The Department of Science and Technology (DST)/ National Research Foundation (NRF) Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology is based in FABI but funds researchers at various Universities and Institutions elsewhere in South Africa. As part of a process to maintain connections and to promote collaboration in the field of Tree Health Biotechnology, Prof. Mike Wingfied (CTHB Director) and Prof. Emma Steenkamp (Deputy Director) attended an annual "research feedback" symposium with "Core Team Members” and CTHB students from the University of Stellenbosch and Rhodes University on the 11th November.  The symposium highlighted some outstanding research covering diverse topics including symbiotic relationships between fungi, mites, insects and birds in Protea flower heads, insect damage to Acacia seeds,  the relationships between mites and fungi in plant leaf "domatia",  damage to trees arising from harvesting of bark for medicinal purposes and various aspects of the physiology of nitrogen fixation in native legume trees in South Africa.  This outstanding example of collaboration has been active for four years and the outputs in terms of student education and research results continue to be impressive.
Photos: Members of the CTHB team based at the University of Stellenbosch and Rhodes University together with Mike Wingfield and Emma Steenkamp.