FABI News

FABI Events

FABI in a nutshell

Research Features

The Forest Molecular Genetics (FMG) Programme focuses on the genetic control of growth and development in fast- growing plantation trees with a view to enhance biomass production and improve wood properties for timber, pulp, paper, and biomaterials production. Concomitant with this, we aim to understand molecular pest and disease resistance mechanisms in trees for yield protection and resilience. The programme is affiliated with the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), as well as the Genomics Research Institute (GRI) at UP. The FMG Leadership is also affiliated with the new Future Africa Institute at UP. We work in close collaboration with South African forestry companies through the FMG Consortium (FMGC) to develop capacity and resources for the application of tree biotechnology in operational tree improvement programmes.

 

FMG Magazine_August 2020

 

New Publications

Balocchi F, Wingfield MJ, Paap T. (2025) First record of the white root rot fungus Dematophora necatrix on indigenous South African trees. Journal of Plant Pathology 10.1007/s42161-025-01861-x PDF
Coelho MA, David-Palma M, Aylward J, Pham NQ, Visagie CM, Fuchs T, Yilmaz N, Roets F, Sun S, Taylor JT, Wingfield BD, Fisher MC, Wingfield MJ, Heitman J. (2025) Decoding Cryptococcus: From African biodiversity to worldwide prevalence. PLOS Pathogens 21:e1012876. 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012876
Solís M, Hammerbacher A, Wingfield M.J, Naidoo S. (2025) Enhancing plantation forest sustainability: A review of Eucalyptus defence mechanisms to foliar fungal pathogens. Current Forestry Reports 10.1007/s40725-024-00243-3
Harvey A, van den Berg N, Swart V. (2025) In silico characterisation of the avocado WAK/WAKL gene family with a focus on genes involved in defence against Phytophthora cinnamomi. Frontiers in Plant Science 15:1474781. 10.3389/fpls.2024.1474781 PDF
Botes J, Ma X, Chang J, Van de Peer Y, Berger DK. (2025) Flavonoids and anthocyanins in seagrasses: implications for climate change adaptation and resilience. Frontiers in Plant Science 15(1520474):1-17. 10.3389/fpls.2024.1520474
Wondafrash M, Wingfield MJ, Hurley BP, Slippers B, Mutitu EK, Jenya H, Paap T. (2025) DNA sequence data confirms the presence of two closely related cypress-feeding aphid species on African cypress (Widdringtonia spp.) in South Africa. Southern Forests 86:278-285. 10.2989/20702620.2024.2390863 PDF
Mangani R, Mazarura J, Matlou S, Marquart A, Archer E, Creux N. (2025) The impact of past and current district-level climatic shifts on maize production and the implications for South African farmers. Theoretical and Applied Climatology 156:109. 10.1007/s00704-024-05334-6
Möller H, Slippers B, van den Berg N. (2025) Branch canker battles: understanding and managing the Botryosphaeriaceae in avocado. Phytoparasitica 53(17) 10.1007/s12600-024-01227-6
Pham NQ, Wingfield BD, Barnes I, Gazis R, Wingfield MJ. (2025) Elsinoe species: The rise of scab diseases. Plant Pathology 10.1111/ppa.14015
Theron E, van Niekerk JM, van der Waals JE. (2025) A review of the use of phosphonates in the management of Phytophthora nicotianae in citrus in South Africa. Phytoparasitica 53(11) 10.1007/s12600-024-01234-7 PDF
Aylward J, Atkins S, Roets F, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ. (2025) Several Seiridium species (Sporocadaceae: Xylariales) cause cypress canker in South Africa. Fungal Biology 129:101528. 10.1016/j.funbio.2024.101528
Martin G, Canavan K, Chikowore G, Bugan R, De Lange W, du Toit B, Harding G, Heath R, Hill M, Hurley BP, Ivey P, Muir D, Musedeli J, Richardson DM, Slippers B, Stafford L, Turner A, Watson K, van Wilgen BW. (2025) Managing wilding pines in the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa: Progress and prospects. South African Journal of Botany 177:377-391. 10.1016/j.sajb.2024.12.011 PDF
Wingfield MJ, Slippers B, Barnes I, Duong AT, Wingfield BD. (2025) The Pine pathogen Diplodia sapinea: Expanding frontiers. Current Forestry Reports 11(2) 10.1007/s40725-024-00236-2
Ashmore JS, Slippers B, Duong TA, Dittrich-Schröder G. (2024) Understanding the genetics of sex determination in insects and its relevance to genetic pest management. Insect Molecular Biology 10.1111/imb.12982
Oostlander AG, Elfstrand M, Oliva J, Stenlid J, Well L, Grober C, Klawonn F, Brandt U, Becker Y, Slippers B, von Bargen M, Brodde L, Fleißner A. (2024) Development of a molecular genetics and cell biology toolbox for the filamentous fungus Diplodia sapinea. PLoS ONE 19:e0308794. 10.1371/journal.pone.0308794
Balocchi F, Sanfuentes E. (2024) Fungal pathogens on Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) and French broom (Genista monspessulana) from Chile. Forest Pathology 54 10.1111/efp.70004
Knoppersen R, Hammerbacher A, Bose T. (2024) Fungal Planet description sheets: 1697–1780 (Description of Sporisorium enterogonipteri). Fungal Systematics and Evolution 14:325–577. 10.3114/fuse.2024.14.19
Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ. (2024) Gene transfer between fungal species triggers repeated coffee wilt disease outbreaks. PLOS Biology 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002901
Teshome DT, Zharare GE, Ployet R, Naidoo S. (2024) Molecular mechanisms underlying tree host-pathogen interactions under drought stress and subsequent rewatering in Eucalyptus grandis. Plant Stress 10.1016/j.stress.2024.100697
Cho SE, Seo ST, Nam Y, Wingfield MJ, Lee DY. (2024) Chalaropsis pruni sp. nov. (Ceratocystidaceae), a new species from Prunus serrulata var. pubescens in South Korea. Phytotaxa 671(2):191-197. 10.11646/phytotaxa.671.2.8
Harvey A, van den Berg N, Swart V. (2024) Describing and characterizing the WAK/WAKL gene family across plant species: a systematic review. Frontiers in Plant Science 15:1467148. 10.3389/fpls.2024.1467148 PDF
Balocchi F, Wingfield MJ, Paap T. (2024) First Report of Fusarium Wilt and Pink Rot of Phoenix canariensis in South Africa. Forest Pathology 10.1111/efp.70001 PDF
Makunde PT, Slippers B, Hurley BP. (2024) Exploring the diversity of leafrollers (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) associated with eucalypts in South African forestry nurseries and plantations, with a new report of Strepsicrates sp.. Southern Forests 86(4):1-8. 10.2989/20702620.2024.2394219
Fuchs T, Visagie CM, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ. (2024) Sporothrix and Sporotrichosis: A South African perspective on a growing global health threat. Mycoses 67(10):e13806. 10.1111/myc.13806
van Heerden A, Pham NQ, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ, Wilken PM. (2024) Six type-I PKS classes and highly conserved melanin and elsinochrome gene clusters found in diverse Elsinoë species. BMC Genomics 25:990. 10.1186/s12864-024-10920-z
Makunde PT, Slippers B, Hurley BP. (2024) First report of the giant conifer aphid, Cinara pinivora (Wilson) and the Monterey pine aphid, Essigella californica (Essig) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in South Africa. Southern Forests 86:1-5. 10.2989/20702620.2024.2394218
Tembo M, Mahlangu JNN, Berger DK, Chimutingiza H, Chikoti PC, Prasanna BM, Suresh LM, Nsibo DL. (2024) First report of Bipolaris yamadae and Exserohilum rostrum associated with leaf spots of maize (Zea maydis) in Zambia. Plant Disease 108(9):2931. 10.1094/PDIS-05-24-1116-PDN
Vilanova L, Caballol M, Zhang K, Olson Å, Barnes I, Wingfield MJ, Oliva J. (2024) New simple sequence repeat markers reveal undetected diversity in Spanish and Californian Diplodia sapinea populations. Fungal Genetics and Biology 175:103937. 10.1016/j.fgb.2024.103937
Hough B, Wingfield B, Read DA. (2024) Identification and characterization of mycoviruses in transcriptomes from the fungal family Ceratocystidaceae. Virus Genes 10.1007/s11262-024-02112-4 PDF
Bose T, Mahomed TG, Mbatha KC, Joubert JC, Hammerbacher A. (2024) Tissue ontogeny and chemical composition influence bacterial biodiversity in the wood and shoot tip of Populus nigra. Plant Biology :1-11. 10.1111/plb.13724