Dr Demissew Teshome



Postdoctoral Fellow

Department

Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology
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Research Profiles

My Links

Plants are the main sources of almost all the basic needs of humans and play a pivotal role in sustaining the global ecological balance. Humans have been manipulating plants since the beginning of settled life by improving their yield potential, different quality traits and resistance to environmental stresses. I completed my MSc in Plant Breeding at Haramaya University in Ethiopia where I evaluated the genetic improvement in grain yield potential and associated traits of soybean. I joined FABI in 2018 to continue my PhD studies under the supervision of Prof. Sanushka Naidoo. I am working on the physiological, biochemical and molecular responses of trees to biotic and abiotic stress interactions using the Eucalyptus grandis-Chrysoporthe austroafricana pathosystem as a model. This will contribute for future genetic improvements in the resistance of trees to such stresses.

South African Genetics Society (https://sagene.co.za/)

South African Society for Bioinformatics (https://www.sasbi.co.za/)

Environmental and Ecological Plant Physiology section of the American Society of Plant Biologists (https://eepp.aspb.org/)


Teshome DT, Zharare, G.E., Ployet, R. and Naidoo S, Rewatering following exposure to combined drought stress and pathogen infection triggers distinct transcriptomic changes indicating a trade-off between stress response and growth in Eucalyptus grandis. International Union of Forest Research Organizations, IUFRO Tree Biotech 2024 Conference, Annapolis, Maryland, USA, 4-8 August, 2024.(Oral presentation)

Teshome DT, Zharare, G.E., Ployet, R. and Naidoo S, Drought induced changes in calcium and defense related phytohormone signaling pathways contribute to increased susceptibility to fungal pathogen infection in Eucalyptus. American Society of Plant Biologists, Plant Biology 2023, Savannah, Georgia, USA, 5-9 August 2023 (Oral presentation)

Teshome DT, Zharare GE, Ployet R and Naidoo S Transcriptional reprogramming during recovery from short term drought stress in Eucalyptus grandis. South African Genetics Society and South African Society for Bioinformatics Joint BIO2022 Conference, Stellenbosch, South Africa. 24-27 April 2022 (Oral presentation).

Teshome DT, Zharare GE, Ployet R and Naidoo S, The combined effect of abiotic and biotic stress in Eucalyptus grandis. American Society of Plant Biologists, Plant Biology Worldwide Summit 2021, virtual conference. 19-23 July 2021 (Oral presentation).

Teshome DT, Zharare GE and Naidoo S Physiological responses of Eucalyptus grandis to drought stress and re-watering under Chrysoporthe austroafricana infection. Plant Biology Worldwide summit 27-31 July 2020, DOI 10.46678/PB.20.1052990 (ePoster)


My Galeries

My Eucalyptus

Field trips

News

Nineteen FABIans capped at the UP Spring Graduation

FABI is proud of the 19 graduates being capped at the University of Pretoria’s Spring Graduation Ceremony.

FABIans participate in 2024 IUFRO Tree Biotechnology Conference

Prof. Sanushka Naidoo and Dr Demissew Teshome recently attended and presented at the 2024 IUFRO Tree Biotechnology Conference in the USA.

Well done Demissew!

Congratulations to Demissew Teshome on the successful completion of his PhD as part of the Eucalyptus Pine Pathogen Interaction (EPPI) research group.

FABIans participate and excel at the biggest ever IUFRO World Congress

Thirteen FABIans attended the recent IUFRO World Congress in Stockholm where four members received prestigious awards.

A new digital microscope in FABI: A first in Africa

FABI recently acquired a Keyence VHX-7000 Series Digital Microscope. This is the first of its kind in Africa and will make a major contribution to the microscopy capacity at the institute.

Dr Neriman Yilmaz appointed as Senior Lecturer at FABI

FABI is pleased to announce Dr Neriman Yilmaz's appointment as Senior Lecturer.

Congratulations Firehiwot!

FABI congratulates Dr Firehiwot Eshetu on the successful completion of her PhD degree.

FABI and FAO co-host a webinar on Forest Health and Wildlife

FABI’s Prof. Brett Hurley and Dr Mesfin Gossa and FAO’s Dr Shiroma Sathyapala and Natalia Cano organised a FISNA-hosted webinar titled “Forest Health & Wildlife: behaviour and effect of forest-damaging mammals”.

In search of Florida Cryphonectriaceae

Professors Mike and Brenda Wingfield, along with Dr Nam Pham, have been surveying Eucalyptus trees while at the University of Florida.

FABI celebrates 25 years of excellence

FABI celebrated its 25th anniversary at a symposium hosted at Future Africa on the morning of 17 November.

FABI recognises excellence

FABI recognised excellence by members of the Institute at the recent FABI Awards ceremony.

Prof. Mike Wingfield again included in the Highly Cited 2023

FABI is proud of Professor Mike Wingfield for being included in the Clarivate Web of Science Highly Cited Researchers 2023 for the seventh consecutive year.

EPPI team undertakes the second large-scale field inoculation trial in 2023

The EPPI team completed the second large scale inoculation trial as part of a study that aims to identify DNA markers associated with resistance against Chrysoporthe austroafricana

Prof. Sanushka Naidoo presents her Inaugural Lecture

Prof. Sanushka Naidoo presented her Inaugural Lecture as a full Professor in the University of Pretoria’s Senate Hall on 17 October.

EPPI team performs the biggest impact evaluation from field inoculations of the canker pathogen Chrysoporthe austroafricana on different Eucalyptus genotypes

Members of the EPPI research group travelled to Kwambonabi in the KwaZulu-Natal province to evaluate and harvest one of the biggest in-field inoculations with the pathogen Crysoporthe austroafricana.

FABI opening celebrates 25 years of research excellence

FABI’s official opening, held on 16 January in the University of Pretoria’s Sanlam Auditorium, celebrated the Institute’s 25th anniversary.

EPPI team undertakes a greenhouse inoculation trial

The EPPI team has been undertaking a large-scale greenhouse trial running for a third consecutive year since 2020.

EPPI team performs in-field inoculation of the pitch canker pathogen

Members of the EPPI research group recently travelled to KZN to perform in-field inoculation of Fusarium circinatum on 3296 hybrid pines

NSTF video interview with Mike Wingfield

A video interview with FABI founding Director, Professor Mike Wingfield has been published online on the YouTube channel of the National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF). Click here to watch the full video

A different way of communicating our research

Early in 2020, Dr Andi Wilson and her PhD supervisors published a paper in the journal Fungal Genetics and Biology that detailed the knockout of a novel mating gene in Huntiella omanensis using the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system. The video represents a new way of communicating research - particularly novel techniques and protocols that are not always fully described in research papers. Excitingly, the video produced for this project is the first JoVE video to have been shot in Africa.

FABI launches its multi-disciplinary Grain Research Programme

FABI launched its multidisciplinary Grain Research Programme (GRP) during an online event on 21 August.

The first JOVE video shoot in Africa

Four FABIans (Vinolia Danki, Dr Tuan Duong, Dr Andi Wilson and Prof. Andi and Brenda were joined in the making of the video by Tuan and Vinolia.

FABIans uphold SPOOF tradition with an historic virtual meeting

For the first time in its 23-year history, FABI hosted a virtual Society for the Presentation of Outrageous Findings (SPOOF) event on 17 July. FABIans submitted nine pre-recorded videos, which in the spirit of the time, reflected the lighter moments of a nation under lockdown. The Gene Jockeys took the prize for the Best Abstract (with the subliminal message “Vote for us. FABI Director Prof.

Zander Myburg wins prestigious Forest Biotechnologist of the Year Award

Professor Zander Myburg, research leader of the Forest Molecular Genetics (FMG) Research Group in FABI was awarded the prestigious Biotechnologist of the Year Award by the Institute of Forest Biosciences (IFB).

Prof. Mike Wingfield shares insights on running a successful tree health programme

At this year's Annual TPCP meetings, Prof. Mike Wingfield shared seven attributes he considered central to the success of the 30-year-old programme.

Export to RIS
Publication
Teshome DT, Zharare GE, Ployet R, Naidoo S. (2023) Transcriptional reprogramming during recovery from drought stress in Eucalyptus grandis. Tree Physiology 10.1093/treephys/tpad022
Teshome DT, Zharare GE, Naidoo S. (2020) The threat of the combined effect of biotic and abiotic stress factors in forestry under a changing climate. Frontiers in Plant Science 10.3389/fpls.2020.601009 PDF