FABI is proud of the 19 graduates (eight PhD and 11 MSc) being capped at the University of Pretoria’s Spring Graduation Ceremony on 4 September. Congratulations to these FABIans on their remarkable achievements!  

 

PhD

Dr Harm Barten

Thesis: Factors influencing the efficacy of biological control of Gonipterus sp. n. 2 by

Anaphes nitens

Supervisor: Prof. BP Hurley

Co-supervisors: Prof. B Slippers, Dr ML Schröder             

Dr Firehiwot Eshetu

Thesis: Diversity in Sirex noctilio, Amylostereum areolatum and Deladenus siricidicola populations in Australasia and its implications for biological control

Supervisor: Prof. B Slippers

Co-supervisor: Prof. I Barnes

External co-supervisor: Dr H Nahrung (University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia)

Dr Sasha-Lee Gush

Thesis: Disentangling shifts in the soil microbiome of potatoes infected with Rhizoctonia solani AG 3-PT in two contrasting regions of South Africa

Supervisor: Prof. JE van der Waals

Co-supervisors: Prof. TA Coutinho, Prof. DA Cowan, Dr PH Bixirao Neto Marinho Lebre

Dr GuoQing Li

Thesis: Diversity and biology of Botryosphaeriaceae species associated with Eucalyptus in southern China

Supervisor: Dr SF Chen

Co-supervisors: Prof. B Slippers, Prof. MJ Wingfield

Dr WenWen Li

Thesis: Distribution, biology and diversity of Calonectria species on Eucalyptus in southern China

Supervisor: Prof. AT Duong

Co-supervisors: Prof. MJ Wingfield, Dr SF Chen, Dr F Liu

Dr Teresia Macharia

Thesis: Identification and functional characterization of Meloidogyne javanica pathogenicity factors

Supervisor: Prof. LN Moleleki

Dr Demissew Teshome

Thesis: The response of Eucalyptus grandis to drought stress, rewatering and combined stress involving Chrysoporthe austroafricana infection

Supervisor: Prof. S Naidoo

External co-supervisors: Prof. GE Zharare (University of Zululand), Dr RAP Ployet (Oak Ridge National Laboratory, United States of America)

Dr Tanya Welgemoed

Thesis: Comparative genomics of diverse African isolates of Cercospora zeina

Supervisor: Prof. DK Berger

Co-supervisors: Prof. I Barnes, Prof. AT Duong

External co-supervisor: Prof. E Holtgrewe-Stukenbrock (Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Germany)

 

MSc (* with distinction)

Jade Ashmore*

Dissertation: Development of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing tools for the insect pest Gonipterus sp.n. 2

Supervisor: Dr G Dittrich-Schröder

Co-supervisors: Prof. AT Duong, Prof. B Slippers

Callin Ceriani*

Dissertation: Population genetic and genomic analysis of Fusarium circinatum in Colombia

Supervisor: Prof. BD Wingfield

Co-supervisors: Prof. ET Steenkamp, Prof. MJ Wingfield

Deanné du Plessis*

Dissertation: Genomic insights into the pathogenicity and host adaptation in species of the Leptographium wageneri complex

Supervisor: Prof. AT Duong

Co-supervisors: Prof. MJ Wingfield, Prof. BD Wingfield

Marizanne Jones

Dissertation: Diversity and virulence of the fungus Beauveria (Cordycipitaceae) species associated with Gonipterus sp. n. 2 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in South Africa

Supervisor: Dr ML Schröder

Co-supervisors: Prof. BP Hurley, Prof. B Slippers

Harris Keetse

Dissertation: Economic impact and re-establishment of biological control for Gonipterus sp. 2 in Eucalyptusplantations in South Africa

Supervisor: Prof. BP Hurley

Co-supervisor: Dr ML Schröder

External co-supervisors: Dr l Germishuizen (University of KwaZulu-Natal), Dr BJ Sivparsad (University of KwaZulu-Natal)

Alice Mthembu

Dissertation: Survey of soil fungal and oomycete diversity from maize field soil in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Supervisor: Prof. CM Visagie

Co-supervisor: Dr N Yilmaz

Ruth Nante*

Dissertation: Comparative genomics of the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes of fungal tree pathogens causing Dothistroma needle blight

Supervisor: Prof. I Barnes

Co-supervisors: Prof. MPA Coetzee, Ms A Postma

Tania Pogue*

Dissertation: Environmental and physiological correlates of response by three fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) species to commercial lures

Supervisor: Prof. CW Weldon

External co-supervisor: Dr KNP Malod (Stellenbosch University)

Dylan Pullock

Dissertation: Development of novel surveillance tools for rapid detection of citrus psyllids

Supervisor: Prof. CW Weldon

Co-supervisor: Prof. K Krüger

External co-supervisor: Prof. A Manrakhan (Citrus Research International)

Chanel Thomas*

Dissertation: Reconsidering the taxonomy of Sclerotinia with special reference to S. sclerotiorum

Supervisor: Dr PM Wilken

Co-supervisors:  Prof. MPA Coetzee, Prof. CM Visagie

Eloff Theron

Dissertation: Phosphonate sensitivity of Phytophthora in South African Citrus orchards and nurseries

Supervisor: Prof. JE van der Waals

Co-supervisor: Prof. TA Coutinho

External co-supervisor: Dr J van Niekerk (Citrus Research International)