Prof Bernard Slippers

I am one of the research leaders in the Tree Protection Co-operative Programme and the DST NRF Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology. I am also associated with the IRT Genomics.

I am also a Professor in the Department of Genetics.

My research interests are in ecological and evolutionary genetics of fungal pathogens and insect pests of trees, and their biological control agents (including the development of biological control programs). A special further interest is in the various levels of interactions between fungi and insects. I also enjoy doing fungal taxonomy and have focused on the Botryosphaeriaceae. These interests are frequently applied within a context of emerging invasive tree pathogens and pests after human movement, or native pests or pathogens expanding their host ranges to attack introduced trees of forestry and agricultural importance.

My publications can be accessed via my ResearchGate, Thomsen Researcher, Scopus Author ID or Google Scholar profiles.  

A recent highlight was the publication of the book "The Sirex Woodwasp and its Fungal Symbiont: Research and Management of a Worldwide Invasive Pest" (Springer). For pdfs of chapters please e-mail me. 

Students and projects

Postdoc

Dr Martin Kemler - Diversity and specificity of endophytes, with a special focus on the Botryosphaeriaceae

Dr Sze Huei Yek - Specificity of Sirex defense responses during Deladenus infection

Dr Magriet van der Nest - Amylostereum areolatum compatibility genetics and genomics

PhD

Rodrigo Ahumada (ex-MSc) - Pathogens affecting the health of P. radiata

Marc Bouwer (ex-MSc) - Chemical communication in key forest pest systems in South Africa

Elsie de Meyer - Diversity of Botryosphaeriaceae on Baobab in Africa and Madagascar

Dawit Degefu - Biology and biological control of Coryphodema tristis

Gudrun Dittrich - Diversity and control of Leptocybe invasa

Fahimeh Jami - Phylogeography of Botryosphaeriaceae on Acacia

James Mehl (ex-MSc) - Ecology of Botryosphaeriaceae endophytes and pathogens on native trees in South Africa

Eston Mutitu - The biology and biological control of Thaumastocoris peregrinus in Africa

Angelica Marsberg (ex-MSc) - Genomics of Botryosphaeriaceae-Eucalyptus infection

Osmond Mlonyeni (ex MSc) - Genetics and genomics of Deladenus siricidicola virulence

Alisa Postma - Genomics of chemical communication in Sirex noctilio

Kwabena Baffoe - Biological control of Leptocybe invasa

Jan Nagel (ex-MSc) - Genomics of speciation in the Neofusicoccum parvum-ribis complex

MSc

Erik Birkholz - Microbial associated of Sirex noctilio

Herman de Bruin - Entomopathogens affecting tree pests in South Africa

Zander Human - Bacterial associates of forest insects

Linda Ndove - Botryosphaeriaceae associated with Southern Hemisphere gymnosperms

Caryn Oates - Molecular genetics of Eucalyptus-Leptocybe interaction

Amy Wooding - Aspects of the ecological genetics of the Sirex, Amylostereum and their interaction

Caitlin Botha - Genetics of mating in Amylostereum areolatum 

Past students

Dr Marieka Gryzenhout - Postdoc

Dr Chongxing Zhang - Postdoc

Dr Emilie Boissin - Postdoc

Wubetu Bihon - PhD, postdoc

Draginja Pavlic - MSc & PhD

Sari Mohali - PhD

Ryan Nadel - PhD

Brett Hurley - PhD

Alvaro Duran - PhD

Guillermo Perez - PhD

Magriet van der Nest - PhD

Kerry-Anne Pillay - MSc

Rene Jacobs - MSc

Carlos Rodas - MSc

Happy Maleme - MSc

Francois van der Walt - MSc

Other Interests