PROFILE

Email: RashidifardM@ufs.ac.za

Tel: 051 401 3142

Date of birth:  01/04/1989

Nationality:     Iranian

Languages:     Persian (Native), English (Fluent)

WEB LINKS:

Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Milad-Rashidifard

ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5159-9277

EMPLOYMENT 

CURRENT:

Senior lecturer: Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State (UFS)

PREVIOUS:

Research fellow: Julius Kuhn Institute (JKI), Braunschweig, Germany (2023-2024)

Postdoctoral fellow: North-West University (NWU), Potchefstroom, South Africa (2019-2022) 

EDUCATION:

PhD - Environmental Sciences (Nematology): NWU (2015-2019)

MSc - Agriculture - Plant Pathology: Shahih Bahonar University of Kerman, Iran (2011-2014)

BSc - Agriculture - Plant Protection: Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran (2007 -2011)


EDITORIAL ACTIVITIES:

Associate Editor - Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Print ISSN: 1861-3829 (2023 – current)

Teaching:

ZLGY6844: Nematology

ZLGY1663: Biology (2025)

ZLGY3764: Molecular Ecology (2026-Current)

SUPERVISION:

 Postdoc: 1 current

Doctoral: 2 Current

Masters: 2 graduated, 1 Current

LIST OF PUBICATIONS

JOURNAL ARTICLE:

1. Slabbert, M., Ashrafi, S., Thunen, T. and Rashidifard, M. 2026. Seasonal diversity of root endophytic fungi and bacteria associated with sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) in South Africa. CABI Agriculture and Bioscience 7: 1. DOI: 10.1079/ab.2026.0005
2. de Smidt, A., Rashidifard, M., Girgan, C. and Jansen van Rensburg, C. 2025. Redescription of Elaphonema messinae Van den Berg, Swart & Heyns, 1984 and E. mirabile Heyns, 1962 (Nematoda: Rhabditida) from South Africa, including the first molecular data for the genus. Nematology 27: 981-1000. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/15685411-bja10434
3. Rashidifard, M., Berner, J. and Fourie, H. 2025. Confirmation of resistance in different soybean cultivars to Meloidogyne incognita using greenhouse screenings, enzymes and histopathology approaches. Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection 132. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41348-025-01139-5
4. Rashidifard, M., Maier, W. and Ashrafi, A. 2025. The nematode egg parasitic fungi, Niesslia gamsii and Polydomus karssenii, protect tomato against Meloidogyne hapla by priming and regulating the plant defence system. Journal of Pest Science. DOI: 10.1007/s10340-025-01872-8
5. Rumiani, M., Zouhar, M., Karegar, A., Hamzehzarghani, H. and Rashidifard, M. 2024. Morphological Characterization and Assessment of Genetic Variability of Tylenchulus semipenetrans Populations from Southern Iran. Journal of Nematology 56: e2024-1. DOI: 10.2478/jofnem-2024-0047
6. Collett, R. R., Rashidifard, M., Marais, M., Daneel, M. and Fourie, H. 2023. Insights into the life-cycle development of Meloidogyne enterolobii, M. incognita and M. javanica on tomato, soybean and maize. European journal of Plant Pathology. DOI: 10.1007/s10658-023-02741-9. (Shared first author)
7. Rashidifard, M., Fourie, H., Ashrafi, S., Engelbrecht, G., Elhady, A., Daneel, M. and Claassens, S. 2022. Suppressive effect of soil microbiomes associated with tropical fruit trees on Meloidogyne enterolobii. Microorganisms 10, 894. DOI:10.3390/microorganisms10050894
8. Bello, T.T., Rashidifard, M., Fourie, H. and Peña-Santiago^, R. 2022. Aporcelinus abeokutaensis sp. n. (Dorylaimida, Aporcelaimidae) from Nigeria from Nigeria. Journal of Helminthology 96, e10, 1–7. DOI:10.1017/S0022149X22000013. (Shared first author)
9. Jahanshahi Afshar, F., Rashidifard, M., Abolafia, J., Zouhar, M., Fourie, H. and Pedram, M. 2021. Laimaphelenchus africanus n. sp. (Tylenchomorpha: Aphelenchoididae) from South Africa, a morphological and molecular phylogenetic study, with an update to the diagnostics of the genus. Journal of Nematology 53: e2021-53. DOI: 10.21307/jofnem-2021-053
10. Rashidifard, M., Ashrafi, S., Claassens, S., Thuenen, T. and Fourie, H. 2021. A pilot approach investigating the potential of crop rotation with sainfoin to reduce Meloidogyne enterolobii infection of maize under greenhouse conditions. Frontiers in Plant Science 12:659322. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.659322
11. Jansen van Rensburg, C., Fourie, H., Ashrafi, S. and Rashidifard, M. 2021. Description of Prionchulus jonkershoekensis n. sp. (Nematoda: Mononchida), a new predatory species from South Africa. Journal of Nematology 53: e2021-39. DOI: 10.21307/jofnem-2021-039
12. Girgan, C., Du Preez, G., Fourie, H. and Rashidifard, M. 2021. Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Butlerius butleri Goodey, 1929 (Nematoda: Diplogastridae) from South Africa: First Report. Journal of Nematology 53: e2021-26. DOI: 10.21307/jofnem-2021-026
13. Rashidifard, M., Bello, T.T., Fourie, H., Coyne, D.L. and Peña-Santiago^, R. 2021. Morphological and molecular characterisation of Aporcella femina sp. n. (Dorylaimida, Aporcelaimidae) from Nigeria. Journal of Helminthology 95, e7, 1-8. DOI: 10.1017/S0022149X20001042
14. Collett, R.L., Marais, M., Daneel, M., Rashidifard, M. and Fourie, H. 2021. Meloidogyne enterolobii, a threat to crop production with particular reference to sub-Saharan Africa: a critical and updated review. Nematology, 1-39. DOI: 10.1163/15685411-bja10076
15. Marais, M., van den Berg, E., Fourie, D. and Rashidifard, M. 2021. Morphological and molecular characterization of Hoplolaimus pararobustus (Schuurmans Stekhoven and Teunissen, 1938) Sher 1963 with its first report on Zea mays roots in Namibia. Journal of Nematology 52: e2020-124. DOI: 10.21307/jofnem-2020-124
16. Rashidifard, M., Du Preez, G., Abolafia, J. and Pedram, M. 2020. Cephalenchus driekieae n. sp. (Nematoda: Tylenchidae) from South Africa, a new member of the genus with a long esophageal overlap. Journal of Nematology 52: e2020-31. DOI: 10.21307/jofnem-2020-031
17. Swart, A., Fourie, H., Tiedt, L.R. and Rashidifard, M. 2020. Description of Calcaridorylaimus heynsi n. sp. (Nematoda: Dorylaimidae) from Potchefstroom, South Africa. Nematology 22: 855-865. DOI 10.1163/15685411-00003346
18. Rashidifard, M., Bello, T.T., Fourie, H., Coyne, D.L. and Peña-Santiago, R. 2020. Morphological and molecular characterisation of Aporcelaimellus nigeriensis sp. n. (Dorylaimida: Aporcelaimidae), a remarkable dorylaim from Nigeria. Nematology 22: 867-877. DOI 10.1163/15685411-00003347
19. Bello, T.T., Coyne, D.L., Rashidifard, M. and Fourie, H. 2020. Abundance and diversity of plant-parasitic nematodes associated with watermelon in Nigeria, with focus on Meloidogyne spp. Nematology 22: 781-797. DOI 10.1163/15685411-00003340
20. Rashidifard, M., Fourie, H., Daneel, M.S. and Marais, M. 2019. Morphological and morphometrical identification of Meloidogyne populations from various crop production areas in South Africa with emphasis on M. enterolobii. Zootaxa 4658: 251-274. DOI 10.11646/zootaxa.4658.2.3
21. Rashidifard, M., Marais, M., Daneel, M.S., Mienie, C.M.C. and Fourie, H. 2019. Molecular characterisation of Meloidogyne enterolobii and other Meloidogyne spp. from South Africa. Tropical Plant Pathology 44: 213-224. DOI 10.1007/s40858-019-00281-4
22. Rashidifard, M., Marais, M., Daneel, M. S. and Fourie, H. 2019. Reproductive potential of South African thermophilic Meloidogyne populations, with special reference to Meloidogyne enterolobii. Nematology 21: 913-921. DOI 10.1163/15685411-00003263
23. Rashidifard, M., Fourie, H., Véronneau, P. Y., Marais, M., Daneel, M. S. and Mimee, B. 2018. Genetic diversity and phylogeny of South African Meloidogyne populations using genotyping by sequencing. Scientific Reports 8: 13816. DOI:10.1038/s41598-018-31963-9
24. Bekker, S., Fourie, H., Rashidifard, M., Daneel, M., Shokoohi, E. and Nel, A. 2016. Discriminating between the eggs of two egg-mass-producing nematode genera using morphometric and molecular techniques. Nematology 18: 1119-1123. DOI 10.1163/15685411-00003022
25. Rashidifard, M., Shokoohi, E., Hoseinipour, A. and Jamali, S. 2015. Tylenchulus semipenetrans (Nematoda: Tylenchulidae) on pomegranate in Iran. Australasian Plant Disease Notes 10: 1-6. DOI 10.1007/s13314-014-0157-7
26. Rashidifard, M., Shokoohi, E., Hoseinipour, A. and Jamali, S. 2015. Distribution, morphology, seasonal dynamics, and molecular characterization of Tylenchulus semipenetrans from citrus orchards in southern Iran. Biologia 70: 1-11. DOI: 10.1515/biolog-2015-0098

BOOK CHAPTER

1. Rashidifard, M., Singh, S., Du Preez, G. and Asharfi, S. 2025. Impact of climate change on plant nematodes and disease complex, H. In Nematode disease complexes in agricultural crops. Khan M. R. (ed), CAB International. Pp, 341-353. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781800625228.001
2. Lopez-Nicora, H., Peng, D., Saikai, K. and Rashidifard, M. 2023. Nematode problems in maize and their sustainable management. In Nematode Diseases of Crops and Their Sustainable Management. Khan, M. R. and Quintanilla, M. (eds), Academic Press, pp, 167-181. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-323-91226-6.00018-3

CONFERENCES & SYMPOSIA

Oral papers presented at:

34th European Society of Nematologists (ESN) Conference, Cordoba, Spain (2024)

24th Nematological Society of Southern Africa (NSSA) symposium, Krugersdorp, South Africa (2023)

8th International Cereal Nematodes Symposium (ICNS), Abant, Turkey (2022)

7th International Conference of Nematology (ICN), Antibes, France (2022)

23rd Nematological Society of Southern Africa (NSSA) symposium, Tulbagh, South Africa (2021)

19th International Plant Protection Congress (IPPC), Hyderabad, India (2019)

22nd Nematological Society of Southern Africa (NSSA) symposium, Machadodorp, South Africa (2019)

Advances in Nematology symposium, London, UK (2018)

12th International Symposium of the Russian Society of Nematologists, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia (2017)

21st Nematological Society of Southern Africa (NSSA) symposium, Zimbali, South Africa (2017)

Poster papers presented at:

22nd Nematological Society of Southern Africa (NSSA) symposium, Machadodorp, South Africa (2019)

33rd European Society of Nematologists (ESN) Conference, Ghent, Belgium (2018)

32nd Symposium of the European Society of Nematologists, Braga, Portugal (2016)

Second International & Fourteenth Iranian Genetics Congress, Tehran, Iran (2016)

6th International Conference of Nematology (ICN), Cape Town, South Africa (2014).

10th International Nematology Symposium RSN, Golitsyno – Bolshie Vyazemy, Russia (2013)

8th National Conference on Biotechnology and 4th Biosafety National Conference, Tehran, Iran (2013)
 

As a trained nematologist specializing in the characterization of plant parasitic nematodes, especially root-knot nematodes using DNA-based techniques, I am dedicated to the management of these destructive agricultural pests. By generating knowledge regarding the interactions

between nematodes and their host plants, my objective is to alleviate the adverse impact of these nematodes within agricultural systems. I am actively engaged in the implementation of sustainable strategies, such as harnessing suppressive soil microbiomes, leveraging antagonistic

fungi, and advocating for innovative crop rotation and soil amendment practices to effectively control nematode populations while promoting environmental sustainability.

Currently serving as a Senior Lecturer and researcher within the Department of Zoology and Entomology at the University of the Free State, my professional responsibilities encompass both educational instruction and research endeavors focused on the identification, genetic diversity,

biology, and management of nematode pests. My scholarly contributions have been disseminated through numerous peer-reviewed publications and have been showcased at various national and international conferences. In addition to my research pursuits, I am deeply committed to

nurturing the next generation of nematologists through educational initiatives.

Overall, my research endeavors have significantly advanced our comprehension of the distribution, biology, life cycle, and management strategies pertaining to plant-parasitic nematodes. I remain steadfast in my dedication to furthering the field of nematology and aspire to uphold my

position as a prominent figure within this specialized domain of study.