A small group of FABI researchers assisted in an “emergency transplant” of a consignment of pine tree seedlings on 20 March. The seedlings are hybrids being used for Fusarium circinatum screening trials in a joint project between SAPPI’s Prof. Jolanda Roux, and FABI’s Professor Emma Steenkamp and Dr Almuth Hammerbacher. The seedlings were delivered to FABI on Friday 13 March prior to the imposition of a National State of Disaster on Sunday 15 March that also saw the suspension of all contact classes at the University and restrictions imposed on the presence of non-essential staff on campus. 

It is imperative that these seedlings were replanted as they would not otherwise survive in the trays and it would be a significant setback for the project if they died. The inoculation trials will be done once access restrictions are lifted again at the University of Pretoria. Currently, general access to facilities has been curtailed to only allow essential research and maintenance of microbial and insect cultures and plants.