Willem HP Boshoff was born on 10 January 1971 in Mossel Bay.  He matriculated in 1989 from Point High School in Mossel Bay.  After completion of his BSc Agric. and BSc Agric. Honours degrees in Plant Pathology at UFS in 1995, Willem was appointed by the ARC-Small Grain Institute, Bethlehem, to work on stem rust surveillance and pre-breeding for rust resistance in wheat.  He obtained his M.Sc. Agric. degree in 1997 and his PhD in 2001, all at UFS.  His master’s study dealt with Fusarium head blight and for his PhD the main focus was on stripe rust occurrence, epidemiology and control strategies.  This pioneering study was inevitable after the pathogen had been observed for the first time in 1996, causing extensive and severe epidemics, on wheat in South Africa.  After completion of his studies SGI appointed Willem as their spring wheat breeder for the irrigated production regions.  In 2003 he joined Pannar Seed (Pty) Ltd. as their winter wheat breeder where he acted as breeding lead from 2006 to 2016, releasing several successful varieties. Willem was appointed as Senior Lecturer by the UFS in January 2017 in the field of rust pathology.  Willem will continue and expand research on rust diseases of field crops, teach undergraduate modules in Plant Pathology, and advise post-graduate students on research projects.

Recent Publications 

1. R. Prins, B.J. Steffenson, A.J. Case, W.H.P. Boshoff, G.M. Agenbag, Z.A. Pretorius 2020. Assessments and perspectives on stem rust resistance in South African malting barley. Australasian Plant Pathology (2020) 49:679–690. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13313-020-00744-2 

2. A. Maré, W.H.P. Boshoff, L Herselman 2020. Molecular breeding of wheat lines for multiple rust and Fusarium head blight resistance. Euphytica. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-020-02697-5

3. G.J. Maree, H.D. Castelyn, C.M. Bender, W.H.P. Boshoff and Z.A. Pretorius. 2020. Comparing infection and colonisation of Puccinia graminis in barley and wheat. Australasian Journal of Plant Pathology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13313-020-00715-7

4. W.H.P. Boshoff, Z.A. Pretorius, T. Terefe, B. and Visser. 2020. Occurrence and pathogenicity of Puccinia coronata avenae f. sp. avenae on oat in South Africa. Crop Protection. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2020.105144.

5. W.H.P. Boshoff, B. Visser, C.M. Lewis, T.M. Adams, D.G.O. Saunders, T. Terefe, T. Soko, N. Chiuraise and Z.A. Pretorius. 2020. First Report of Puccinia striiformis on wheat in Zimbabwe. Plant Disease 104 (1), 290. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-07-19-1395-PDN

6. W.H.P. Boshoff, B. Visser, T. Terefe, Z.A. Pretorius 2019. Diversity in Puccinia graminis f. sp. avenae and its impact on oat cultivar response in South Africa. European Journal of Plant Pathology 155, 1165-1177. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-019-01845-5

7. H. Li, W.H.P. Boshoff, Z.A. Pretorius, Q. Zheng, B. Li & Z. Li 2019. Establishment of wheat-Thinopyrum ponticum translocation lines with resistance to Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici Ug99. Journal of Genetics and Genomics 46, 406-407. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jgg.2019.07.005

8. N. Yekelo, L. Rothmann, C.M. Bender, Z.A. Pretorius & W.H.P. Boshoff 2019. Response of an international triticale collection to Puccinia triticina and Puccinia recondita and assessment of temperature sensitivity in leaf rust isolates. Cereal Research Communications 47 (3), 496–505. https://doi.org/10.1556/0806.47.2019.23

9. Z.A. Pretorius, G.J. Booysen, W.H.P. Boshoff, J.H. Joubert, G.J. Maree & J. Els 2019. Additive Manufacturing of Devices used for Collection and Application of Cereal Rust Urediniospores. Frontiers in Plant Science. https:doi10.3389/fpls.2019.00639

10. W.H.P. Boshoff, C.M. Bender & Z.A. Pretorius 2019. The value of field ratings of differential lines for pathotyping Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici. European Journal of Plant Pathology. https://doi10.1007/s10658-019-01754-7

11. E. Wessels, R. Prins, W.H.P. Boshoff, J.D. Zurn, M. Acevedo & Z.A. Pretorius 2019. Mapping a Resistance Gene to Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici in the Bread Wheat Cultivar Matlabas. Plant Disease. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-10-18-1731-RE

12. G.J. Maree, R. Prins, L.A. Boyd, H.D. Castelyn, C.M. Bender, W.H.P. Boshoff & Z.A. Pretorius 2019. Assessing the individual and combined effects of QTL for adult plant stripe rust resistance derived from Cappelle-Desprez. Agronomy. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy9030154

13. T. Terefe, Z.A. Pretorius, B. Visser, & W.H.P. Boshoff. 2019. First Report of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici Race PTKSK, a Variant of Wheat Stem Rust Race Ug99 in South Africa. Plant Disease. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-11-18-1911-PDN

14. G.J. Maree, R. Prins, C.M. Bender, W.H.P. Boshoff, T.G. Negussie & Z. A. Pretorius. 2019. Phenotyping Kariega x Avocet S doubled haploid lines containing individual and combined adult plant stripe rust resistance loci. Plant Pathology 68 (4), 659-668. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.12985

15. W.H.P. Boshoff, R. Prins, C. de Klerk, S.G. Krattinger, C.M. Bender, G.J. Maree, L. Rothmann & Z.A. Pretorius. 2019. Point inoculation method for measuring adult plant response of wheat to stripe rust infection. Plant Disease. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-08-18-1312-RE

16. W.H.P. Boshoff, C.M. Bender & Z.A. Pretorius. 2019. Reaction of South African rye, triticale and barley forage cultivars to stem and leaf rust. SA Journal of Plant and Soil 36(2), 77-82. https://doi:10.1080/02571862.2018.1522381

17. W.H.P. Boshoff, Z. A. Pretorius, T. Terefe, C.M. Bender, L. Herselman, G.J. Maree & B. Visser 2018. Phenotypic and genotypic description of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici race 2SA55 in South Africa. European Journal of Plant Pathology 152(3), 783-789. https://doi:10.1007/s10658-018-1527-3

18. W.H.P. Boshoff, R. Labuschagne, T. Terefe, Z. A. Pretorius & B. Visser 2018. New Puccinia triticina races on wheat in South Africa. Australasian Plant Pathology 47, 325-334. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13313-018-0560-1

19. V.L. Tolmay, S.L. Sydenham, W.H.P. Boshoff, W. du Toit, B.S. Wentzel & C.W. Miles 2016. Registration of five South African Spring Wheat Germplasm Lines Resistant to Russian Wheat Aphid; Stem-, Leaf- and Stripe Rust. Journal of Plant Registrations 10(1), 80-86. https://doi.org/10.3198/jpr2015.03.0013crg

Recent Conference Contributions 

1. E. Wessels, R. Prins, W.H.P. Boshoff and Z.A. Pretorius 2017. Mapping the stem rust resistance gene that failed to “Ug99” in wheat cv. Matlabas. 50^th Congress of the SASPP. 21-22 January 2017, Champaign Resort, Drakensburg.

2. R Prins, C Smit, Z.A. Pretorius, W.H.P. Boshoff, J. Doležel, H. Šimková, M. Horn and S.G. Krattinger. 2017. Characterisation of the QYr.sgi-4A.1 region conferring stripe rust resistance in Kariega. 13th IWGS. April 24-28 2017. Tulln, Austria.

3. T.G. Terefe, R. Labuschagne, W.H.P. Boshoff, B. Visser and Z.A. Pretorius. 2018. Diversity in Puccinia triticina on wheat and triticale in South Africa. Presented at the Combined Crops, Soils, Horticulture and Weeds Congress, 14-18 January 2018, Cape Town, South Africa.

4. J Zhang, T Hewitt, P Zhang, ZA. Pretorius, N Upadhyaya, W Schnippenkoetter, I Dundas, RA. McIntosh, R Mago, S Periyannan, RF Park, WHP Boshoff, X Kong, S Hoxha, B Steuernagel, BH Wulff & ES Lagudah 2018. Isolation of durable wheat stem rust resistance gene Sr26. BGRI, Marrakech, Morocco.

5. Z.A. Pretorius, G.J. Booysen, W.H.P. Boshoff, & J.H. Joubert 2018. Innovative manufacturing of a cereal rust inoculation device. BGRI, Marrakech, Morocco. Best poster award.

6. M. Chemonges, L. Herselman, B. Visser, W.H.P. Boshoff, & Z.A. Pretorius 2018. Genetics of stem rust resistance in South African winter wheat varieties. BGRI, Marrakech, Morocco.

7. J. Zhang, T. Hewitt, P. Zhang, Z.A. Pretorius, N. Upadhyaya, W. Schnippenkoetter, I. Dundas, R.A. McIntosh, T. Richardson, R.F. Park, R. Mago, S. Periyannan, W.H.P. Boshoff, B. Steuernagel, B.B.H. Wulff, & E. Lagudah 2018. Isolation of an immune receptor gene from tall wheat grass confers resistance to diverse races of stem rust in common wheat. 15th ICRPMC. 23 – 27 September 2018. Kruger National Park, South Africa.

8. R. Labuschagne, T. Terefe, W.H.P. Boshoff, Z.A. Pretorius, E. Venter & B. Visser 2018. Development of the Puccinia triticina population in South Africa. 15th ICRPMC. 23 – 27 September 2018. Kruger National Park, South Africa.

9. A. Maré, W.H.P. Boshoff & L Herselman 2018. Doubled haploid wheat lines with combined rusts and Fusarium head blight resistance. 15th ICRPMC. 23 – 27 September 2018. Kruger National Park, South Africa.

10. H. Li, Z.A. Pretorius, W.H.P. Boshoff, Q. Zheng, B. Li & Z. Li 2018. Establishment of new wheat-Thinopyrum ponticum translocation lines with resistance to Ug99 races of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici. 15th ICRPMC. 23 – 27 September 2018. Kruger National Park, South Africa.

11. R. Prins, C. Smit, E. Wessels, W.H.P. Boshoff, H. Minnaar, Z.A. Pretorius, M. Abbrouk, M. Horn, J. Doležel, H. Šimková, & S.G. Krattinger 2018. A step closer to an improved understanding of the partial stripe rust resistance QYr.sgi-4A.1 region of the South African wheat cultivar Kariega. 15th ICRPMC. 23 – 27 September 2018. Kruger National Park, South Africa.

12. T.G. Terefe, B. Visser, W.H.P. Boshoff, L. Herselman, T. Soko, N. Chiuraise, J. Siwale, B. Mutari, D.P. Hodson & Z.A. Pretorius 2018. Evidence of wheat rust inoculum exchange between southern African countries. 15th ICRPMC. 23 – 27 September 2018. Kruger National Park, South Africa.

13. W.H.P. Boshoff, C.M. Bender & Z.A. Pretorius 2018. Can field ratings of differential lines be used for wheat stem rust pathotyping? 15th ICRPMC. 23 – 27 September 2018. Kruger National Park, South Africa.

14. C.M. Bender, W.H.P. Boshoff and Z.A. Pretorius 2019. The impact of new races of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici on South African wheat cultivars.51st Congress of the SASPP. 21-23 January 2019, Club Mykonos, Langebaan.

15. H. Minnaar, R. Prins, C.M. Bender, G.J. Maree and W.H.P. Boshoff 2019. Phenotypic expression of stripe rust resistance using spray and point inoculation. 51st Congress of the SASPP. 21-23 January 2019, Club Mykonos, Langebaan.

16. W.H.P. Boshoff, B. Visser, T. Terefe and Z.A. Pretorius 2019. Pathogenic variability in and oat cultivar response to Puccinia graminis f. sp. avenae in South Africa. 51st Congress of the SASPP. 21-23 January 2019, Club Mykonos, Langebaan.

17. W.B. Meyer, W.H.P. Boshoff, A. Minnaar-Ontong and B. Visser 2019. Phenotypic and genotypic variation of Puccinia helianthi in South Africa. 51st Congress of the SASPP. 21-23 January, Club Mykonos, Langebaan.

18. T.V. Masisi, L. Rothmann, C.M. Bender, G.J. Maree and W.H.P. Boshoff 2019. Resistance response of irrigation wheat cultivars to stripe rust under different temperature regimes. SANSOR Annual Conference. 21-24 May. Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal. Awarded best Honours Research Poster Presented.

19. T.V. Masisi, L. Rothmann, C.M. Bender, G.J. Maree & W.H.P. Boshoff 2019. Comparative virulence of stripe rust pathotype 6E22A+ and field isolate GWK2015_56. Cereal Science and Technology SA (CST-SA). 3^rd New Voices Symposium. 11^th September 2019. The Grain Building Pretoria.

20. P.P. Myburgh, A. Maré, & W.H.P. Boshoff 2019. Phenotypic and genotypic characterisation of South African winter wheat cultivars for stem rust resistance. 3^rd November 2019. Annual post-graduate symposium of the Department of Botany and Plant Biotechnology at University of Johannesburg. Awarded runner-up for the BSc Honours category.

21. R. Prins, C. de Klerk, W.H.P. Boshoff, M. Abbrouk, J. Bettgenhaeuser, H. Minnaar, Z.A. Pretorius, J. Doležel, H. Šimková, E. Wessels, M. Horn & S.G. Krattinger. 2019. Pursuing the partial stripe rust resistance QYr.sgi-4A.1 gene of the wheat cultivar Kariega. Plant and Animal Genome Conference XXVII / 12-16 January 2019. San Diego, CA, USA.

22. M. Chemonges, L. Herselman, W.H.P. Boshoff, & Z.A. Pretorius 2019. Genetic analysis reveals monogenic resistance to Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici in South African winter wheat varieties. 1stIWC, Saskatoon, Canada.

23. A. Maré, L. Herselman & W.H.P. Boshoff 2019. Development of wheat lines with complex resistance to rusts and Fusarium head blight. 1stIWC, Saskatoon, Canada.

24. L. Herselman, A. Maré, W.H.P. Boshoff & Z.A. Pretorius 2020. Wheat pre-breeding for rust and Fusarium head blight resistance at the University of the Free State. 13^th SAPBA Conference. 8-11 March 2020. Future Africa, University of Pretoria. 

1. T. Terefe, W.H.P. Boshoff & Z.A. Pretorius 2017. Wheat rusts continue to evolve: New leaf rust races detected in the Western Cape. SA Grain 19 (9), 77-79.

2. Boshoff, W.H.P., Du Toit, A.G.A. & Pretorius, Z.A. 2017. Temperature plays a role in wheat resistance to stripe rust (in Afrikaans). Wheat Focus 35.5 Sep/Oct 16-17. (Awarded best article in edition)

3. Boshoff, W.H.P., Bender, C.M. & Pretorius, Z.A. 2018. Research on wheat rusts not to be down scaled (In Afrikaans). Koringfokus 36.1 Jan/Febr 13-14.

4. Boshoff, W.H.P., Pretorius, Z.A. & Terefe, T. 2019. Wheat rust - appearance of new races requires increased awareness (In Afrikaans). Koringfokus 37.1 Jan/Febr 10-11. (Awarded best article in edition)

5. Boshoff, W.H.P., Visser B. & Pretorius, Z.A. 2020. Oat stem rust - take informed decisions on cultivar response (In Afrikaans). Koringfokus 38.1 Jan/Febr 20-21. (Awarded best article in edition)

6. Visser, B., Boshoff, W.H.P. & Pretorius, Z.A. 2020. Berberis – A unknown factor in the struggle against wheat stem and stripe rust in South Africa (In Afrikaans). Koringfokus 38.2 March/April 2020 8-11.

7. Boshoff, W.H.P., Bender, C.M. & Pretorius, Z.A. 2020. The occurrence of rust diseases on rye, triticale and barley (In Afrikaans). Koringfokus 38.3 Mei/Junie 22-25.

8. Boshoff, W.H.P., Visser B. & Pretorius, Z.A. 2020. Oat Crown Rust - this rust fungus can cause early season infections on susceptible cultivars. Koringfokus 38.4 Junie/Julie 16-17.

9. Boshoff, W.H.P., Kilian, W., Bender, C.M. & Pretorius, Z.A. 2020. Rust outbreak on summer planted wheat in the Eastern Free State. Koringfokus 38.4 Junie/Julie 6-7.

10. Meyer, W.B., Boshoff, W.H.P., Minnaar-Ontong, A. & Visser, B. 2020. Sonneblomroes - Nuwe, aggressiewe rasse van roesswam bekommer SA-Graan 22 (9), 44-45.

Research on rust diseases of field crops including pathogen variability and genetic resistance.  

My main research interest includes pathogenic variation of rust pathogens of field crops, genetic resistance including cultivar characterisation and the identification and genetic analyses of new sources of genetic resistance with the potential of durable control.  

PPLG 3734 Bacterial and Viral Plant Pathology

PPLG 3724 Plant Health Management