Forest Molecular Genetics

The Forest Molecular Genetics (FMG) Programme focuses on the genetic control of growth and development in fast- growing plantation trees with a view to enhance biomass production and improve wood properties for timber, pulp, paper, and biomaterials production. Concomitant with this, we aim to understand molecular pest and disease resistance mechanisms in trees for yield protection and resilience. The programme is affiliated with the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), as well as the Genomics Research Institute (GRI) at UP. The FMG Leadership is also affiliated with the new Future Africa Institute at UP. We work in close collaboration with South African forestry companies through the FMG Consortium (FMGC) to develop capacity and resources for the application of tree biotechnology in operational tree improvement programmes.

 

FMG Magazine_August 2020

 

New Publications

Solís M, Naidoo S, Wingfield MJ, Joubert J, Hammerbacher A. (2024) First line of defence: Eucalyptus leaf waxes influence infection by an aggressive fungal leaf pathogen. Plant Biology 10.1111/plb.13707
Backer R, Naidoo S, van den Berg N. (2023) The expression of the NPR1-dependent defense response pathway genes in Persea americana (Mill.) following infection with Phytophthora cinnamomi. BMC Plant Biology 23(1):548. 10.1186/s12870-023-04541-z PDF
Takawira LT, Mounet F, Mizrachi E, Myburg AA, Grima-Pettenati J, Rai A, Dupas A, Ladouce N, Christie N, San Clemente H, Thulloch J, Ployet R, Bachir H, Hussey SG. (2023) Functional investigation of five R2R3-MYB transcription factors associated with wood development in Eucalyptus using DAP-seq-ML. Plant Molecular Biology 113:33-57. 10.1007/s11103-023-01376-y
Anneri Lötter, Tuan A Duong, Julia Candotti, Eshschar Mizrachi, Jill L Wegrzyn, Alexander A Myburg. (2023) Haplogenome assembly reveals structural variation in Eucalyptus interspecific hybrids. GigaScience 12 10.1093/gigascience/giad064
Swanepoel S, Visser EA, Shuey SS, Naidoo S. (2023) The In Planta Gene Expression of Austropuccinia psidii in Resistant and Susceptible Eucalyptus grandis. Phytopathology 113(6):1066-1076. 10.1094/PHYTO-07-22-0257-R PDF
Solís M, Hammerbacher A, Wingfield MJ, Naidoo S. (2023) A robust disease scoring method to screen Eucalyptus for resistance against the aggressive leaf blight pathogen, Teratosphaeria destructans. Plant Disease:1418 - 1424. 10.1094/PDIS-06-22-1347-RE PDF
Teshome DT, Zharare GE, Ployet R, Naidoo S. (2023) Transcriptional reprogramming during recovery from drought stress in Eucalyptus grandis. Tree Physiology 10.1093/treephys/tpad022
Candotti J, Christie N, Ployet R, Mostert-O’Neill MM, Reynolds SM, Neves LG, Naidoo S, Mizrachi E, Duong TA, Myburg AA. (2023) Haplotype mining panel for genetic dissection and breeding in Eucalyptus. The Plant Journal 113:174-185. 10.1111/tpj.16026
Swanepoel S, Visser E, Shuey L, Naidoo S. (2023) The In Planta Gene Expression of Austropuccinia psidii in Resistant and Susceptible Eucalyptus grandis. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 10.1094/PHYTO-07-22-0257-R
Visser EA, Kampmann TP, Wegrzyn JL, Naidoo S. (2022) Multispecies comparison of host responses to Fusarium circinatum challenge in tropical pines show consistency in resistance mechanisms. Plant, Cell & Environment 46(5):1705-1725. 10.1111/pce.14522 PDF
Solís M, Wingfield MJ, Hammerbacher A, Naidoo S. (2022) Comparison of the infection biology of Teratosphaeria destructans and Teratosphaeria epicoccoides on Eucalyptus. Plant Disease 10.1094/PDIS-09-21-1877-RE PDF
Messal M, Vivas M, Kemler M, Begerow D, Brachmann A, Witfeld F, Naidoo S, Slippers B. (2022) Fungal Communities of Eucalyptus grandis Leaves Are Influenced by the Insect Pest Leptocybe invasa. Frontiers in Microbiology 13(3:841621) 10.3389/fmicb.2022.841621 PDF
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
Karannagoda N, Spokevicius A, Hussey SG, Cassan-Wang H, Grima-Pettenati J, Bossinger B. (2022) Eucalyptus grandis AUX/INDOLE‑3‑ACETIC ACID 13 (EgrIAA13) is a novel transcriptional regulator of xylogenesis. Plant Molecular Biology 10.1007/s11103-022-01255-y
Hussey SG. 2022. Transcriptional regulation of secondary cell wall formation and lignification. In: Advances in Botanical Research. Academic Press, Cambridge, MA, pp .
Jackson C, Christie N, Reynolds SM, Marais GC, Tii-kuzu Y, Caballero M, Kampman T, Visser EA, Naidoo S, Kain D, Whetten RW, Isik F, Wegrzyn J, Hodge GR, Acosta JJ, Myburg AA. (2021) A genome- wide SNP genotyping resource for tropical pine tree species. Molecular Ecology Resources 10.1111/1755-0998.13484 PDF
Swanepoel S, Oates CN, Shuey SS, Pegg GS, Naidoo S. (2021) Transcriptome analysis of Eucalyptus grandis implicates brassinosteroid signaling in defense against myrtle rust (Austropuccinia psidii). Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 4(200):778611. 10.3389/ffgc.2021.778611 PDF
Teshome DT, Zharare GE, Naidoo S. (2020) The threat of the combined effect of biotic and abiotic stress factors in forestry under a changing climate. Frontiers in Plant Science 10.3389/fpls.2020.601009 PDF
Berger DK, Mokgobu T, De Ridder K, Christie N, Aveling TAS. (2020) Benefits of maize resistance breeding and chemical control against northern leaf blight in smallholder farms in South Africa. South African Journal of Science 12(11) 10.17159/sajs.2020/8286
Oates C, Denby K, Myburg A, Slippers B, Naidoo S. (2020) Insect egg‐induced physiological changes and transcriptional reprogramming leading to gall formation. Plant, Cell & Environment 10.1111/pce.13930
Mostert-O'Neill MM, Reynolds SM, Acosta JJ, Lee DJ, Borevitz JO, Myburg AA. (2020) Genomic evidence of introgression and adaptation in a model subtropical tree species, Eucalyptus grandis. Molecular Ecology 00(00):1-14. 10.1111/mec.15615 PDF
Karannagoda N, Spokevicius A, Hussey S, Bossinger G. (2020) Microanalytical techniques for phenotyping secondary xylem. IAWA Journal 41(3):356-389. 10.1163/22941932-bja10034
Mphahlele MM, Isik F, Mostert-O'Neill MM, Reynolds SM, Hodge GR, Myburg AA. (2020) Expected benefits of genomic selection for growth and wood quality traits in Eucalyptus grandis. Tree Genetics & Genomes 16(49) 10.1007/s11295-020-01443-1
Mhoswa L, O'Neill M, Makobatjatji MM, Oates CN, Payn KG, Slippers B, Myburg AA, Naidoo S. (2020) A Genome-Wide Association Study for resistance to the insect pest Leptocybe invasa in Eucalyptus grandis reveals genomic regions and positional candidate defence genes. Plant & Cell Physiology (pcaa057) 10.1093/pcp/pcaa057
du Toit Y, Coles DW, Mewalal R, Christie N, Naidoo S. (2020) eCALIBRATOR: A Comparative Tool to Identify Key Genes and Pathways for Eucalyptus Defense Against Biotic Stressors. Frontiers in Microbiology 11:216. 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00216
Lyall R, Schlebusch SA, Proctor J, Prag M, Hussey SG, Ingle RA, Illing N. (2019) Vegetative desiccation tolerance in the resurrection plant Xerophyta humilis has not evolved through reactivation of the seed canonical LAFL regulatory network. The Plant Journal 10.1111/tpj.14596
Messal M, Slippers B, Naidoo S, Bezuidt O, Kemler M. (2019) Active fungal communities in asymptomatic Eucalyptus grandis stems differ between a susceptible and resistant clone. Microorganisms 7(10):375. 10.3390/microorganisms7100375
Tonfack LB, Hussey SG, Veale A, Myburg AA, Mizrachi E. (2019) Analysis of orthologous SECONDARY WALL-ASSOCIATED NAC DOMAIN1 (SND1) promotor activity in herbaceous and woody angiosperms. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 20:4623. 10.3390/ijms20184623
Visser EA, Wegrzyn JL, Steenkamp ET, Myburg AA, Naidoo S. (2019) Dual RNA-Seq Analysis of the Pine-Fusarium circinatum Interaction in Resistant (Pinus tecunumanii) and Susceptible (Pinus patula) Hosts. Microorganisms 7:315. 10.3390/microorganisms7090315 PDF
Solís M, Salas A, Lagos C, Valenzuela S, Emhart V, Fernández M. (2019) De Novo Transcriptome Assembly of Eucalyptus nitens and the Expression of R2R3-MYB Genes in Response to Cold Acclimation in Eucalyptus Spp.. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter 37(4):376–388. 10.1007/s11105-019-01160-7