FABI is proud of the 19 graduates (eight PhD and 11 MSc) being capped at the University of Pretoria’s Spring Graduation Ceremony on 4 September. Congratulations to these FABIans on their remarkable achievements! PhD Dr Harm Barten Thesis: Factors influencing the efficacy of biological control of Gonipterus sp. n. 2 by Anaphes nitens Supervisor: Prof. BP Hurley Co-supervisors: Prof. B Slippers , Dr ML Schröder Dr Firehiwot Eshetu Thesis: Diversity in Sirex noctilio , Amylostereum areolatum and Deladenus siricidicola populations in Australasia and its implications for biological control Supervisor: Prof. B Slippers Co-supervisor: Prof. I Barnes External co-supervisor: Dr H Nahrung (University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia) Dr Sasha-Lee Gush Thesis: Disentangling shifts in the soil microbiome of potatoes infected with Rhizoctonia solani AG 3-PT in two contrasting regions of South Africa Supervisor: Prof. JE van der Waals Co-supervisors: Prof. TA Coutinho , Prof. DA Cowan , Dr PH Bixirao Neto Marinho Lebre Dr GuoQing Li Thesis: Diversity and biology of Botryosphaeriaceae species associated with Eucalyptus in southern China Supervisor: Dr SF Chen Co-supervisors: Prof. B Slippers, Prof. MJ Wingfield Dr WenWen Li Thesis: Distribution, biology and diversity of Calonectria species on Eucalyptus in southern China Supervisor: Prof. AT Duong Co-supervisors: Prof. MJ Wingfield, Dr SF Chen, Dr F Liu Dr Teresia Macharia Thesis: Identification and functional characterization of Meloidogyne javanica pathogenicity factors Supervisor: Prof. LN Moleleki Dr Demissew Teshome Thesis: The response of Eucalyptus grandis to drought stress, rewatering and combined stress involving Chrysoporthe austroafricana infection Supervisor: Prof. S Naidoo External co-supervisors: Prof. GE Zharare (University of Zululand), Dr RAP Ployet (Oak Ridge National Laboratory, United States of America) Dr Tanya Welgemoed Thesis: Comparative genomics of diverse African isolates of Cercospora zeina Supervisor: Prof. DK Berger Co-supervisors: Prof. I Barnes , Prof. AT Duong External co-supervisor: Prof. E Holtgrewe-Stukenbrock (Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Germany) MSc (* with distinction) Jade Ashmore * Dissertation: Development of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing tools for the insect pest Gonipterus sp.n. 2 Supervisor: Dr G Dittrich-Schröder Co-supervisors: Prof. AT Duong, Prof. B Slippers Callin Ceriani * Dissertation: Population genetic and genomic analysis of Fusarium circinatum in Colombia Supervisor: Prof. BD Wingfield Co-supervisors: Prof. ET Steenkamp , Prof. MJ Wingfield Deanné du Plessis * Dissertation: Genomic insights into the pathogenicity and host adaptation in species of the Leptographium wageneri complex Supervisor: Prof. AT Duong Co-supervisors: Prof. MJ Wingfield, Prof. BD Wingfield Marizanne Jones Dissertation: Diversity and virulence of the fungus Beauveria (Cordycipitaceae) species associated with Gonipterus sp. n. 2 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in South Africa Supervisor: Dr ML Schröder Co-supervisors: Prof. BP Hurley, Prof. B Slippers Harris Keetse Dissertation: Economic impact and re-establishment of biological control for Gonipterus sp. 2 in Eucalyptus plantations in South Africa Supervisor: Prof. BP Hurley Co-supervisor: Dr ML Schröder External co-supervisors: Dr l Germishuizen (University of KwaZulu-Natal), Dr BJ Sivparsad (University of KwaZulu-Natal) Alice Mthembu Dissertation: Survey of soil fungal and oomycete diversity from maize field soil in the Eastern Cape, South Africa Supervisor: Prof. CM Visagie Co-supervisor: Dr N Yilmaz Ruth Nante * Dissertation: Comparative genomics of the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes of fungal tree pathogens causing Dothistroma needle blight Supervisor: Prof. I Barnes Co-supervisors: Prof. MPA Coetzee , Ms A Postma Tania Pogue * Dissertation: Environmental and physiological correlates of response by three fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) species to commercial lures Supervisor: Prof. CW Weldon External co-supervisor: Dr KNP Malod (Stellenbosch University) Dylan Pullock Dissertation: Development of novel surveillance tools for rapid detection of citrus psyllids Supervisor: Prof. CW Weldon Co-supervisor: Prof. K Krüger External co-supervisor: Prof. A Manrakhan (Citrus Research International) Chanel Thomas * Dissertation: Reconsidering the taxonomy of Sclerotinia with special reference to S. sclerotiorum Supervisor: Dr PM Wilken Co-supervisors: Prof. MPA Coetzee, Prof. CM Visagie Eloff Theron Dissertation: Phosphonate sensitivity of Phytophthora in South African Citrus orchards and nurseries Supervisor: Prof. JE van der Waals Co-supervisor: Prof. TA Coutinho External co-supervisor: Dr J van Niekerk (Citrus Research International)