Mrs Tanja Meyer
Alumni
Fruit Tree Biotechnology Programme
Research Interests
My main interest lies with the Fusarium wilt pathogen of banana, Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense (Foc). Pathogenicity and virulence in fungal pathogens could be related to their ability to produce toxins, enzymes and growth regulators that can interfere with plant cell structure and function. Pathogenicity genes in plant pathogens control the production and functioning of these toxins and enzymes. The aim of my research was to study virulence and pathogenicity factors in Foc. The methods I employed to achieve this included gene identification and characterization by gene disruption and tagging by random and targeted mutagenesis.
Poster Publications
Meyer, T., Donzelli, D.G.G., Churchill, A.C.L. & Viljoen, A. 2007. Understanding the molecular basis of pathogenicity in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense. Presented at the ISHS/ProMusa International Banana Symposium, White River, South Africa, September, 2007.
Meyer, T., Donzelli, D.G.G., Churchill, A.C.L. & Viljoen, A. 2006. Development of an Agrobacterium tumefaciens – mediated transformation system for gene disruption in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense. Presented at the 9th European Fusarium Seminar (EFS9) held in Wageningen, Netherlands, September 2006.
Gevers, T., Groenewald, S. & Viljoen, A. 2005. Comparative Analysis of a MAP kinase-coding gene (fmk) in Fusarium oxysporum. Presented at the 43rd SASPP Conference held in Hartenbos, South Africa, January 2005.
Viljoen, A., Gevers, T., Groenewald, S. & Van den Berg, N. 2005. Comparative analysis of a pathogenicity-encoding and cell wall-degrading gene in Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense. Presented at the APS Meeting held in Austin, Texas, USA, July 2005.
