A South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) chair has been awarded in the department of Plant Sciences. The chair will be headed by prof. Maryke Labuschagne and will focus on crop quality breeding and disease resistance in field crops. The disease resistance research will be headed by prof. Zakkie Pretorius. The quality breeding will focus on crop protein quantity and quality, and iron, zinc and beta carotene biofortification of staple crops such as wheat, maize and cassava. The disease resistance breeding will be a continuation of the internationally acclaimed wheat rust research that prof. Pretorius has been doing in his career.

Prof M Labuschagne

Prof Z Pretorius