24-31. 10.2989/20702620.2019.1686687
Li JQ, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ, Barnes I, Fourie A, Crous PW, Chen SF. (2020) Mating genes in Calonectria and evidence for a heterothallic ancestral state . Persoonia 45:163-176. 10.3767/persoonia.2020.45.06 PDF
Wingfield BD, van Heerden CJ, van der Nest MA, Steenkamp ET, Roets F, Geiser DM, Duong TA, Dreyer LL, Coetzee MPA, Barnes I, Aylward J, Bushula-Njah VS, Simpson MC, Fourie A, Wingfield MJ. (2019) Draft genome sequences of Fusarium xylarioides, Teratosphaeria gauchensis and T. zuluensis and genome annotation for Ceratocystis fimbriata. IMA Fungus 10(13) 10.1186/s43008-019-0013-7 PDF
Vainio EJ, Bezos D, Braganca H, Cleary M, Fourie G, Georgieva M, Ghelardini L, Hunnunen S, Ioos R, Martin-Garcia J, Martinez-Alvarez P, Mullet M, Oszako T, Papazova-Anakieve I, Piskur B, Romeralo C, Sanz-Ros A, Steenkamp ET, Tubby K, Wingfield MJ, Diez JJ. (2019) Sampling and detection strategies for the Pine Pitch Canker (PPC) disease pathogen Fusarium circinatum in Europe. Forests 10(723):1-28. 10.3390/f10090723 PDF
Fourie A, van der Nest MA, De Vos L, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD, Barnes I. (2019) QTL mapping of mycelial growth and aggressiveness to distinct hosts in Ceratocystis pathogens. Fungal Genetics and Biology 131:103242. 10.1016/j.fgb.2019.103242 PDF
Ioos R, Aloi F, Piskur B, Guinet C, Mullet M, Berbegal M, Braganca H, Cacciola SO, Oskay F, Cornejo C, Adamson K, Douanla-Meli C, Kacergius A, Martinez-Alvarez P, Nowakowska JA, Luchi N, Vettraino AM, Ahumada R, Pasquali M, Fourie G, Kanetis L, Alves A, Ghelardini L, Dvorak M, Sanz-Ros A, Diez JJ, Baskarathevan J, Aguayo J. (2019) Transferability of PCR-based diagnostic protocols: An international collaborative case study assessing protocols targeting the quarantine pine pathogen Fusarium circinatum. Scientific Reports 10.1038/s41598-019-44672-8
Palmer M, Venter SN, McTaggart AR, Coetzee MPA, Van Wyk S, Avontuur JR, Beukes CW, Fourie G, Santana QC, Van der Nest MA, Blom J, Steenkamp ET. (2019) The synergistic effect of concatenation in phylogenomics: the case in Pantoea. PeerJ 10.7717/peerj.6698 PDF
Bradshaw RE, Sim AD, Chettri P, Dupont P-Y, Guo Y, Hunziker L, McDougal RL, van der Nest A, Fourie A, Wheeler D, Cox MP, Barnes I. (2019) Global population genomics of the forest pathogen Dothistroma septosporum reveal chromosome duplications in high dothistromin-producing strains. Molecular Plant Pathology 20(6):784-799. 10.1111/mpp.12791
Martın-Garcia J, Zas R, Solla A, Woodward S, Hantula J, Vainio EJ, Mullett M, Morales-Rodrıguez M, Vannini A, Martınez-Alvarez P, Pinto G, Alves A, Amaral J, Wingfield MJ, Fourie G, Steenkamp ET, Ahumada R, Sera B, Sanz-Ros AV, Raposo R, Elvira-Recuenco M, Iturritxa E, Gordon TR , Diez JJ. (2019) Environmentally friendly methods for controlling pine pitch canker . Plant Pathology 10(723):1-28. 10.1111/ppa.13009 PDF
Van den Berg N, Du Toit M, Morgan SW, Fourie G, De Beer ZW. (2019) First Report of Fusarium euwallaceae on Persea americana in South Africa. Plant Disease 10.1094/PDIS-10-18-1818-PDN
Barnes I, Fourie A, Wingfield MJ, Harrington TC, McNew DL, Sugiyama LS, Luiz BC, Heller WP, Keith LM. (2018) New Ceratocystis species associated with rapid death of Metrosideros polymorpha in Hawai`i. Persoonia 40:154–181. 10.3767/persoonia.2018.40.07 PDF
Fourie A, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD, van der Nest MA, Loots MT, Barnes I. (2018) Inheritance of phenotypic traits in the progeny of a Ceratocystis interspecific cross. Fungal Biology 122:717-729. 10.1016/j.funbio.2018.03.001 PDF