Profile

Dr Gerda Fourie

Senior Lecturer
Department
Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology
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Member of:

Research Profiles

My Students

Rosali Moffat

Primary Supervisor

Angel Maduke

Byron Sonnekus

Co Supervisor

Mary Ranketse

Primary Supervisor

Gerhard Botha

Cliriska Hoffman

Mpho Matsetela

Thembeka Mkhize

I am the programme leader of the Macadamia Protection Programme at FABI. The Macadamia Protection Programme is a collaborative venture between Macadamia South Africa (SAMAC), the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) and the University of Pretoria (UP). Macadamia are one of the fastest growing agricultural industries in the country and are of economic importance to South Africa. The industry is however hampered by a number of pests and diseases, which can cause major economic loss, both in terms of yield as well as nut quality. The overall goal of the research programme is to reduce their impact. It is therefore aimed towards keeping trees healthy and the industry productive and profitable.

Long-term sustainability of the industry is dependent on the use of integrated pest management. Integrated pest management systems aims to prevent or lower pest and disease incidence by employing multiple different strategies. Effective implementation of these are built on information regarding pest identity, population dynamics, disease cycle, infection biology, epidemiology and spread. Such information, however, are often lacking or not well understood. Current research focus areas of the research programme will therefore aim to fill these knowledge gaps. In the long term the MaPP also aim to assist in the generation of knowledge that will support the improvement or development of biological control; the use of pheromones for control and/or monitoring; research to support the selection of tolerant or resistant cultivars; as well as the generation of genetic tools to support cultivar breeding.

Teaching

Current:

MBY 261: Fungal Biology

Past:

BOT 161: Plant Molecular Biology

My Journal Articles

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Publication
Maduke N, Slippers B, Van der Linde E, Wingfield M, Fourie G. (2024) Botryosphaeriaceae species associated with branch dieback and decline of macadamia trees in South Africa. Australasian Plant Pathology :1-16. 10.1007/s13313-024-00992-6
Twiddy D, Fouché A, Akinsanmi OA, Fourie G. (2024) Biology and pathogenicity of fungi causing husk rot of macadamia in South Africa. European Journal of Plant Pathology :1-18. 10.1007/s10658-024-02915-z
Jami F, Duma S, Fourie G, Schoeman M. (2024) First report of Botrytis cinerea causing flower blight on macadamia in South Africa. Journal of Phytopathology 72:e13325.:1-4. 10.1111/jph.13325
Pal E, Allison J, Hurley BP, Slippers B, Fourie G. (2024) *Lethal and sublethal effects of insecticides on Bathycoelia distincta* (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)*. African Entomology* 32: e16992:1-9. 10.17159/2254-8854/2024/a16992
Fourie A, Venter S, Slippers B, Fourie G. (2023) Pantoea bathycoeliae sp. nov and a Sodalis sp. are core gut microbiome symbionts of the two-spotted stink bug. Frontiers in Microbiology :1-19. 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1284397
Pal E, Allison JD, Hurley BP, Slippers B, Fourie G. (2023) Life History Traits of the Pentatomidae (Hemiptera) for the Development of Pest Management Tools. Forests 14(5) 10.3390/ f14050861
Wingfield BD, Berger DK, Coetzee MPA, Duong TA, Martin A, Pham NQ, Van den Berg N, Wilken PM, Arun-Chinnappa KS, Barnes I, Buthelezi S, Dahanayaka BA, Durán A, Engelbrecht J, Feurtey A, Fourie A, Fourie G, Hartley J, Kabwe ENK, Maphosa M, Narh Mensah DL, Nsibo DL, Potgieter L, Poudel B, Stukenbrock EH, Thomas C, Vaghefi N, Welgemoed T, Wingfield MJ. (2022) IMA genome‑F17 Draft genome sequences of an Armillaria species from Zimbabwe, Ceratocystis colombiana, Elsinoë necatrix, Rosellinia necatrix, two genomes of Sclerotinia minor, short‑read genome assemblies and annotations of four Pyrenophora teres isolates from barley grass, and a long-read genome assembly of Cercospora zeina. 13:19. 10.1186/s43008-022-00104-3
Pal E, Allison JD, Guignard Q, Hurley BP, Slippers B, Fourie G. (2022) Characterisation of the Alarm Pheromone of Bathycoelia Distincta (Pentatomidae). Journal of Chemical Ecology 10.1007/s10886-022-01388-w
Sonnekus B, Slippers B, Hurley B, Joubert E, Stiller M, Fourie G. (2022) Diversity and Molecular Barcoding of Stink Bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) Associated with Macadamia in South Africa. Insects 13(7) 10.3390/insects13070601
Pal E, Allison JD, Hurley BP, Slippers B, Fourie G. (2022) *Genetic diversity of the two-spotted stink bug Bathycoelia distincta* (Pentatomidae) associated with macadamia orchards in South Africa*. PLoS ONE* 17(6) 10.1371/journal.pone.0269373
Ranketse M, Hefer CA, Pierneef R, Fourie G, Myburg AA. (2022) Genetic diversity and population structure analysis reveals the unique genetic composition of South African selected macadamia accessions. Tree Genetics and Genomes 18(15):12. 10.1007/s11295-022-01543-0
Smith AK, Slippers B, Hurley BP, Fourie G. (2022) Diversity of Lepidoptera associated with macadamia nut damage in South Africa and development of molecular tools to monitor pest populations. Agricultural and Forest Entomology :1-22. 10.1111/afe.12497
Fourie A, Venter SN, Slippers B, Fourie G. (2022) A detection assay to identify alternative food sources of the two-spotted stink bug, Bathycoelia distincta . Journal of Economic Entomology :1-7. 10.1093/jee/toab256
Mkandawire RI, Yilmaz N, Steenkamp ET, Kvas M, Wingfield MJ, Fourie G. (2022) Diversity of Fusarium species associated with healthy and malformed Syzygium cordatum inflorescences in South Africa.. European Journal of Plant Pathology 10.1007/s10658-021-02447-w
Geiser DM, Al-Hatmi A, Aoki T, Arie T, Balmas V, Barnes I, Bergstrom GC, Bhattacharyya MKK, Blomquist CL, Bowden R, Brankovics B, Brown DW, Burgess LW, Bushley K, Busman M, Cano-Lira JF, Carrillo JD, Chang HX, Chen CY, Chen W, Chilvers MI, Chulze SN, Coleman JJ, Cuomo CA, de Beer ZW, de Hoog GS, Del Castillo-Múnera J, Del Ponte E, Diéguez-Uribeondo J, Di Pietro A, Edel-Hermann V, Elmer WH, Epstein L, Eskalen A, Esposto MC, Everts KL, Fernández-Pavía SP, da Silva GF, Foroud NA, Fourie G, Frandsen RJN, Freeman S, Freitag M, Frenkel O, Fuller KK, Gagkaeva T, Gardiner DM, Glenn AE, Gold S, Gordon T, Gregory NF, Gryzenhout M, Guarro J, Gugino B, Gutiérrez S, Hammond-Kosack K, Harris LJ, Homa M, Hong CF, Hornok L, Huang JW, Ilkit M, Jacobs A, Jacobs K, Jiang C, Jimenez-Gasco MDM, Kang S, Kasson MT, Kazan K, Kennell JC, Kim H, Kistler HC, Kuldau GA, Kulik T, Kurzai O, Laraba I, Laurence MH, Lee TY, Lee YW, Lee YH, Leslie JF, Liew ECY, Lofton LW, Logrieco A, Sánchez López-Berges M, Luque AG, Lysøe E, Ma LJ, Marra RE, Martin FN, May SR, McCormick S, McGee CT, Meis JF, Migheli Q, Mohamed Nor NMI, Monod M, Moretti A, Mostert D, Mulé G, Munaut F, Munkvold GP, Nicholson P, Nucci M, O'Donnell K, Pasquali M, Pfenning LH, Prigitano A, Proctor R, Ranque S, Rehner S, Rep M, Rodríguez-Alvarado G, Rose LJ, Roth MG, Ruiz-Roldán C, Saleh AA, Salleh B, Sang H, Scandiani M, Scauflaire J, Schmale D 3, Short DP, Šišić A, Smith J, Smyth CW, Son H, Spahr E, Stajich JE, Steenkamp E, Steinberg C, Subramaniam R, Suga H, Summerell BA, Susca A, Swett CL, Toomajian C, Torres-Cruz TJ, Tortorano AM, Urban M, Vaillancourt LJ, Vallad GE, van der Lee T, Vanderpool D, van Diepeningen AD, Vaughan M, Venter E, Vermeulen M, Verweij PE, Viljoen A, Waalwijk C, Wallace EC, Walther G, Wang J, Ward T, Wickes B, Wiederhold NP, Wingfield MJ, Wood AKM, Xu JR, Yang XB, Yli-Matilla T, Yun SH, Zakaria L, Zhang H, Zhang N, Zhang S, Zhang X. (2021) *Phylogenomic analysis of a 55.1 kb 19-gene dataset resolves a monophyletic Fusarium* that includes the Fusarium solani Species Complex*. Phytopathology* 111(7):1064-1079. 10.1094/PHYTO-08-20-0330-LE
Twiddy D, Fell S, de Beer ZW, Fourie G. (2021) Screening for susceptibility of Macadamia to E. fornicatus and its fungal symbiont Fusarium euwallaceae. Plant Disease 105(4):739-742. 10.1094/PDIS-07-20-1555-SC
Drenkhan R, Ganley B, Martin-Garcia J, Vahalik P, Adamson K, Adamcikova K, Ahumada R, Blank L, Braganca H, Capretti P, Capretti P, Cleary M, Cornejo C, Davydenko K, Diez J, Lehtiharvi H, Dvorak M, Enderle R, Fourie G, Georgieva M, Ghelardini L, Hantula J, Ioos R, Iturritxa E, Kanetis L, Karpun N, Koltay A, Landera E, Markovskaja S, Mesanza N, Milenkovic I, Musolin D, Musolin D, Nikolaou K, Nowakowske J, Ogris N, Oskay F, Oszaka T, Papazova-Anakieva I, Paraschiv M, Pasquali M, Pecori F, Rafoss T, Raitelaityte K, Raposo R, Robin C, Rodas C, Santini A, Sanz-Ros A, Selikhovkin A, Solla A, Soukainen M, Soulioti N, Steenkamp E, Tsopelas P, Vemic A, Vettraino A, Wingfield M, Woodward S, Zamora-Ballesteros C, Mullet M. (2020) Global geographic distribution and host range of Fusarium circinatum, the causal agent of Pine Pitch Canker. Forests 11(724):1-38. 10.3390/f11070724
Vainio EJ, Bezos D, Braganca H, Cleary M, Fourie G, Georgieva M, Ghelardini L, Hunnunen S, Ioos R, Martin-Garcia J, Martinez-Alvarez P, Mullet M, Oszako T, Papazova-Anakieve I, Piskur B, Romeralo C, Sanz-Ros A, Steenkamp ET, Tubby K, Wingfield MJ, Diez JJ. (2019) Sampling and detection strategies for the Pine Pitch Canker (PPC) disease pathogen Fusarium circinatum in Europe. Forests 10(723):1-28. 10.3390/f10090723
Ioos R, Aloi F, Piskur B, Guinet C, Mullet M, Berbegal M, Braganca H, Cacciola SO, Oskay F, Cornejo C, Adamson K, Douanla-Meli C, Kacergius A, Martinez-Alvarez P, Nowakowska JA, Luchi N, Vettraino AM, Ahumada R, Pasquali M, Fourie G, Kanetis L, Alves A, Ghelardini L, Dvorak M, Sanz-Ros A, Diez JJ, Baskarathevan J, Aguayo J. (2019) Transferability of PCR-based diagnostic protocols: An international collaborative case study assessing protocols targeting the quarantine pine pathogen Fusarium circinatum. Scientific Reports 10.1038/s41598-019-44672-8
Palmer M, Venter SN, McTaggart AR, Coetzee MPA, Van Wyk S, Avontuur JR, Beukes CW, Fourie G, Santana QC, Van der Nest MA, Blom J, Steenkamp ET. (2019) The synergistic effect of concatenation in phylogenomics: the case in Pantoea. PeerJ 10.7717/peerj.6698
Martın-Garcia J, Zas R, Solla A, Woodward S, Hantula J, Vainio EJ, Mullett M, Morales-Rodrıguez M, Vannini A, Martınez-Alvarez P, Pinto G, Alves A, Amaral J, Wingfield MJ, Fourie G, Steenkamp ET, Ahumada R, Sera B, Sanz-Ros AV, Raposo R, Elvira-Recuenco M, Iturritxa E, Gordon TR , Diez JJ. (2019) Environmentally friendly methods for controlling pine pitch canker . Plant Pathology 10(723):1-28. 10.1111/ppa.13009
Van den Berg N, Du Toit M, Morgan SW, Fourie G, De Beer ZW. (2019) *First Report of Fusarium euwallaceae* on Persea americana in South Africa*. Plant Disease* 10.1094/PDIS-10-18-1818-PDN
Fourie G, van der Merwe NA, Wingfield BD, Bogale M, Wingfield MJ, Steenkamp ET. (2018) Mitochondrial introgression and interspecies recombination in the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex. IMA Fungus 9(1):37-48. 10.5598/imafungus.2018.09.01.04
Wingfield BD, Berger DK, Steenkamp ET, Lim H-J, Duong TA, Bluhm BH, De Beer ZW, De Vos L, Fourie G, Naidoo K, Olivier NA, Lin Y, Van der Peer Y, Joubert F, Crampton BG, Swart V, Soal N, Tatham C, Van der Nest MA, Van der Merwe NA, Van Wyk S, Wilken PM, Wingfield MJ. (2017) IMA Genome-F 8 Draft genome of Cercospora zeina, Fusarium pininemorale, Hawksworthiomyces lignivorus, Huntiella decipiens and Ophiostoma ips. IMA Fungus 8 (2):385‑396. 10.5598/imafungus.2017.08.02.10
Phasha MM, Wingfield BD, Coetzee MPA, Santana QC, Fourie G, Steenkamp ET. (2017) Architecture and distribution of introns in core genes of four Fusarium species. G3: Genes\|Genomes\|Genetics 7(11):3809-3820. 10.1534/g3.117.300344
Mostert D, Molina AB, Daniells J, Fourie G, Hermanto C, Chao C-P, Fabregar E, Sinohin VG, Hossain MDS, Masdek N, Visarto P, Rajapakse C, Thanh DT, Thangavelu R, Li C, Yi G, Wei Y, Mostert L, Viljoen A. (2017) The distribution and host range of the banana Fusarium wilt fungus, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense, in Asia. PLoS ONE 12(7):24. 10.1371/journal.pone.0181630
Wingfield BD, Ades PK, Al-Naemi FA, Beirn LA, Bihon W, Crouch JA, De Beer ZW, De Vos L, Duong TA, Fields CJ, Fourie G, Kanzi AM, Malapi-Wight M, Pethybridge SJ, Radwan O, Rendon G, Slippers B, Santana QC, Steenkamp ET, Taylor PWJ, Vaghefi N, Van der Merwe NA, Veltri D, Wingfield MJ. (2015) IMA Genome-F 4. Draft genome sequences of Chrysoporthe austroafricana, Diplodia scrobiculata, Fusarium nygamai, Leptographium lundbergii, Limonomyces culmigenus, Stagonosporopsis tanaceti, and Thielaviopsis punctulata. IMA Fungus 6(1):233-248. 10.5598/imafungus.2015.06.01.15
De Vos L, Steenkamp ET, Martin SH, Santana QC, Fourie G, Van der Merwe NA, Wingfield MJ, Wingfied BD. (2014) *Genome-wide macrosynteny among Fusarium* species in the Gibberella fujikuroi complex revealed by amplified fragment length polymorphisms*. PLoS ONE* 9(12):e114682. 10.1371/journal.pone.0114682
Morris AR, Fourie G, Greyling I, Steenkamp ET, Jones NB. (2014) *Re-use of seedling containers and Fusarium circinatum* association with asymptomatic Pinus patula planting stock*. Southern Forests: a Journal of Forest Science* 76(3):177-187. 10.2989/20702620.2014.957491
Swett CL, Porter B, Fourie G, Steenkamp ET, Gordon TR, Wingfield MJ. (2014) *Association of the pitch canker pathogen Fusarium circinatum* with grass hosts in commercial pine production areas of South Africa*. Southern Forests: a Journal of Forest Science* 76(3):161-166. 10.2989/20702620.2014.916087
Jones NB, Ford CM, Light ME, Nadel RL, Greyling I, Fourie G, Wingfield MJ, Morris AR. (2014) Effect on nursery and field performance of Pinus patula seedlings after inoculation with Fusarium circinatum. Southern Forests 76(3):125-136. 10.2989/20702620.2014.916503
Fourie G, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD, Jones NB, Morris AR, Steenkamp ET. (2014) *Culture-independent detection and quantification of Fusarium circinatum* in a pine-producing seedling nursery*. Southern Forests* 76(3):137-143. 10.2989/20702620.2014.899058
Fourie G, van der Merwe NA, Wingfield BD, Bogale M, Tudzynski B, Wingfield MJ, Steenkamp ET. (2013) *Evidence for inter-specific recombination among the mitochondrial genomes of Fusarium* species in the Gibberella fujikuroi complex*. BMC Genomics* 14:605. 10.1186/1471-2164-14-605
Wingfield BD, Steenkamp ET, Santana QC, Coetzee MPA, Bam S, Barnes I, Beukes CW, Chane W-Y, de Vos L, Fourie G, Friend M, Gordon TR, Herron DA, Holt C, Korf I, Kvas M, Martin SH, Mlonyeni XO, Naidoo K, Phasha MM, Postma A, Reva O, Roos H, Simpson M, Slinski S, Slippers B, Sutherland R, van der Merwe NA, van der Nest MA, Venter SNV, Wilken PM, Yandell M, Zipfel R, Wingfield MJ. (2012) First fungal genome sequence from Africa: a preliminary analysis. South African Journal of Science 108:104-122. 10.4102/sajs.v108i1/2.537
Fourie G, Steenkamp ET, Ploetz RC, Gordon TR, Viljoen A. (2011) *Current status of the taxonomic position of Fusarium oxysporum* formae specialis cubense within the Fusarium oxysporum complex*. Infection, Genetics and Evolution* 11:533-542. 10.1016/j.meegid.2011.01.012
Visser M, Gordon TR, Fourie G, Viljoen A. (2010) *Characterisation of South African isolates of Fusarium oxysporum* f.sp. cubense from Cavendish bananas*. South African Journal of Science* 106:1-6.
Fourie G, Steenkamp ET, Gordon TR, Viljoen A. (2009) *Evolutionary Relationships among the Fusarium oxysporum* f. sp. cubense Vegetative Compatibility Groups*. Applied and Environmental Microbiology* 75(14):4770-4781. 10.1128/AEM.00370-09
Molina A, Fabregar E, Sinohin VG, Ganjun Y, Fourie G, Viljoen A. (2008) *Recent occurrence of Fusarium oxysporum* f sp. cubense tropical race 4 in Asia*. Acta Horticulturae* 828:273-282.
Slippers B, Fourie G, Crous PW, Coutinho TA, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ. (2004) Multiple gene sequences delimit Botryosphaeria australis sp. nov. from B. lutea. Mycologia 96(5):1030-1041.
Slippers B, Fourie G, Crous PW, Coutinho TA, Wingfield BD, Carnegie AJ, Wingfield MJ. (2004) *Speciation and distribution of Botryosphaeria* spp. on native and introduced Eucalyptus trees in Australia and South Africa*. Studies in Mycology* 50:343-358.

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