Services offered to member companies of the TPCP include the following:

Insect pest and disease diagnostic services

Diagnostic services of the TPCP function through foresters submitting samples to the programme for analyses. Such samples are usually received after discussion between research staff and the foresters concerned, so that appropriate material is submitted. Identification of insect pests and pathogens are conducted using state of the art techniques from plant tissues, soil and water samples. Potential pathogens are often also tested for their ability to cause disease. An extensive reference fungal culture collection including tree pathogens collected in South Africa during the course of the past 20 years is also maintained, such that comparative studies and pathogen variation can be studied in the longer term. Insect pests are also identified where possible, or sent to experts for identification in the case of uncommon or new pests. Advice is provided to foresters based on these investigations and identifications.

Contacts for the diagnostic clinic.

When sending samples to the diagnostic clinic, please follow the instructions for sample preparation carefully and complete the submission form providing as much detail as possible about the problem.

Online submission of the FABI Diagnostic Clinic: Sample Information Sheet

A research programme focused on pests and diseases of priority to members

Research on pests and diseases of pine, eucalypts and wattle is conducted by postgraduate students together with permanent staff of the TPCP in modern laboratories specifically designed and equipped for tree protection research. Modern equipment for basic plant pathology and entomology research, as well as state-of-the-art DNA-based technologies, are used in an effort to produce world class results. Research includes the identification of new pests and pathogens, as well as studies on the biology these organisms to inform and guide management strategies to avoid losses. For example, through determining periods of spore release in Sphaeropsis sapinea, it has been possible to provide advice on suitable times for pruning of pines.

Other priorities are to develop and implement techniques for rapidly screening tree species and clones for resistance to disease. Screening techniques include inoculation under greenhouse and field conditions, but also various physiological and molecular techniques. Research into a variety of disease control strategies including cultural, chemical and biological control also forms a significant part of this programme.

All scientific data generated are published in peer-reviewed academic journals. These publications are all listed on the FABI website, and pdf's can be requested from any of the authors involved.

Monitoring of pests and diseases to gain a perspective of their relative importance

An important component of the TPCP is to monitor pest and disease development in plantations, in permanent sampling plots and through country-wide surveys. Data derived from these studies ensure the early discovery of new pests and diseases and also lead to a long term perspective on the importance of various pests and diseases.

Education of field foresters and students

Regular training courses for field foresters are provided and these ensure that knowledge and technology derived from research in the TPCP is transferred to the plantation level. In addition, forestry students are provided with lectures in the field of tree protection. Postgraduate students undertaking research in this field also ensure long term capacity building in this field.

 

 

New Publications

Motaung TE, Ratsoma RM, Kunene S, Santana QC, Steenkamp ET, Wingfield BD. (2025) Harnessing exogenous membrane vesicles for studying Fusarium circinatum and its biofilm communities. Microbial Pathogenesis 10.1016/j.micpath.2025.107368
van Dijk A, Wilson AM, Marx B, Hough B, Swalarsk-Parry BS, De Vos L, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD, Steenkamp ET. (2025) CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing reveals that the Pgs gene of Fusarium circinatum is involved in pathogenicity, growth and sporulation.. Fungal Genetics and Biology 10.1016/j.fgb.2025.103970
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
Ratsoma MF, Santana QC, Wingfield BD, Steenkamp ET, Motaung TE. (2025) Understanding cargo sorting and interactive effects of membrane vesicles in fungal phytopathogens: Current knowledge and research gaps. Fungal Biology Reviews 51 10.1016/j.fbr.2025.100411
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
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
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