Prof Jolanda Roux

Academic Staff
Tree Protection Co-operative Programme

Research Interests

 My research interests focus strongly on fungi and bacteria resulting in disease and death of woody hosts. Most of my research has been focussed on the diseases of the commercial plantation forestry species in South Africa and other African countries, namely Acacia mearnsii, Eucalyptus spp. and Pinus spp. However, due to the fact that a number of the pathogens occurring on introduced plantation forestry trees in South Africa have recently also been found on native African trees, I have in recent years conducted a number of surveys of native African tree species. With my appointment in the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in tree health biotechnology I have now become much more involved in investigating the health of native tree species in Southern Africa. I am especially involved in the in-field diagnosis of disease and pest problems and the identification of the causal agents using morphological and molecular techniques. Organisms with which I have working experience include Chrysoporthe spp. (syn. Cryphonectria cubensis), Coniothyrium zuluense, Mycosphaerella spp., Botryosphaeria spp., Phytophthora spp. and others.

I am especially interested in Ceratocystis species. Ceratocystis albifundus and its close relative C. fimbriata are just two of the better known species in this genus in which I am interested. These two fungi are more closely related to each other than to other Ceratocystis spp. and are major pathogens of A. mearnsii and Eucalyptus spp. on the African continent. In recent years C. albifundus has also been found on a number of indigenous South African tree species, while a number of other Ceratocystis spp. have been found on native and introduced tree species in Africa. Relatively little is published regarding Ceratocystis spp. and other micro-fungi on the African continent and it is one of my passions to improve this situation and to collaborate more closely with countries on the African continent.

Tree health management is strongly dependant on collaboration between countries and a knowledge of the pests and diseases occurring in a country. Through collaboration with other African countries we are trying to improve our capacity for tree disease management on the African continent. This is being done through regular survey and research visits to other countries, training of post-graduate students from other African countries and through participation in the recently established Forest Invasive Species Network for Africa (FISNA).

Links

Forest Invasive Species Network for Africa (FISNA)
Collaboration with East African Institutions
Collaboration SNR Copperbelt University Zambia
Kruger National Park Research
Kruger National Park Research 2
Report on Baobab (Adansonia digitata) decline