Postdoctoral Fellow
Fusarium species play diverse and important roles in many aspects of life, including plant, human and animal health. This makes accurate species identification incredibly important. Macro- and micromorphological features, which remain essential for accurate identification—especially in regions with limited access to molecular tools—are still lacking for many important Fusarium species. High-quality photoplates enable rapid, preliminary identification in diagnostic and field settings. Additionally, many described Fusarium species still lack genomic and secondary metabolite data, despite the critical role of fungal metabolites in agriculture and food safety. My project will integrate morphology, genome sequencing and biosynthesis gene cluster characterisation to explore species diversity and metabolomic potential. This will not only maintain taxonomic continuity but also enhance identification resources and provide valuable educational materials for mycologists and plant pathologists.
Nickles GR, Stokes CK, Narh DL, Lynn KMT, Fuqua SR, Bryan C, Allen BM, Bivins CP, Bok JW, Brewer JS, Buthelezi ST, Clark JPRM, Coon KL, Corby LR, Coetzee MPA, Dewing C, Duong TA, Harris MA, Keller NP, Kopotsa K, Lane FA, Nichols HL, Nieuwoudt A, Nuñez MA, Medina Munoz ME, Park SC, Pham NQ, Ryan KT, Solís M, Vilgalys R, Wallace JM, Wang YW, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ, Worley TK, Zallek TA, Zamanian M, Hoeksma JD, Drott M, Pringle A. (2026) Equipped for success: Genomes and metabolites of the European Amanita muscaria are conserved in its novel South African range. New Phytologist 10.1111/nph.71064
Dewing, C, Yilmaz, N, Steenkamp, E.T., Wingfield, B.D., Visagie, C.M. (2025) Capturing the fungal diversity hidden in Eastern Cape dairy pastures. Mycological Progress 10.1007/s11557-025-02059-2
Dewing, C, Visagie, C.M., Steenkamp, E.T., Wingfield, B.D., Yilmaz, N. (2025) Three new species of Fusarium (Nectriaceae, Hypocreales) isolated from Eastern Cape dairy pastures in South Africa. MycoKeys 10.3897/mycokeys.115.148914
Dankie VN, Steenkamp ET, De Vos L, Swalarsk-Parry BS, Dewing C, Fru F, Wilken PM, Mchunu NP, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ, van der Nest MA. (2025) Growth, pathogenicity and sexual fertility of the African tree pathogen Ceratocystis albifundus. Journal of Plant Pathology 10.1007/s42161-024-01634-y
Swalarsk-Parry BS, De Vos L, Fru FF, Santana QC, van der Nest MA, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ, Herron DA, Ramaswe JB, Dewing C, Sayari M, van der Merwe NA, van Wyk S, Lane FA, Wilson AM, Adegeye OO, Soal NC, Price J-L, Steenkamp ET. (2024) Wide variation in aggressiveness and growth in South African Fusarium circinatum isolates with geographical origin as the primary determinant. Southern Forests: a Journal of Forest Science 10.2989/20702620.2024.2363749
Visagie CM, Yilmaz N, Allison JD, Barreto RW, Boekhout T, Boers J, Delgado MA, Dewing C, Fitza KNE, Furtado ECA, Gaya E, Hill R, Hobden A, Hu DM, Hülsewig T, Khonsanit A, Luangsa-Ard JJ, Mthembu A, Pereira CM, Price J-L, Pringle A, Qikani N, Sandoval-Denis M, Shumacher RK, Seifert KA, Slippers B, Tennakoon DS, Thanakitpipattana D, vanVuuren N, Groenewald JZ, Crous PW. (2024) New and Interesting Fungi. 7.. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 10.3114/fuse.2024.13.12
Dewing C, van der Nest MA, Santana QC, Proctor RH, Wingfield BD, Steenkamp ET, De Vos L. (2022) Characterization of host-specific genes from Pine- and grass-associated species of the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex. Pathogens 10.3390/pathogens11080858