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.
25 Nov 2021
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.
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.
4 Oct 2021
FABI shines at the Spring graduation
The University of Pretoria conferred 20 postgraduate degrees – 13 PhD degrees and seven MSc degrees – to FABIans during the Spring graduation ceremony.
4 Oct 2021
Zander Myburg and co-workers awarded US-DOE grant to decipher woody biomass production and environmental interactions of eucalypt trees
Professor Zander Myburg, Director of the FMG Programme in FABI will lead an international team of researchers in a US-DOE funded project for large-scale genome sequencing to decipher woody biomass production and environmental interactions of eucalypt trees.
4 Oct 2021
Remembering Neville Denison (1936-2021)
Reflections of Prof. Mike Wingfield, Founding Director of the TPCP and FABI on the passing of Neville Denison.