Miss Bianca Hinze

MSc Student

Research Interests

I completed my BSc degree in Microbiology at the University of Pretoria and joined FABI in my Honours year. In my Honours project I studied the occurrence and pathogenicity of Botryosphaeria spp. on Schizolobium parahybum in South Africa which are thought to cause the typical die-back symptoms observed in the Pretoria area. Schizolobium parahybum, better known in South Africa as the 'yellow jacaranda', is a leguminous tropical tree native to Ecuador and parts of the Amazon basin. In South Africa the tree is commonly grown in gardens as an ornamental.

In my MSc. I will be investigating the potential pathogens occurring on the native Marula (Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra), belonging to the family Anacardiaceae together with other commercially important species such as the mango (Mangifera indica), cashew (Anacardium occidentale) and pistachio (Pistacia vera).

The Marula tree is a dominant species in indigenous plant populations and is also economically important, especially in rural communities where it is utilised as a food source and for medicinal purposes. Little is known regarding the diseases of Marula or even the fungi that occur on these trees. Some fungal groups such as the Botryosphaeriaceae are, however, well-known on Mango, which is a non-native relative of Marula. Botryosphaeriaceae are common endophytes and latent pathogens of many woody hosts and they provide a useful model to explore the potential ecology and evolution of pathogens present on related native and introduced tree species in South Africa.

Poster and Oral Presentations

• Hinze B, Pavlic D, Coutinho TA, Wingfield MJ. 2006. Identification of Botryosphaeria spp. occurring on Schizolobium parahybum in South Africa. Proceedings of 44th Congress of the Southern African Society for Plant Pathology, 22-25 January 2006, Magalies Park, Hartbeespoort, South Africa.
• Hinze B, Slippers B, Pavlic D, Wingfield MJ. 2007. Identification and characterization of Botryosphaeriaceae associated with native Marula trees in South Africa. Proceedings of 45th Congress of the Southern African Society for Plant Pathology, 21-24 January 2007, Benoni, South Africa.