ONGOING PROJECTS



NATIONAL MONITORING


National Monitoring and diagnostic services, compilation of official host list & distribution
Team: FABI diagnostic clinic team (FABI, UP), Dr T. Paap, Prof. W. de Beer
Funding: FABI, DEFF

Monitoring in commercial plantations (pines, eucalypts, wattles)
Team: Prof. B. Hurley & Tree Protection Cooperative Programme (TPCP) team (FABI, UP)
Funding: TPCP, FABI

Monitoring in commercial avocado orchards
Team: Prof. Noelani van den Berg & Avocado Research Programme (ARP) team, FABI diagnostic clinic team
Funding: (FABI, UP), Hans Merensky Foundation

Monitoring in commercial macadamia orchards
Team: Dr Gerda Fourie & Macadamia Protection Programme (MPP) (FABI, UP), team, FABI diagnostic clinic team
Funding: Macadamia South Africa NPC (SAMAC)

Monitoring in commercial pecan orchards
Team: Prof. W. de Beer (FABI), H. du Toit, I. Schubach (SAPPA) & FABI diagnostic clinic team
Funding: South African Pecan Producers Association (SAPPA)

Monitoring in botanical gardens countrywide
Team: Drs Mesfin Gossa, T Paap, Prof. M. Wingfield, FABI diagnostic clinic team
Funding: SANBI, FABI, supported by IPSN framework

Development of PSHB surveillance app
Team: Prof. B. Slippers, Mr Roedolph Nieuwenhuis,
Funding: Cropwatch Africa, FABI


REGIONAL MONITORING


Monitoring Tshwane outbreak of PSHB
Team: Shawn Fell, FABI diagnostic clinic team, Prof. W de Beer, Drs T. Paap, M. Gossa
Funding: FABI

Monitoring Tshwane parks & Pretoria National Botanical Garden
Team: Shawn Fell, FABI diagnostic clinic team, Prof. W de Beer, Drs T. Paap, M. Gossa
Funding: FABI

Monitoring in native forests in the greater Durban area
Team: Profs W. de Beer (FABI), F. Roets (US), M. Hill (RU), Garyn Delport
Funding: FABI, DEFF

Monitoring Durban Botanical Gardens & Zimbali Coastal Estate in KZN
Team: Drs Indrani Hazel Govender, Mesfin Gossa, T Paap & DUT students and interns
Funding: FABI, Durban University of Technology, Zimbali Environmental Management Agency

Monitoring the Upper Highway area of eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal
Team: Andrew Botterill, Dr Kerry Slater (UNISA), Drs Mesfin Gossa, T Paap
Funding: FABI, DEFF, supported by UNISA

Monitoring in native forests in Garden Route & Tsitsikamma
Team: Profs W. de Beer (FABI), F. Roets (US), M. Hill (RU), Garyn Delport
Funding: FABI, DEFF

Monitoring in Southwestern Cape, tree growers, grapevine and & deciduous fruit trees
Team: Prof. F. Roets (US), City of Cape Town
Funding: Vergelegen Estate, City of Cape Town, growers

Monitoring in Kruger National Park
Team: Mr Roedolf Nieuwenhuis (Cropwatch Africa), Profs B. Hurley, W. de Beer, B. Slippers & FABI diagnostic clinic team
Funding: Cropwatch Africa, FABI


NATIONAL STRATEGY


Development of a National Strategy for PSHB
Team: Dr Stuart Christie (4SightFutures)
Funding: DEFF, DALRRD


BIOLOGICAL CONTROL


Project: Exploring potential biocontrol agents for PHSB control
Dr Wilma Nel (FABI, UP, Postdoctoral fellow)
Supervisors: Profs B. Hurley, B. Slippers, W. de Beer, M. Hill
Funding: DEFF, FABI

Project: Impact of PSHB on Native forests in South Africa & exploration in SA forests for biocontrol options & understanding the native landscape for biocontrol release
Garyn Townsend (FABI, Rhodes, PhD student)
Supervisors: Profs B. Hurley, W. de Beer, M. Hill, F. Roets
Funding: DEFF, CTHB, FABI, CBC

Project: Laboratory rearing of PSHB for biocontrol experiments
Shawn Fell (FABI, UP, Technical)
Supervisors: Profs B. Hurley, B. Slippers, W. de Beer,
Funding: DEFF, FABI


GENERAL BIOLOGY OF PSHB IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT


Project: Population genetics, mating type genes & whole genome sequencing of Fusarium euwallaceae in South Africa
Claire Randolph (FABI, UP, MSc student)
Supervisors: Prof. W. de Beer, Prof. I. Barnes, Dr Trudy Paap
Funding: FABI, DEFF

Project: Population study & whole genome sequencing of PHSB in South Africa
Dr Anandi Bierman (US, Postdoctoral fellow)
Supervisors: Profs J. Terblanche, F. Roets, W. de Beer (advisor)
Funding: DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology

Project: Whole genome and transcriptome sequencing of PHSB and its Fusarium fungal symbiont in South Africa
Dr Anandi Bierman (US, Postdoctoral fellow)
Supervisors: Profs J. Terblanche, F. Roets, Dr. Heiko Vogel (Max Planck)
Funding: diverse sources including DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology NRMP and Max Planck

Project: Thermal performance of the Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer
Madeleine Pienaar (US, MSc student)
Supervisors: Dr. A. Bierman, Profs J. Terblanche and F. Roets
Funding: DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology

Project: Assessing Fusarium euwallaceae virulence to hosts: the effect of host phylogeny
Group of Honours students (US, Honours students)
Supervisor: Prof F. Roets
Funding: Stellenbosch University

Project: Understanding the interaction between E. fornicatus & E. xanthopus and their fungal symbionts in South Africa
Dr W. Nel (FABI, Postdoctoral fellow)
Supervisors/collaborators: Prof. W. de Beer, F. Roets, B. Hurley, Drs Trudy Paap, Anandi Bierman
Funding: FABI, DEFF, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology


AGRICULTURAL CROP TREES


Project: Impact of PSHB on Pecan trees in South Africa
Shawn Fell (MSc student, FABI)
Supervisors: Wilhelm de Beer, Brett Hurley
Funding: SAPPA

Project: Testing the impact of F. euwallaceae on deciduous fruit trees & grapevines and developing rapid screening technique
Team: Profs F. Roets and P. Addison (US)
Funding: US, Hortgrow, Winetech


URBAN FORESTS


Project: PSHB in Urbanised Cape Town and surrounds: monitoring, chemical control, and the effect of plant stress
Heather Nependa (US, PhD student)
Supervisors: Profs F. Roets, W. de Beer
Funding: Vergelegen Estate

Project: PSHB at Lourensford estate: chemical control and management strategies
Elise Roberts (US, MSc student)
Supervisor: Prof F. Roets
Funding: Lourensford Estate

Project: PSHB risk assessment and strategy planning for urban areas (Johannesburg & Soweto)
Project team: Profs B. Slippers, W. de Beer, B. Hurley, Dr T. Paap (FABI, UP), Prof. M. Byrne, Dr S. Newete (Wits), Dr S. Christie
Funding: Johannesburg Cityparks, FABI

Project: Remote sensing tools for PSHB risk assessment in urban areas (Johannesburg & Soweto)
Marko Mudede (Wits, PhD student)
Supervisors: Profs M. Byrne, Dr S. Newete
Funding: Wits, Johannesburg Cityparks

Project: Survey of PSHB outbreak on Fagaceae hosts in Durban Botanical Gardens
Students: Three Durban University of Technology students
Supervisors: Dr Mesfin Gossa, Dr T Paap, Indrani Hazel Govender
Funding: FABI, Durban University of Technology

Project: PSHB Assessment at Zimbali Coastal Estate in KZN
Students: Durban University of Technology students & interns
Supervisors: Dr Indrani Hazel Govender
Funding: FABI, Durban University of Technology

Project: An assessment to establish the level of infestation of the alien invasive Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer (Euwallacea fornicatus) beetle in the Upper Highway area of eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal.
Student: Andrew Botterill
Supervisors: Dr Kerry Slater (UNISA), Drs T Paap, Mesfin Gossa, W. de Beer (FABI)
Funding: FABI, Durban University of Technology

 


COMPLETED PROJECTS



ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF IMPACT OF PSHB


Project: Invasion of the Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer Beetle in South Africa: A preliminary assessment of the economic impacts
Project leader: Prof. D. Richardson
Collaborators: MP De Wit, DJ Crookes, JN Blignaut, ZW de Beer, T Paap, F Roets, C Van der Merwe, DM Richardson.
Funding: CIB, CBC, CTHB, FABI, DEFF


NATURAL FORESTS


Project: Impact of PSHB on Southern & Eastern Cape Native forests
Garyn Townsend (FABI, UP, MSc student)
Supervisors: Profs W. de Beer, M. Hill, F. Roets
Funding: CBC, CTHB, FABI, DEFF

Project: Review of PSHB in South Africa and Impact of PSHB on Southern & Eastern Cape Native forests
Elmar Van Rooyen (US, MSc student)
Supervisors: Prof. F. Roets, W. de Beer, M. Hill
Funding: CTHB, US, FABI, DEFF


AGRICULTURAL CROP TREES


Project: Impact of PHSB on Avocado trees in South Africa
Michael du Toit (FABI, UP, MSc student)
Supervisors: Profs N. van den Berg, W. de Beer, Dr G. Fourie
Funding: Hans Merensky

Project: Survey of PSHB in commercial tree nurseries in Gauteng
Claire Randolph (FABI, UP, Honours student)
Supervisors: Prof. W. de Beer, Dr Trudy Paap
Funding: FABI

Project: Impact of PHSB on macadamia trees in South Africa
Dee Twiddy (FABI, UP, Honours student)
Supervisors: Dr G. Fourie, Profs. N. van den Berg, W. de Beer
Funding: SAMAC


OTHER RELATED PROJECTS


Project: Euwallacea spp. and their fungal mutualists infesting commercial Acacia crassicarpa in Indonesia.
Kira Lynn (FABI, UP, MSc student)
Supervisors: Profs Irene Barnes, M. Wingfield, W. de Beer
Funding: RGE-FABI Tree Health Programme (RGE-FABI THP).