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Photo: A formidable strengthening of the Department of Plant Pathology: from the left are Prof Altus Viljoen, Dr Lizel Mostert and Prof Wally Marasas. (Photo: Anton Jordaan (SSFD))
Expertise in Plant Pathology at SU expanded considerably

The Department of Plant Pathology has expanded its research capacity considerably with the recent appointment of three scientists who enjoy international regard for the contributions they have made in their respective fields of research.
Prof Altus Viljoen has been appointed chairperson of this department in the Faculty of AgriSciences. Prof Viljoen has established himself as an internationally-acknowledged scientist in the field of disease and pest control in banana plants. He enjoys extensive national and international cooperation, serves as convenor of the working group on plant protection of the International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain (INIBAP), and is involved in the training of a number of students from Africa.
On the basis of financial support from the Deciduous Fruit Producers' Trust (DFPT), Dr Lizel Mostert has been appointed by the department as a researcher on phytomycology. The aim of her appointment is in particular to support the deciduous fruit industry in the Western Cape with regard to the updating of records, diagnostics and the characterisation of important plant pathogens. It is envisaged that her research will focus on quarantine organisms that threaten agricultural crops in South Africa, and on fungi that can undermine the export of our agricultural products. 
Prof Wally Marasas has been appointed professor extraordinary in the Department of Plant Pathology. He is viewed internationally as a world leader in the fields of Fusarium taxonomy and mycotoxicology. His appointment offers the Faculty of AgriSciences an opportunity to establish and strengthen research programmes in these fields of specialisation in the department. Prof Marasas has published extensively in the course of his career, and is regarded as one of the one hundred most quoted scientists in both the agricultural and plant and animal sciences.
University strengthens ties with cut-flower and fruit industries

"The export of cut flowers and fruit is extremely competitive because quality is not negotiable. That is why these industries depend greatly on their knowledge partnerships with SU,” says Prof Karen Theron of the Faculty of AgriSciences.
"We believe that it is essential to undertake the provision of cutting-edge knowledge and suitable technology for these highly competitive export markets in close cooperation with the industries,” she explains.
Prof Theron's Department of Horticultural Science is well represented on both the Southern African Society for Horticultural Sciences (SASHS) and the Cape Pomological Association (CPA).
"Three members of our teaching staff, namely Profs Lynne Hoffman and Graham Barry and Dr Elke Crouch, currently serve on the board of the SASHS. At the recent conference in Mpumalanga, Dr Crouch received the award for the best presentation by a person under the age of 35.”
"Since the establishment of the CPA in 1964, Stellenbosch's Department of Horticultural Science has maintained close ties with the association and also played a role in its foundation. I was a board member for many years and currently one of our lecturers, Dr Wiehahn Steyn, is its chairperson.”
The CPA cash prize and certificate for the student with the highest achievement on average in undergraduate Horticultural Science modules was awarded to George Erasmus at the end of last year. Mr Erasmus, who comes from a deciduous fruit farm in the Villiersdorp area, plans to work in Europe in 2007, after which he will enter the fruit industry.

Photo: Mr Koos Lötter (retired lecturer and founder member of the CPA) presents a certificate to George Erasmus (top undergraduate Horticultural Science student for 2006). On the extreme left is Prof Karen Theron (current chairperson of the Stellenbosch Department of Horticultural Science) and on the extreme right is Dr Wiehahn Steyn, current chairperson of the CPA.

Ticks' days counted

The first Western Cape short course on ticks, which was recently offered by the Faculty of AgriSciences in conjunction with Prof Ivan Horak, a tick expert from the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, was highly successful.
Prof Horak has been doing research on African ticks for more than 20 years and is acknowledged internationally as an authority in the field of tick identification and taxonomy.
According to Dr Sonja Matthee of the Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, who organised the course, it was highly practical and the 23 attendees (veterinarians from pharmaceutical companies, the private sector and the Department of Agriculture, as well as researchers, farmers and veterinary technologists) benefited greatly from the course. The course is registered by the SA Veterinary Association for DPO points.
According to Dr Matthee, who specialises in parasite biodiversity and parasites as drivers of ecosystems, the correct identification of tick species and an understanding of their biology will contribute to the control of ticks in farming systems and geographic areas.
Twenty of the most common tick species that occur in the southern part of South Africa were examined and their biology and control were discussed. Particular attention was paid to the diseases transferred by these organisms.
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