FABI congratulates the seven PhD and six MSc graduates from the Institute who were conferred their degrees at the University of Pretoria’s Spring Graduation ceremony on 3 September. Well-done on an excellent achievement!

 

PhD

Dr Shae Cooper

Thesis: The defence potential of Eucalyptus grandis

Supervisor: Prof. S Naidoo

Co-Supervisor: Prof. AT Duong

Dr Ntaoleng Maduke

Thesis: Diversity and pathogenicity of Botryosphaeriaceae occurring on Macadamia in South Africa

Supervisor: Prof. G Fourie

Co-supervisors: Prof. B Slippers, Prof. MJ Wingfield

External co-supervisor: Dr EJ van der Linde (Agricultural Research Council)

Dr Dineo Mailula

Thesis: Catabolism of amino acids and production of volatiles by Ceratocystis albifundus and other species in the Ceratocystidaceae

Supervisor: Prof. A Hammerbacher

Co-supervisors: Prof. BD Wingfield, Dr MA van der Nest

Dr Lazarus Mavima

Thesis: Evolution and biology of South African Paraburkholderia species

Supervisor: Prof. SN Venter

Co-supervisors: Prof. MPA Coetzee, Prof. ET Steenkamp

Dr Trystan Nadasen

Thesis: Transcriptomics and structural phylogenetics reveals cell-death inducing

effectors in the latent necrotrophic pathogen Cercospora zeina of maize

Supervisor: Prof. DK Berger

External co-supervisor: Prof. I Hein (University of Dundee, United Kingdom)

Dr Alisa Postma

Thesis: Genome and transcriptome insights into the evolution and ecology of Sirex

noctilio and its fungal and nematode symbionts

Supervisor: Prof. B Slippers

Co-supervisor: Prof. F Joubert

Dr Luki-Marié Scheepers

Thesis: Chemical ecology for the management of three plantation pests in South Africa

Supervisor: Prof. JD Allison

Co-Supervisor: Prof. ER Rohwer, Prof. B Slippers

 

MSc

Allen Arineitwe

Dissertation: Phytophthora parasitica var. nicotianae effector (PpRxLR4) targets host proteins across multiple subcellular compartments to regulate immunity

Supervisor: Prof. LN Moleleki

Johan Griesel

Dissertation: Sporulation and protoplast production in Chrysoporthe austroafricana

Supervisor: Prof. NA van der Merwe

Co-Supervisor: Prof. MPA Coetzee

Monique Horn

Dissertation: Sequencing and analysis of the gene space of tropical pine trees in a trio of Pinus patula, Pinus tecunumanii and their F1 hybrid

Supervisor: Prof. S Naidoo

Co-Supervisor: Dr RE Pierneef

External co-Supervisors: Prof. AA Myburg (Stellenbosch University), Dr N Christie (Stellenbosch University)

Zimazile Jazi

Dissertation: Dispersal behaviour of Anaphes nitens (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae)

Supervisor: Dr ML Schröder

Co-supervisors: Prof. BP Hurley, Dr PT Makunde

Kelebogile Sathekge

Dissertation: Development and evaluation of a haplotype reference panel pipeline for Eucalyptus grandis

Supervisor: Prof. S Naidoo

Co-supervisor: Dr RE Pierneef

External co-supervisors: Prof. AA Myburg (Stellenbosch University), Dr N Christie (Stellenbosch University)

Michal Slupski

Dissertation: Evolution of circadian rhythm genes in the Diaporthales with specific

reference to Chrysoporthe austroafricana

Supervisor: Prof. NA van der Merwe

Co-supervisor: Prof. S Naidoo