29 Nov 2021

Tree planting brings the year to a close

Some 40 FABI students and interns working in the TPCP, CPHB and GRP participated in the last tree planting event for 2021.


27 Nov 2021

Sunflowers the topic at the last FABI International Seminar in 2021

The final talk for 2021 in the popular FABI International Seminar series was presented by Dr Nicolas Langlade.


26 Nov 2021

Publication Party celebrates student achievements

FABI hosted a second publication party for the year on Tuesday 16 November.


25 Nov 2021

Book Club at Monday Morning Meeting

The “Book Club” has become a regular annual event held during a selected FABI Monday Morning Meeting towards the end of each year.


23 Nov 2021

Assessment of plant health in the Cape botanical gardens

Postdoctoral research Fellow, Dr Mesfin Gossa visited three botanical gardens in the Western Cape Province as part of the SANBI-funded Sentinel Plant Project.


22 Nov 2021

Industry experts unpack the intricacies of maize production in South Africa at MCET lecture

FABI chaired a national maize cultivar evaluation trial (MCET) lecture on 11 November.


19 Nov 2021

Mike Wingfield included on Highly Cited Researchers list for the fifth consecutive year

FABI received the good news that Prof. Mike Wingfield, has again been included on the Clarivate Web of Science Highly Cited Researchers (2021/2022), this for the fifth consecutive year.


18 Nov 2021

Mad Macs attend the SAMAC Macadamia Day in the KNP

The Macadamia Protection Programme (MPP) team attended the annual Macadamias South Africa NPC (SAMAC) grower symposium in the Kruger National Park.


15 Nov 2021

Opening of FABI Insect Diet Room

The FABI Insect Diet Room is now completed!


11 Nov 2021

University of Pretoria protects trees against PSHB infestation

FABI researchers, have been engaging with UP campus landscape services staff to ensure the PSHB does not arrive unchecked.


10 Nov 2021

Dr Abdullahi Yusuf appointed an Humboldt Ambassador Scientist

Congratulations to Dr Abdullahi Yusuf on his appointment as a Humboldt Ambassador Scientist.


6 Nov 2021

FABIans recognised with UP Academic Achievers’ Awards

Thirteen FABI research staff members' research excellence was recognised at the recent UP Academic Achievers' Awards.


5 Nov 2021

Researchers from FABI and UQ strengthen collaboration with regular online meetings

Members of MPP and UQ teams have been taking part in monthly research meeting throughout 2021 using online platforms.


4 Nov 2021

FABI researchers make an early start to present at the 3rd IUFRO Acacia webinar

FABI researchers make an early start to present at the 3rd IUFRO Acacia webinar.


3 Nov 2021

Liberating taxonomic data from literature under the spotlight SASSB Seminar

The activities of the Swiss NGO, Plazi, was the topic of discussion by its Founder and President Dr Donat Agosti at the Southern African Society of Systematic Biologists (SASSB) seminar on 14 October.


29 Oct 2021

AI and Crop Health – Business Day article for World Food Day

AI and its role in crop health monitoring was featured in an article written by Prof. Dave Berger for a special edition of the newspaper Business Day.


29 Oct 2021

First publications celebrated at the TPCP publication party

After an 18 month hiatus, FABI celebrated the first publications in an ISI-rated scientific journal of three FABI postgraduate students in the TPCP and CTHB groups


27 Oct 2021

ICFR-FABI collaboration on long-term Gonipterus trial

A large group consisting of staff and students from FABI, the ICFR and Sappi met last week in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands for the first damage scoring of a long-term Gonipterus trial.


26 Oct 2021

FABI’s Internship Programme in Phytosanitation and Biosecurity expands even further

Two more candidates, Phozisa Dlokweni and Sindiso Mtshubungu joined the internship programme in Phytosanitation and Biosecurity at FABI on 1 October. Phozisa and Sindiso both have obtained degrees in forestry at the Nelson Mandela University.


25 Oct 2021

FABI Phytosanitation and Biosecurity interns attend a phytosanitary course

Interns in the Phytosanitation and Biosecurity internship programme in FABI had the privilege to attend a two-day introductory phytosanitary course recently.


21 Oct 2021

FABIans and Engineers collaborate on digitization of agriculture presentation

Two FABIans teamed up with two engineers to present a talk at the 2021 IEEE 4th 5G World Forum.


20 Oct 2021

FABI researchers investigate photosynthesis in the Namib

Professor Tjaart Krüger and Dr Michal Gwizdala travelled to the Namib Desert to explore the molecular mechanisms responsible for sustaining photosynthesis in hypolithons in extreme environments.


19 Oct 2021

Cobus Visagie presents at DGFM Centennial symposium

Celebrating their 100th year of existence, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Mykologie (DGfM) held their conference from 6-10 October in Blaubeuren, Germany.


18 Oct 2021

Mad Mac Flower blight fieldtrip

During the week of 5 October, the Macadamia Protection Programme was in Mpumalanga for an on-going flower blight survey.


15 Oct 2021

Lesotho agricultural research delegation visits FABI

FABI hosted a visit by a delegation from the Lesotho Department of Agricultural Research (DAR) on 11 October.


14 Oct 2021

ARP hosts its annual Research Day

The Hans Merensky Chair in Avocado Research, hosted its annual Student Research Day as a hybrid meeting on 5 October.


13 Oct 2021

FABIans attend the NSSA Symposium

Professor Brett Hurley and PhD candidate Agil Katumanyane attended the 23rd Symposium of the Nematological Society of Southern Africa (NSSA).


12 Oct 2021

Nicky Creux co-organises International Sunflower Association (ISA) webconference

Dr Nicky Creux, programme leader of the Crop Floral Biology and Environments research group in FABI was a co-organiser ( of the International Sunflower Association (ISA) webconference on sunflower-pollinator interactions.


12 Oct 2021

Quentin Guignard interviewed on SAFM

Dr Quentin Guignard participated in a live radio interview on SAFM recently where host Stephen Grootes spoke to him about his research work conducted as part of his PhD research.


8 Oct 2021

FABI participates in the third seed packing project for the National Maize Cultivar Evaluation Trials

A team of 36 FABI TPCP/CPHB students and interns took to task packing a large number of maize seed cultivars from the 20-22 September 2021.


8 Oct 2021

Discover FABI’s art collection

FABIans and visitors to the Institute now have the biographical information about the artists whose artwork adorns the walls in FABI available at their fingertips.


7 Oct 2021

Translating plant health information into South African languages

On 5 October, FABIans lent their voices to be heard towards the accomplishment of a mission to talk to smallholder grain farmers in South Africa in their own languages


7 Oct 2021

More than 500 Eucalyptus trees harvested for future studies in FABI

From 13-15 September, a group of FABIans visited SAPPI plantations in the Richards Bay area to collect leaf material from more than 500 Eucalyptus grandis trees.


6 Oct 2021

FABI celebrates World Fungi Day

On Saturday 2 October a group of FABIans joined Prof. Mike Wingfield in celebrating World Fungi Day.


5 Oct 2021

Sclerotinia stem rot of soybean research featured in the FABI International Seminar Series

Dr Damon L. Smith of the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) was the guest presenter at the September FABI International Seminar Series on 30 September.


5 Oct 2021

FABI and SAPPI partner for Phytophthora trials

A group of TPCP researchers inoculated 19 families of Eucalyptus benthamii with Phytophthora alticola as part of an infection trial in partnership with Sappi.