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FABI would like to congratulate the 25 FABIans that graduated at the University of Pretoria’s Autumn Graduation ceremony on 2 May. FABI was especially proud to have seven of the nine PhD graduates from this institute. Two MSc students were capped along with 16 postgraduate students associated with FABI who were conferred their Honours degrees. 5

Listed below are the PhD graduates and the titles of their dissertations as well as the Honours students with projects in FABI over the past year. (* degrees awarded with distinction).

PhD's

Dr Birhan Abate

Molecular characterization and evaluation of entomopathogenic nematodes in South African forestry plantations.

Supervisor: Dr BP Hurley

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

Dr Mesfin Gossa

Ecology and diversity of introduced Pissodes (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in South Africa.

Supervisor: Dr BP Hurley

Co-supervisors: Dr JR Garnas, Prof. B Slippers

Dr Stanford Kwenda

Transcriptome profiling of potato plant stems challenged with Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. brasiliense and elucidation of the role of small RNAs in Pectobacterium survival mechanisms.

Supervisor: Prof. LN Moleleki

Co-supervisors: Prof. PRJ Birch,

Dr Jacqueline Meyer

RNA sequencing of maize reveals metabolic processes, candidate defence genes and SNP markers associated with grey leaf spot disease resistance.

Supervisor: Prof. DK Berger

Co-supervisors: Dr SL Murray (University of Cape Town)

Dr Eston Mutito

Invasion history of Thaumastocoris peregrinus and development of a biological control agent.

Supervisor: Prof. B Slippers

Co-supervisors: Dr JR Garnas, Prof. MJ Wingfield, Dr BP Hurley

Dr Alex Osorio

Diseases of mangrove trees in South Africa.

Supervisor: Prof. J Roux

Co-supervisors: Prof. MJ Wingfield, Prof. ZW de Beer

Dr Priyen Pillay

Characterisation of VP1 protein sensitivity against proteases and identification of agroinfiltration-induced proteases in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves.

Supervisor: Prof. KJ Kunert

Co-supervisors: Dr BJ Vorster

MSc's

Gustav Pretorius

Towards an understanding of quorum sensing in Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. brasiliense.

Supervisor: Prof. LN Moleleki

Co-supervisors: Prof. J. Theron

Ncobile Kunene

Mating-type gene analysis of Cercospora zeina in commercial and small-holder maize farms in South Africa.

Supervisor: Prof. DK Berger

Co-supervisors: Dr SM Phillips

BSc Honours students affiliated with FABI