A FABI team completed a fieldwork trip from 4-7 May in the Venda region of the Limpopo Province and Mapungubwe National Park. FABIans joining the trip included Martin Coetzee, Emma Steenkamp, Fanus Venter, Juanita Avontuur, Jandré Verster and Cobus Visagie.

The trip focused mainly on sekelbos (Dichrostachys cinerea) and the rhizobial communities associated with its roots. Sekelbos is an indigenous legume that is common in warm, dry savanna regions, but it can become dominant in some landscapes and is often associated with bush encroachment. Studying its associated rhizobial communities can provide insights into the microbial partnerships that support this plant in different environments.

During the trip, the team collected sekelbos root nodules and associated soil samples, which will be used to study rhizobial diversity linked to this widespread savanna plant. Additional soil, plant, and bird-dropping samples were also collected to support ongoing projects, including MUFASA and CryptoADAPT, which focus on fungal biodiversity, ecology, and related microbial communities.

The fieldwork forms part of FABI’s broader efforts to document microbial diversity across South African landscapes and to build reference collections that support future research in biodiversity, ecology, agriculture and biotechnology.

The team would like to thank Mr Rollet Ramavhale, who arranged for us to collect samples at sites in Limpopo and Venda, as well as the staff at the Mapungubwe National Park, for their assistance and guidance during the trip.