Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI)

Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI)

 

FABI, the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, at the University of Pretoria, is a post-graduate research institute that was established in 1997, based on a recognition that the future of forestry and agriculture in South Africa will strongly depend on the incorporation of new and emerging technologies into these industries. Major opportunities for these industries have emerged in recent times, from the applications of biotechnology and bioinformatics, amongst many others. FABI scientists undertake goal-directed research, in partnership with major players in the forestry and agricultural sectors in South Africa and in so doing, promote both human capital and industrial development in the country.

Being based at the University of Pretoria provides FABI with the capacity to build future human resources in biotechnology, that are crucial to the future of forestry and agriculture in South Africa. It also enables collaboration and linkage with the majority of statutory bodies undertaking research in the plant and animal sciences. Additional value comes from training grants, participation of students in research programmes, and an enormous human and technological resource associated with this University.

Staff at the University of Pretoria linked to FABI have also had long-term associations with the fruit tree industry as well as with many other programmes linked to agricultural and forestry crops. Since its establishment, FABI has grown rapidly. FABI is made up of about 180 people including, approximately 15 academic staff, 100+ postgraduate (Hons, MSc, PhD) students, postdoctoral fellows, research visitors, and a small core of technical and support staff. Approximately 30 languages are spoken by members of the FABI Team, illustrating a remarkably multinational and multicultural group.

Visit the FABI website at : http://www.fabinet.up.ac.za.

FABI accommodates students from the Departments of Biochemistry, Chemistry , Genetics, Microbiology and Plant Pathology , Plant Production and Soil Science , Plant Science, and Zoology and Entomology.

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Recent Submissions

  • Singh, Ashmika; Misser, Shristi; Allam, Mushal; Chan, Wai Yin; Ismail, Arshad; Munhenga, Givemore; Oliver, Shüné V. (MDPI, 2024-10-21)
    Anopheles arabiensis is a highly adaptable member of the An. gambiae complex. Its flexible resting behaviour and diverse feeding habits make conventional vector control methods less effective in controlling this species. ...
  • Chen, Chia-Yu; Chan, Wai Yin; Ismail, Arshad; Oliver, Shune V. (MDPI, 2024-04-13)
    The mosquito microbiota is a critical determinant of mosquito life history. It is therefore a target for novel vector control strategies like paratransgenesis. However, the microbiota in Anopheles funestus, a major African ...
  • Price, Jenna-Lee; Visagie, Cobus M.; Meyer, Hannalien; Yilmaz, Neriman (MDPI, 2024-02-08)
    Maize production in South Africa is concentrated in its central provinces. The Eastern Cape contributes less than 1% of total production, but is steadily increasing its production and has been identified as a priority ...
  • Costa, M.M.; Sandoval-Denis, M.; Moreira, G.M.; Kandemir, H.; Kermode, A.; Buddie, A.G.; Ryan, M.J.; Becker, Y.; Yurkov, A.; Maier, W.; Groenewald, J.Z.; Pfenning, L.H.; Crous, Pedro W. (Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, 2024-09-26)
    The Fusarium lateritium species complex (FLSC) currently comprises 11 phylogenetic species, including accepted names such as F. lateritium, F. sarcochroum, and F. stilboides, which have mostly been reported in association ...
  • Bhunjun, C.S.; Chen, Y.J.; Phukhamsakda, C.; Boekhout, T.; Groenewald, J.Z.; McKenzie, E.H.C.; Francisco, E.C.; Frisvad, J.C.; Groenewald, M.; Hurdeal, V.G.; Luangsa-ard, J.; Perrone, G.; Visagie, Cobus M.; Bai, F.Y.; Błaszkowski, J.; Braun, U.; De Souza, F.A.; De Queiroz, M.B.; Dutta, A.K.; Gonkhom, D.; Goto, B.T.; Guarnaccia, V.; Hagen, F.; Houbraken, J.; Lachance, M.A.; Li, J.J.; Luo, K.Y.; Magurno, F.; Mongkolsamrit, S.; Robert, V.; Roy, N.; Tibpromma, S.; Wanasinghe, D.N.; Wang, D.Q.; Wei, D.P.; Zhao, C.L.; Aiphuk, W.; Ajayi-Oyetunde, O.; Arantes, T.D.; Araujo, J.C.; Begerow, D.; Bakhshi, M.; Barbosa, R.N.; Behrens, F.H.; Bensch, K.; Bezerra, J.D.P.; Bilanski, P.; Bradley, C.A.; Bubner, B.; Burgess, T.I.; Buyck, B.; Cadez, N.; Cai, L.; Calaca, F.J.S.; Campbell, L.J.; Chaverri, P.; Chen, Y.Y.; Chethana, K.W.T.; Coetzee, B.; Costa, M.M.; Chen, Q.; Custodio, F.A.; Dai, Y.C.; Damm, U.; Santiago, A.L.C.M.A.; De Miccolis Angelini, R.M.; Dijksterhuis, J.; Dissanayake, A.J.; Doilom, M.; Dong, W.; Alvarez-Duarte, E.; Fischer, M.; Gajanayake, A.J.; Gene, J.; Gomdola, D.; Gomes, A.A.M.; Hausner, G.; He, M.Q.; Hou, L.; Iturrieta-Gonzalez, I.; Jami, F.; Jankowiak, R.; Jayawardena, R.S.; Kandemir, H.; Kiss, L.; Kobmoo, N.; Kowalski, T.; Landi, L.; Lin, C.G.; Liu, J.K.; Liu, X.B.; Loizides, M.; Luangharn, T.; Maharachchikumbura, S.S.N.; Makhathini Mkhwanazi, G.J.; Manawasinghe, I.S.; Marin-Felix, Y.; McTaggart, A.R.; Moreau, P.A.; Morozova, Q.V.; Mostert, L.; Osiewacz, H.D.; Pem, D.; Phookamsak, R.; Pollastro, S.; Pordel, A.; Poyntner, C.; Phillips, A.J.L.; Phonemany, M.; Promputtha, I.; Rathnayaka, A.R.; Rodrigues, A.M.; Romanazzi, G.; Rothmann, L.; Salgado-Salazar, C.; Sandoval-Denis, M.; Saupe, S.J.; Scholler, M.; Scott, P.; Shivas, R.G.; Silar, P.; Silva-Filho, A.G.S.; Souza-Motta, C.M.; Spies, C.F.J.; Stchigel, A.M.; Sterflinger, K.; Summerbell, R.C.; Svetasheva, T.Y.; Takamatsu, S.; Theelen, B.; Theodoro, R.C.; Thines, M.; Thongklang, N.; Torres, R.; Turchetti, B.; Van den Brule, T.; Wang, X.W.; Wartchow, F.; Welti, S.; Wijesinghe, S.N.; Wu, F.; Xu, R.; Yang, Z.L.; Yilmaz, Neriman; Yurkov, A.; Zhao, L.; Zhao, R.L.; Zhou, N.; Hyde, K.D. (Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, 2024-06)
    The global diversity of fungi has been estimated between 2 to 11 million species, of which only about 155 000 have been named. Most fungi are invisible to the unaided eye, but they represent a major component of biodiversity ...
  • Visagie, Cobus M.; Yilmaz, Neriman; Kocsube, S.; Frisvad, J.C.; Hubka, V.; Samson, R.A.; Houbraken, J. (Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, 2024-03)
    The order Eurotiales is diverse and includes species that impact our daily lives in many ways. In the past, its taxonomy was difficult due to morphological similarities, which made accurate identification of species ...
  • Lin, L.; Fan, X.L.; Groenewald, J.Z.; Jami, Fahimeh; Wingfield, Michael J.; Voglmayr, H.; Jaklitsch, W.; Castlebury, L.A.; Tian, C.M.; Crous, Pedro W. (Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, 2024-09-18)
    Cytospora species have commonly been reported as important plant pathogenic fungi with wide host ranges and geographic distributions. With the increase in the number of cryptic species being described, a comprehensive ...
  • Read, David Alan; Pietersen, Gerhard; Slippers, Bernard; Steenkamp, Emma Theodora (Springer, 2024-10)
    South Africa has a small but growing olive industry. Until now, no virological research has been carried out on this crop locally. Seventeen samples were collected from various olive cultivars from a single producer in ...
  • Makunde, Privilege Tungamirai; Slippers, Bernard; Hurley, Brett Phillip (Taylor and Francis, 2024)
    Pine aphids represent a significant group of insect pests in coniferous ecosystems worldwide. To assess pine aphid prevalence and potentially new introductions in South Africa, aphid samples from various pine-growing ...
  • Swalarsk-Parry, Benedicta S.; De Vos, Lieschen; Fru, Felix Fon; Santana, Quentin C.; Van der Nest, Magrieta Aletta; Wingfield, Brenda D.; Wingfield, Michael J.; Herron, Darryl A.; Ramaswe, J.B.; Dewing, Claudette; Sayari, Mohammad; Van der Merwe, Nicolaas Albertus (Albie); Van Wyk, Stephanie; Lane, Frances Alice; Wilson, Andi M.; Adegeye, O.O.; Soal, Nicole; Price, Jenna-Lee; Steenkamp, Emma Theodora (Taylor and Francis, 2024-09-27)
    Fusarium circinatum is a globally important fungal pathogen that causes pitch canker on a wide range of Pinus species. In this study, we considered mycelial growth in culture and aggressiveness of a South African ...
  • Pogue, Tania; Malod, Kevin; Weldon, Christopher William (Elsevier, 2025-02)
    Plant-derived phenylpropanoids are semiochemicals that are often highly attractive to Bactrocera (Diptera: Tephritidae) males. One of these semiochemicals, methyl eugenol (ME), is used in the male annihilation technique ...
  • Aguirre-Gil, O.J. (Oniel); Paredes-Espinosa, Richard; Egoávil-Jump, Giannfranco; Allison, Jeremy D. (Cambridge University Press, 2024-09)
    Management of phytosanitary and biosecurity risks associated with the Cerambycidae focuses on prevention and early detection. Semiochemical-baited traps are an important component of these management efforts. Cerambycid ...
  • Van Heerden, Alishia; Pham, Nam Q.; Wingfeld, Brenda D.; Wingfeld, Michael J.; Wilken, Pieter Markus (BMC, 2024-10)
    Elsinoë species are phytopathogenic fungi that cause serious scab diseases on economically important plants. The disease symptoms arise from the effects of a group of phytotoxins known as elsinochromes, produced via a ...
  • Basson, Renier Johannes; Roets, Francois; Wingfield, Michael J.; Aylward, Janneke (Entomological Society of Southern Africa, 2024)
    Widdringtonia is a genus of native southern African Cupressaceae trees comprising two species that occur in the mountains of the Western Cape province, South Africa. Widdringtonia cedarbergensis has a localised distribution and ...
  • Coutinho, Teresa A.; Van der Waals, Jacqueline Elise (Academy of Science of South Africa, 2024-11)
    Agriculture, an essential pillar of South Africa’s economy, has evolved through a century of scientific advancements. This Perspective highlights the significant research contributions to the improvement of citrus and ...
  • Tembo, Mathias; Mahlangu, Jabulile N.N.; Berger, David Kenneth; Chimutingiza, Hildah; Chikoti, Patrick C.; Prasanna, Boddupalli M.; Suresh, L.M.; Nsibo, David Livingstone (American Phytopathological Society, 2024-09)
    In March 2023, leaf spot symptoms characterized by ovoid, oblong lesions with a pale brown center and small and narrow linear lesions were observed in seed maize production fields in Mkushi District, Zambia. The symptoms ...
  • Bose, Tanay; Mahomed, T.G.; Mbatha, K.C.; Joubert, J.C.; Hammerbacher, Almuth (Wiley, 2024)
    Plant–microbe interactions significantly influence plant growth dynamics and adaptability. This study explores the impact of metabolites on microbial biodiversity in shoot tips and wood of Populus nigra under greenhouse ...
  • Pham, Nam Q.; Wingfield, Brenda D.; Barnes, Irene; Gazis, Romina; Wingfield, Michael J. (Wiley, 2024)
    The genus Elsinoe contains many aggressive pathogens of a wide range of plants, many of which are economically important. These fungal pathogens cause serious scab diseases affecting various plant parts, impacting plant ...
  • Solis, Myriam; Naidoo, Saloshnee; Wingfield, Michael J.; Joubert, J.C.; Hammerbacher, Almuth (Wiley, 2024)
    Leaf epicuticular waxes provide important anatomical and chemical defences against fungi that infect leaves. In this study we analysed the leaf wax composition of Eucalyptus grandis × Eucalyptus urophylla hybrids with ...
  • Caballol, Maria; Serrado, Francesc; Barnes, Irene; Camarero, J. Julio; Valeriano, Cristina; Colangelo, Michele; Oliva, Jonas (Wiley, 2024-10)
    Predicting forest health at a regional level is challenging as forests are simultaneously attacked by multiple pathogens. Usually, the impacts of each pathogen are studied separately, however, interactions between them can ...

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