Publications

Nov 2025

Novel Microsatellite Markers Reveal Evidence of Sexual Reproduction in Dematophora necatrix Populations From South African Avocado Orchards

Plant Pathology

ABSTRACT Dematophora necatrix is a destructive soil‐borne fungal pathogen that causes white root rot (WRR), affecting ornamental...

Nov 2025

Low genotypic diversity and first reports of clinical Sporothrix from retrospective samples in South Africa

Fuchs T, Vismer HF, Visagie CM, Wingfield BD et al.

Medical Mycology

Abstract Sporotrichosis is a fungal infection caused by Sporothrix species. Some of the largest outbreaks of this disease have...

Nov 2025

A latent invader: transcriptomics reveals Cercospora zeina’s stealth infection strategy of maize and immune-activating effectors

Nadasen T, Buitendag C, Visser R, Welgemoed T et al.

Frontiers in Plant Science

Cercospora zeina is a fungal pathogen that causes gray leaf spot (GLS) disease on maize ( Zea mays L.). Upon landing on a leaf,...

Sep 2025

Importance of measuring and reporting environmental conditions across plant science subdisciplines

Vincent, C, Leisner CP, Locke AM, Pelech E et al.

Plant Physiology

Abstract Understanding plant responses to the environment is based on research performed across several scales and...

Jul 2025

Diversity of Environmental Escherichia coli in Subtropical Freshwater Systems of South Africa

Seale T, Brözel VS, Potgieter SC, Rupp O et al.

Current Microbiology

Abstract Escherichia coli is widely used as an indicator of faecal contamination, as it is assumed that faeces from warm-blooded...

Jan 2026

Argyrolobium legumes from an African centre of endemism associate with novel Bradyrhizobium species harbouring unique sets of symbiosis genes

Maake MM, Beukes CW, van der Nest MA, Avontuur JR et al.

Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution

Given that several, mainly endemic South African Genisteae genera occupy basal positions in legume phylogenetic trees, this...

Oct 2025

Chromosome-level genome assemblies for the latent pine pathogen, Diplodia sapinea, reveal two accessory chromosomes with distinct genomic features and evolutionary dynamics

Shaw PL, Slippers B, Wingfield BD, Laurent B et al.

G3 Genes|Genomes|Genetics

Abstract Diplodia sapinea (Dothideomycetes) is a latent fungal pathogen with a global distribution that predominantly infects...

Oct 2025

The complex evolution and genomic dynamics of mating-type loci in Cryptococcus and Kwoniella

Coelho MA, David-Palma M, Marincowitz S, Aylward J et al.

PLoS Biology

Sexual reproduction in basidiomycete fungi is governed by MAT loci (P/R and HD), which exhibit remarkable evolutionary...

Sep 2025

From chaos to tranquillity: a modern approach to the identification, nomenclature and phylogeny of Aspergillus, Penicillium and other Eurotiales, including an updated accepted species list

Visagie CM, Houbraken J, Overy DP, Sklenář F et al.

Studies in Mycology

Eurotiales is a diverse and speciose order and includes economically important genera like Aspergillus , Penicillium ,...