Congratulation to Mohammad on successfully defending his PhD
FABI congratulates Mohammad Sayari for successfully completing and defending his PhD thesis on 12 November.
14 Nov 2019
13 Nov 2019
Two eminent scientists present special seminars at FABI
Two leaders on biological control presented seminars at FABI on 12 November.
12 Nov 2019
Ambrosia beetle expert presents a special seminar at FABI
A leading expert on ambrosia and bark beetles, Prof. Jiri Hulcr, presented a special seminar at FABI on 1 November.
11 Nov 2019
Fungi for Future project launched at a third primary school
FABI research Fellow Dr Neriman Yilmaz and the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology (CTHB) outreach team recently visited Laerskool Menlopark within the “Fungi for future” Citizen Science project. The project has so far included three schools: Laerskool Menlopark, Nwa’vhangani and Tlakukani Primary Schools.
7 Nov 2019
Rhizobial collection trip with Polish collaborators
Several members of the Rhizobial Research Group (Prof. Emma Steenkamp, Prof. Fanus Venter, Dr Chrizelle Beukes, Juanita Avontuur and Derick Claassens) joined Polish collaborators Prof. Tomasz Stępkowski, Joanna Banasiewicz and Rafał Banasiewicz on a sampling trip to Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from 27-31 October.
5 Nov 2019
CTHB awards certificates to 13 undergraduate mentees
Thirteen students who completed eight months of mentorship in the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology(CTHB) received their certificates of completion on 1 November at a small ceremony in FABI.
4 Nov 2019
University Vice-Chancellor participates in a fungal citizen science project
University of Pretoria Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof. Tawana Kupe collected soil samples at the Future Africa campus on 30 October as part of a FABI-hosted Citizen Science project “Fungi for Future”.
31 Oct 2019
FABI postdoc attends IUFRO Phytophthora conference in Sardinia
The biennial meeting of the IUFRO’s Working Party 7.02.09 – ‘Phytophthorain Forests and Natural Ecosystems’ was held on the Italian island of Sardinia from 17-25 October 2019.
30 Oct 2019
Biosafety SA and FABI host Women in Biotech panel discussion
Five women led a discussion at FABI on the challenges faced by women in the biotechnology sector on 29 October.
28 Oct 2019
FABIans thank and wish Prof. Lubuma well on his retirement
Former Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Pretoria Professor Jean Lubuma joined FABIans at the Monday morning meeting on 28 October, giving them an opportunity to wish him well on his retirement.
25 Oct 2019
FABI students return from Penn State exchange visit
Two FABI PhD candidates, Benedicta Swalarsk-Parry and Jane Ramaswe recently returned from a three-month exchange visit to Pennsylvania State University. The visit is part of a strategic partnership between the Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiologyin Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) at the University of Pretoria.
25 Oct 2019
Fungi for Future school outreach launched
The DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology (CTHB) outreach team from FABI was involved in a ‘Fungi for Future’ initiative which forms part of their citizen science project.
24 Oct 2019
FABI donates bicycles to the N'wa-Vangani Primary School
On Friday 18 October, the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology (CTHB) Outreach Team had the privilege of handing over five bicycles to learners from the N’wa-Vangani Primary School for their outstanding academic achievements.
22 Oct 2019
FMG members attend the Plant Genome Evolution 2019 conference
The Plant Genome Evolution Conference is a biennial event and the 2019 meeting, which marked the fifth meeting, was held in Sitges (Barcelona), Spain.
21 Oct 2019
FABIan visits Argentinian collaborators
FABI PhD candidate Joséphine Queffelec recently visited two research labs in Argentina to talk about insect ecology and reinforce the collaboration between FABI and other entomology and forestry research labs.
18 Oct 2019
Tree planting to restore the native Patagonian forest
This year FABI PhD candidate Joséphine Queffelec participated in this effort and helped to plant over 200 native trees on the snowy slopes of the Patagonian mountains.
16 Oct 2019
FABI hosts Polish research visit
Professor Sylwia Wdowiak-Wróbel and Dr Michał Kalita, researchers from the University of Maria Curie - Skłodowska (UMCS) in Lublin, Poland visited FABI on 1 October.
15 Oct 2019
FABIans take part in various activities during UP’s Anti-discrimination and Social Justice Week
The University of Pretoria observed Anti-Discrimination and Social Justice Week from 30 September to 4 October. FABI hosted the first in a series of events organised by the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences in recognition of this campaign.
14 Oct 2019
ACGT and FABI jointly hosts a Plant Phenotyping and Precision Agriculture workshop at Future Africa
On Tuesday, September 17, the African Centre for Gene Technologies (ACGT), Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) and Future Africa co-hosted a Plant Phenotyping and Precision Agriculture workshop at Future Africa on the University of Pretoria's Hillcrest Campus.
11 Oct 2019
FABI chemical ecology field trials planned for 2019 and 2020
Work at FABI in the area of applied chemical ecology for insect pest management and monitoring continues to grow.
6 Oct 2019
XXV IUFRO 2019 World Congress closes with a new President-elect at the helm
The XXV IUFRO 2019 World Congress was officially closed on 5 October with a new President at the helm to lead the organisation through the next five years.
6 Oct 2019
FABI flag flies high at the XXV IUFRO World Congress 2019
FABI had a significant and visible presence at the recently concluded XXV IUFRO World Congress 2019 held in the Brazilian city of Curitiba from 29 September to 5 October.
2 Oct 2019
IUFRO President Presents the Wangari Mathai Award for 2019
The Burundian forestry activist Leonidas Nzigiyimpa was announced as the winner of the 2019 Wangari Maathai Forest Champions Award at a ceremony on the sidelines of the XXV IUFRO 2019 World Congress being held in the Brazilian city of Curitiba.
2 Oct 2019
XXV IUFRO World Congress Opens on a high in Curitiba
The XXV IUFRO World Congress 2019 opened in the Brazilian city of Curitiba on Monday 30 September. FABI was well represented at the congress with its Director Prof.
30 Sep 2019
XXV IUFRO 2019 Tree Planting Ceremony
The XXV IUFRO 2019 World Congress official opening was preceded with a tree planting ceremony at the Curitiba Botanical Gardens on 29 September. It is fitting that the iconic Araucaria trees were planted as the city’s name is derived from the native Tupi language words kurí tyba meaning “many pine seeds” due to the large number of pinecones of the Paraná pines (Araucaria angustafolia) in the region.
17 Sep 2019
John Taylor visits FABI
FABI was honoured to host a visit by Prof. Professor Taylor was part of the team who pioneered the use of PCR for fungal phylogenetics and ecology.
16 Sep 2019
FABI flying high at the annual NRF Awards Ceremony
FABI researchers featured very prominently at the annual awards ceremony of the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa held at the Lord Charles Hotel (Somerset West) on Thursday 12 September.
13 Sep 2019
The CFTPP Team visit the Chinese Embassy
On 28 August, the CERC-FABI Tree Protection Programme members (CFTPP) team, visited the Chinese Embassy in Pretoria.
12 Sep 2019
FABI considers dying trees and fungal biodiversity in Namaqualand
FABI Founder Director Prof. Mike Wingfield and Prof. Pedro Crous, Director of the Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute (WFBI, Netherlands) and also holding a Professorship in FABI at the University of Pretoria spent four days examining diseases of plants in Namaqualand in the Northern Cape Province.
12 Sep 2019
9 Sep 2019
Fourteen FABIans capped at the 2019 Spring Graduation Ceremony
The University of Pretoria conferred 14 postgraduate degrees – eight PhD degrees and six MSc degrees – to FABIans during the Spring Graduation Ceremony on 5 September. Congratulations to these FABIans on their remarkable achievements!
6 Sep 2019
Prof. Martin Coetzee attends the Mycological Society of America (USA) Meeting 2019
Professor Martin Coetzee attended the 87th meeting of the Mycological Society of America (MSA) from 10-14 August in Minneapolis, USA.
6 Sep 2019
FABI features prominently at AgriCAREERSConnect
FABI was prominent at AgriCAREERSConnect, an interactive careers fair at the University of Pretoria’s Future Africa Campus on 5 September.
5 Sep 2019
FABIans “begin afresh” and look forward to sunnier and happier days at the annual Spring Day Tea
FABIans celebrated a colourful yet pensive Spring Day Tea in the FABI Courtyard on 4 September. The FABI Social Club hosts this colourful spectacle every year in celebration of renewal that comes with the end of winter.
5 Sep 2019
MPI Fungal Symposium 2019
Professor Brenda Wingfield had the privilege of attending the MPI Fungal Symposium in Plön, Germany from 2-4 September.
3 Sep 2019
Michel becomes the latest FABIan to fulfil requirements for a PhD
James Michel Tchotet Tchoumi has become the latest FABIan to pass his PhD, fulfilling all the requirements for completing his degree. Michel’s study aimed to establish the identity and host range of Basidiomycetous wood-rot fungi associated with wood rot systems in the GRNP and lay a foundation on which to continue studies to determine the impact of selective harvesting and other anthropogenic impacts on these forests. The specific objectives of his study included assessing the diversity and host affinities of wood-rotting Basidiomycetes associated with declining native trees in timber-harvesting compartments in the GRNP.