TPCP Team
Group Leaders
UP Research Leaders Total:17

Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology
DST / NRF SARChI Chair in Fungal Genomics
External Research Associates Total:12
Research Fellows Total:7
Postdoctoral Fellows Total:10
Doctoral Students Total:36
Masters Students Total:32
Honours Students Total:12
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
Pham NQ, Liu FF, Duong TA, Wingfield BD, Chen SF, Wingfield MJ. (2025) Genetic diversity of Calonectria reteaudii isolates from infected Eucalyptus leaves and associated soils indicates a phyllosphere origin of the pathogen. Forest Pathology 55:e70037.
10.1111/efp.70037
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
Lynn KMT, Wingfield MJ, Tarigan M, Durán A, Santos SA, Nel WJ, Barnes I. (2025) Investigating bark, ambrosia and nitidulid beetle (Coleoptera: Scolytinae and Nitidulidae) communities and their potential role in the movement of Ceratocystis manginecans in commercial forestry plantations in Riau, Indonesia. Agricultural and Forest Entomology
10.1111/afe.12698
SolÃs M, Hammerbacher A, Wingfield MJ, Naidoo S. (2025) Transcriptional responses of Eucalyptus to infection by an aggressive leaf blight pathogen reveal the role of host secondary metabolites during pathogen germination. Plant Molecular Biology 115
10.1007/s11103-025-01625-2
Harris MA, Kemler M, Slippers B, Hassel N, Tsamba J, Arthan W, Kellogg EA, AuBuchon-Elder T, Vorontsova MS, Archibald S, Hempson GP, Lehmann CER, Besnard G, Bergerow D, Brachmann A, Solofondranohatra CL, Greve M. (2025) Productivity drives leaf mycobiome diversity patterns at global and continetal scales. Global Ecology and Biogeography 34:e70094.
10.1111/geb.70094
Gao M, Yan Z, Liu Z, Jiang Y, Liu T, Miao X, Dai M, Bose T, Chang R. (2025) A novel Arthrobotrys species: Taxonomic characterization, nematicidal activity, and multi-omics insights into nematode predation. Biological Control 208:105853.
10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105853
Esterhuizen HJ, Slippers B, Bosman AS, Roux J, Jones W, Bose T, Hammerbacher A. (2025) Early detection of Phytophthora root rot in Eucalyptus using hyperspectral reflectance and machine learning. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 237:110761.
10.1016/j.compag.2025.110761
Pham NQ, Wingfield BD, Marincowitz S, Brawner JT, Hulcr J, Wingfield MJ. (2025) Cryphonectria canker on Eucalyptus in Florida reconsidered. Forest Pathology 55:e70031.
10.1111/efp.70031
Crous PW, Catcheside DEA, Catcheside PS, Alfenas AC, Alfenas RF, Barreto RW, Lebel T, Balashov S, Broadbridge J, Jurjević Å, De la Peña-Lastra S, Hoffmann R, Mateos A, Riebesehl J, Shivas RG, Soliz Santander FF, Tan YP, Altés A, Bandini D, Carriconde F, Cazabonne J, Czachura P, Gryta H, Eyssartier G, Larsson E, Pereira OL, Rigueiro-RodrÃguez A, Wingfield MJ, Ahmad W, Bibi S, Denman S, Esteve-Raventós F, Hussain S, Illescas T, Luangsa-ard JJ, Möller L, Mombert A, Noisripoom W, Olariaga I, Pancorbo F, Paz A, PiÄ…tek M, Polman-Short C, Suárez E, Afshan NS, Ali H, Arzanlou M, Ayer F, Barratt J, Bellanger J, Bidaud A, Bishop-Hurley SL, Bohm M, Bose T, Campo E, Chau NB, Çolak ÃF, Cordeiro TRL, Cruz MO, Custódio FA, Couceiro A, Darmostuk V, Dearnaley JDW, De Azevedo Santiago ALCM, De Freitas LWS, Yáñez-Morales MDJ, Domnauer C, Dentinger B, Dhileepan K, De Souza JT, Dovana F, Eberhardt U, Eisvand P, Erhard A, Fachada V, GarcÃa-MartÃn A, Groenewald M, Hammerbacher A, Harms K, Haroon S, Haqnawaz M, Henriques S, Hernández AJ, Jacobus LM, Jaen-Contreras D, Jangsantear P, Kaygusuz O, Knoppersen R, Kumar TKA, Lynch MJ, Mahiques R, Maraia GL, Marbach PAS, Mehrabi-Koushki M, Miller PR, Mongkolsamrit S, Moreau P, Oberlies NH, Oliveira JA, Orlovich D, Pérez-Méndez AS, Pinto A, Raja HA, RamÃrez GH, Raphael B, Rodrigues A, Rodrigues H, Ramos DO, Safi A, Sarwar S, Saar I, Sánchez RM, Santana JS, Scrace J, Sales LS, Silva LNP, Stryjak-Bogacka M, Tacconi A, Thanh VN, Thomas A, Thuy NT, Toome M, Valdez-Carrazco JM, Van Vuuren NI, Vasey J, Vauras J, Vila-Viçosa C, Villarreal M, Visagie CM, Vizzini A, Whiteside EJ, Groenewald JZ. (2025) Fungal Planet description sheets: 1781–1866. Persoonia 54:327–587.
10.3114/persoonia.2025.54.10
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 

Theron CA, Wingfield MJ, Ahumada R, Carnegie AJ, Fraser S, Rodas C, Barnes I. (2025) Diversity and distribution of Lophodermium species on non-native Pinus species in the southern hemisphere. Mycological Progress 24(44)
10.1007/s11557-025-02056-5
Msweli D, Geerts S, Nndanduleni M, Paap T. (2025) Evaluation of phosphite to protect a South African Proteaceae from Phytophthora root rot. Journal of Plant Pathology
10.1007/s42161-025-01945-8 

Nel WJ, Duong TA, Fell S, Herron DA, Paap T, Wingfield MJ, de Beer ZW, Hulcr J, Johnson AJ. (2025) A checklist of South African bark and ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae, Platypodinae). Zootaxa 5648(1):1-101.
10.11646/zootaxa.5648.1.1
Dewing C, Yilmaz N, Steenkamp ET, Wingfield BD, Visagie CM. (2025) Capturing the fungal diversity hidden in Eastern Cape dairy pastures. Mycological Progress 24:38.
10.1007/s11557-025-02059-2 

Wingfield MJ, Pham NQ, Marincowitz S, Wingfield BD. (2025) Cryphonectriaceae: Biodiverse and threatening tree pathogens in the tropics and southern hemisphere. Annual Review of Phytopathology 63
10.1146/annurev-phyto-121823-030316
Magagula P, Swart V, Fourie A, Vermeulen A, Nelson JH, van Rooyen Z, van den Berg N. (2025) Avocado rhizosphere community profiling: white root rot and its impact on microbial composition. Frontiers in Microbiology 16
10.3389/fmicb.2025.1583797
Marincowitz S, Pham NQ, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ. (2025) Microfungi associated with dying quiver trees (Aloidendron dichotomum) in South Africa. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 16:71–80.
10.3114/fuse.2025.16.5 

Pham NQ, Marincowitz S, Crous PW, Wingfield MJ. (2025) Diversity of soil-borne Gliocladiopsis from Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 16:81–92.
10.3114/fuse.2025.16.6 

Tanney JB, Kemler M, Vivas M, Wingfield MJ, Slippers B. (2025) Silent invaders: The hidden threat of asymptomatic phytobiomes to forest biosecurity. New Phytologist
10.1111/nph.70209
Bose T, Wingfield MJ, Brachmann A, Witfeld F, Begerow D, Kemler M, Dovey S, Roux J, Slippers B, Vivas M, Hammerbacher A. (2025) Removal of organic biomass in Eucalyptus plantations has a greater impact on fungal than on bacterial networks. Forest Ecology and Management 586:122734.
10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122734
Woodward S, Amin H, Mártin-Gárcia J, Solla A, Diaz-Vazquez R, Romeralo C, Alves A, Pinto G, Herron D, Fraser S, Zas R, Doğmuş-Lehtijärvi HT, Bonello P, Wingfield MJ, Witzell J, Diez JJ. (2025) Host-pathogen interactions in the Pine-Fusarium circinatum pathosystem and the potential for resistance deployment in the field. Forest Pathology 55(2):e70020.
10.1111/efp.70020
Hulcr J, Barnes I, Barnes M, Gazis R, Hammerbacher A, Johnson AJ, Lynch S, Lynn K, Marais GC, Mayers CG, Nel W, Villari C, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ. (2025) From forest to fungus: A roadmap to bark beetle mycobiome research. Phytoparasitica 53(45)
10.1007/s12600-025-01246-x
Knoppersen RS, Bose T, Coutinho TA, Hammerbacher A. (2025) Inside the Belly of the Beast: Exploring the Gut Bacterial Diversity of Gonipterus sp. n. 2. Microbial Ecology 88:27.
10.1007/s00248-025-02524-1
Bose T, Roux J, Titshall L, Dovey SB, Hammerbacher A. (2025) Mulching of post-harvest residues and delayed planting improves fungal biodiversity in South African Eucalyptus plantations and enhances plantation productivity. Applied Soil Ecology 210:106091.
10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106091
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 

Balocchi F. (2025) Risk Analysis for Alien Taxa (RAAT) for Phytophthora cinnamomi in South Africa.
10.5281/zenodo.14858265
Paap T, Balocchi F, Wingfield MJ. (2025) The root rot pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi: a long-overlooked threat to the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa. Biological Invasions 27(4)
10.1007/s10530-025-03570-z 

Wilson A, van Dijk A, Marx B, du Plessis D, Terblanche G, Bornman S, Wilken PM, Duong TA, De Fine Licht HH, Wingfield BD. (2025) Extracting Protoplasts from Filamentous Fungi Using Extralyse, An Enzyme Used in the Wine Industry. Current Protocols 5(e70122):1-29.
10.1002/cpz1.70122