Mariëtte Jackson (neè Bezuidenhout) was born in Rustenburg, North West province. She matriculated in 1996 from Jim Fouchè High School in Bloemfontein. She obtained her B.Sc (Genetics, Zoology and Human physiology) (2001), B.Sc Hons. (2003), M.Sc (2005) and Ph.D. (Genetics) (2008) from the University of the Free State. She started her career as a post doctoral fellow at the University of Pretoria working on a multi aspect project which involved the molecular cloning of rose cultivars. She was appointed as lecturer at the University of the Free State in 2010 in the field of plant molecular systematics. Since then she has been establishing this field of study in the Department Plant Sciences by teaching second, third year and honors level courses. She is currently focusing on the systematics of different groups and genera within the Asteraceae.

Jackson, M. and Joubert, L. 2015. The phylogenetics and taxonomy of Curio (Asteraceae). Paper delivered at the annual conference of the South African Association of Botanists (SAAB). Tshepise, Venda. 12-15 Jan 2015.

De Gouveia, N.A.M., Joubert, L. and Jackson, M. 2015. Sprawling Curios: Three species or one? Paper delivered at the annual conference of the South African Association of Botanists (SAAB). Tshepise, Venda. 12-15 January 2015.

De Gouveia, N.A.M., Jackson, M. and Joubert, L. 2016. Leaf micromorphology and cystoliths of southern Africa Crabbea (Acanthaceae). Paper delivered at the annual conference of the South African Association of Botanists (SAAB), Bloemfontein, Free State. 10-13 January 2016.

De Gouveia, N.A.M., Jackson, M. and Joubert, L. 2017. Systematics of Crabbea (Acanthaceae). Paper delivered at the annual conference of the South African Association of Botanists (SAAB). Lagoon Beach hotel, Cape Town. 9-12 Jan 2017.

Sadler, R., Verboom, G.A., Manning, J., Parker, T., Jackson, M., van Zyl, J., Bergh, N.G. and Ellis, A.G. 2022. Phylogeny of the southern African marigolds: the daisy tribe Calenduleae. Paper delivered at the 47^th Annual conference of the South African Association of Botanists (SAAB) (virtual). 17-20 January.

Grobler, H., Jackson, M. and Joubert, L. 2022. Nectar spur development in Nemesia Vent. (Scrophulariaceae). Paper delivered at the 47^th Annual conference of the South African Association of Botanists (SAAB) (virtual). 17-20 January.

Sedimo, G., Jackson, M., Bester, S.P. and Joubert, L. 2022. Taxonomic revision and molecular phylogenetic analysis of Nemesia species in the Free State. Paper delivered at the 47^th Annual conference of the South African Association of Botanists (SAAB) (virtual). 17-20 January.

Grobler, H., Jackson, M. and Joubert, L. 2022. Nectar spur development in Nemesia (SCROPHULARIACEAE). Paper delivered at the 57^th Congress of the Microscopy Society of Southern Africa (MSSA2022). Gold Reef City, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. 5 – 8 December 2022.

Masisi T.V., Mclaren, N.W., Jackson, M. and Rothmann, L.A. 2022. Sorghum grain mold: identifying fungal colonisers, quantifying concomitant mycotoxins and exploring conducive weather periods. Poster presented at the 3rd African Society of Mycotoxicology joint Mytox-South Conference Stellenbosch, South Africa, 3-8 September 2022.

Masisi T.V., Rothmann, L.A., Mclaren, N.W., and Jackson, M. 2022. Identification and occurrences of fungi and mycotoxin contamination in sorghum grain fractions. Poster presented at the 52nd Congress of the Southern African Society of Plant Pathology, Pretoria, 1-3 August 2022. https://osf.io/dgyq8/

International conferences

Jackson, M. and Joubert, L. 2014. The Systematics of Garuleum (Asteraceae). Paper delivered at the Association for the Taxonomic Study of the Flora of Tropical Africa (AETFAT). University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. 13-17 Jan 2014.

Research articles

Sadler, R., Parker, T. Verboom, GA, Ellis, A.G., Jackson, M., van Zyl. J., Manning, J. & Bergh, N.G. 2022. A molecular phylogeny of Calenduleae (Asteraceae) supports the transfer of Dimorphotheca polyptera DC. to Osteospermum L. South African Journal of Botany, 151: 234-245.

De Gouveia, NAM., Jackson, M. & Joubert, L. 2023. A taxonomic revision of Crabbea Harv. (Acanthaceae: Barlerieae) in South Africa. South African Journal of Botany, 156: 115-130.

Sadler, R., Parker, T. Verboom, GA, Ellis, A.G., Jackson, M., van Zyl. J., Manning, J. & Bergh, N.G. 2022. A molecular phylogeny of Calenduleae (Asteraceae) supports the transfer of Dimorphotheca polyptera DC. to Osteospermum L. South African Journal of Botany, 151: 234-245.

De Gouveia, NAM., Jackson, M. & Joubert, L. 2023. A taxonomic revision of Crabbea Harv. (Acanthaceae: Barlerieae) in South Africa. South African Journal of Botany, 156: 115-130.

Plant molecular systematics with a focus on the genera of the family Asteraceae. Molecular data are used to construct the evolutionary history of a plant group and combined with the taxonomy of these plants; this can help to understand how plant lineages formed which contribute to the conservation of species in a changing environment. Phylogenetic analysis of genera currently under investigation are: Garuleum (Asteraceae) and Curio (Asteraceae). Other plant genera / families in which molecular phylogenetic work are being conducted are Nemesia (Scrophulariaceae), Nananthus (Aizoaceae), Boerhavia (Nyctaginaceae). 

Plant Molecular Systematics

Next generation sequencing

BLGY1643 (One practical)

BLGY2615 (25%)

BTNY2616 (33%)

BTNY3714 (50%)

BTND6804 (100%)