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Health of Emerging Crops Programme
New Publications
Mavima L, Steenkamp ET, Beukes CW, Palmer M, De Meyer SE, JAMES EK, Venter SN, Coetzee MPA. (2025) Estimated timeline for the evolution of symbiotic nitrogen fixing Paraburkholderia. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 213:108447.
10.1016/j.ympev.2025.108447
Schröder ML, Hurley BP, Wingfield MJ, Slippers B, Garnas JR. (2025) Thermal limitations to the biological control of Gonipterus sp. n. 2 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in South African Eucalyptus plantations. Agricultural and Forest Entomology
10.1111/afe.70002
Nzuza P, Schröder ML, Heim RJ, Daniels L, Slippers B, Hurley BP, Germishuizen I, Sivparsad B, Roux J, Maes WH. (2025) Assessing Gonipterus defoliation levels using multispectral unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) data in Eucalyptus plantations. Ecological Informatics 90:103301.
10.1016/j.ecoinf.2025.103301
Kunene S, Mmushi TJ, Steenkamp E, Motaung T. (2025) Pinus-derived membrane vesicles disrupt pathogenic metabolism in fungi. plant biology
10.1111/plb.70069 

Wychkuys KA, Giron E, Hyman G, Barona E, Castro-Llanos FA, Sheil D, Yu L, Du Z, Hurley BP, Slippers B, Germishuizen I, Bojacá CR, Rubiano M, Sathyapala S, Verchot L, Zhang W. (2025) Biological control protects carbon sequestration capacity of plantation forests. Entomologia Generalis
10.1127/entomologia/2025/3015 

Wondafrash M, Wingfield MJ, Hurley BP, Slippers B, Mutitu EK, Jenya H, Paap T. (2025) DNA sequence data confirms the presence of two closely related cypress-feeding aphid species on African cypress (Widdringtonia spp.) in South Africa. Southern Forests 86:278-285.
10.2989/20702620.2024.2390863 

Martin G, Canavan K, Chikowore G, Bugan R, De Lange W, du Toit B, Harding G, Heath R, Hill M, Hurley BP, Ivey P, Muir D, Musedeli J, Richardson DM, Slippers B, Stafford L, Turner A, Watson K, van Wilgen BW. (2025) Managing wilding pines in the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa: Progress and prospects. South African Journal of Botany 177:377-391.
10.1016/j.sajb.2024.12.011 

Goundar P, Slippers B, Hurley BP, Lawson SA. 2025. Classical biological control of bark and wood borers in Pinus plantations. In: Biological Control of Insect Pests in Plantation Forests. Hurley BP, Lawson SA, Slippers B. (eds). Springer, Cham, Switzerland, pp 321-338.
Hurley BP, Slippers B, Lawson SA. 2025. Biological control in plantation forests: trends and opportunities. In: Biological Control of Insect Pests in Plantation Forests. Hurley BP, Lawson SA, Slippers B. (eds). Springer, Cham, Switzerland, pp 3-18.
Slippers B, Fitza KNE, Garnas JR. 2025. Genetic diversity should be considered in biological control programmes in plantation forestry. In: Biological Control of Insect Pests in Plantation Forests. Hurley BP, Lawson SA, Slippers B. (eds). Springer, Cham, Switzerland, pp 71-94.
Wondafrash M, Slippers B, Hurley BP. 2025. Accidental introductions of natural enemies in plantation forests. In: Biological Control of Insect Pests in Plantation Forests. Hurley BP, Lawson SA, Slippers B. (eds). Springer, Cham, Switzerland, pp 161-190.
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 13:441–494.
10.3114/fuse.2024.13.12 

Francinah M. Ratsoma, Nthabiseng Z. Mokoena, Quentin C. Santana, Brenda D. Wingfield, Emma T. Steenkamp, Thabiso E. Motaung. (2024) Characterization of the Fusarium circinatum biofilm environmental response role. Journal of Basic Microbiology 00(00):1-16.
10.1002/jobm.202300536
Read DA, Thompson GD, Swanevelder DZH, Pietersen G. (2023) Metaviromic Characterization of Betaflexivirus Populations Associated with a Vitis cultivar Collection in South Africa. Viruses 15(7):1474.
10.3390/v15071474
Ratsoma FM, Mokoena NZ, Santana QC, Wingfield BD, Steenkamp ET, Motaung TE. (2023) Characterization of Fusarium circinatum biofilm and its matrix’s environmental response role. RsearchSquare 00(00):00-00.
10.21203/rs.3.rs-3040583/v1
Katumanyane A, Slippers B, Wondafrash M, Malan AP, Hurley BP. (2023) Mechanisms behind differential white grub host susceptibility to entomopathogenic nematodes. Nematology
10.1163/15685411-bja10253
Hough B, Steenkamp ET, Wingfield B, Read DA. (2023) Fungal viruses unveiled: A comprehensive review of Mycoviruses. Viruses 15(5):1202.
10.3390/v15051202 

Kunene S, Steenkamp E, Motaung T. (2023) Isolation of extracellular vesicles from pine (Pinus sp.) leaves and roots. RsearchSquare 00(00):00-00.
10.21203/rs.3.rs-2912064/v1
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 

Katumanyane A, Slippers B, Wondafrash M, Malan AP, Hurley BP. (2023) Susceptibility of white grubs from forestry and sugarcane plantations in South Africa to entomopathogenic nematodes. BioControl
10.1007/s10526-023-10185-7
Luki-Marie Scheepers, Jeremy D. Allison, Bernard Slippers, Egmont R. Rohwer, Patrick M. Mc Millan, Jan E. Bello. (2023) Pine Emperor moths from KwaZulu-Natal use the same pheromone component previously isolated from Nudaurelia cytherea (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) from the Western Cape. African Entomology 31((2023)):1-9.
10.17159/2254-8854/2023/a13231
Morgan SW, Read DA, Burger JT, Pietersen G. (2023) Diversity of viroids infecting grapevines in the South African Vitis germplasm collection. Virus Genes
10.1007/s11262-023-01971-7
Bose T, Dovey S, Brachmann A, Witfeld F, Begerow D, Kemler M, Roux J, Slippers B, Vivas M, Wingfield MJ. (2023) Retention of post-harvest residues enhances soil fungal biodiversity in Eucalyptus plantations. Forest Ecology and Management 532:120806.
10.1016/j.foreco.2023.120806
Fru FF, Wingfield MJ, Roux J, Steenkamp ET. (2023) High diversity and clonality are hallmarks of Fusarium circinatum in South Africa. Plant Pathology 72(1):39-52.
10.1111/ppa.13644
David Read, Bernard Slippers, Emma Steenkamp. (2022) Genomic characterization of a novel potyvirus infecting Barleria repens in South Africa. Archives of Virology
10.1007/s00705-022-05662-w
Francina L. Bopape, Chrizelle W. Beukes, Kopotsa Katlego, Ahmed I. Hassen, Emma T. Steenkamp, Eastonce T. Gwata. (2022) Symbiotic Performance and Characterization of Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp.) Rhizobia Occurring in South African Soils. Agriculture 13(1):30.
https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13010030
David Read, Ronel Roberts, Goddy Prinsloo, Genevieve Thompson. (2022) Genomic and phylogenetic characterization of wheat yellows virus, a novel tenuivirus infecting wheat in South Africa. Archives of Virology
10.1007/s00705-022-05649-7
Wanjofu EI, Venter SN, Beukes CW, Steenkamp ET, Gwata ET, Muema EK. (2022) Nodulation and Growth Promotion of Chickpea by Mesorhizobium Isolates from Diverse Sources. MDPI-Microorganisms 10(12):1-16.
Chizné Peremore, Brenda Wingfield, Quentin Santana, Emma T Steenkamp. (2022) Biofilm characterization in the maize pathogen, Fusarium verticillioides. bioRxiv 00(00):00-00.
10.1101/2022.11.18.517
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