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26 September 2019 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Leonie Bolleurs
Read More Prof Wijnand Swart PSHB
A small 2 mm beetle, known as the Polyphagous shothole borer (PSHB) kills and infects trees. South Africa is the largest geographical area in the world to be infested with this tree killer. Pictured here is Prof Wijnand Swart who is working with two neighbourhood associations in Bloemfontein to monitor the occurrence of the beetle in the city.

Ornamental trees are dying all over South Africa, and it is feared that certain fruit and nut trees are also in danger. This is cause for great concern, not only among ecologists, farmers, foresters, and landscapers, but for homeowners as well. In private gardens and on streets throughout the country, trees that are afflicted include English oak, Chinese and Japanese maples, boxelder, and sweetgum.
 
The cause of all this havoc is a small 2-mm beetle, known as the Polyphgous shothole borer (PSHB; Euwallacea fornicatus) that originates from Southeast Asia.

Working to find a solution

"Based on damage seen in the USA and Israel, there is significant danger of losing many of our ornamental trees as well as fruit and certain nut trees in South Africa,” says Prof Wijnand Swart, Professor of Plant Pathology and Discipline Head in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of the Free State (UFS).

Cases of afflicted trees were reported from all provinces in South Africa, except for Mpumalanga. Countries such as Israel and the USA have also suffered great losses as a result of this beetle.  

Research is being conducted on the beetle and its associated fungus, Fusarium euwallaceae, in order to understand their relationship and hopefully find a solution to stop, or at least manage, the invasion of trees. To investigate the largest geographical outbreak of this beetle in the world, academics from seven universities in South Africa are working together with the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) at the University of Pretoria through a multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary research network. UFS researchers are part of this network.
 
Senior Lecturer in the UFS Department of Plant Sciences, Dr Gert Marais, is conducting research on the PSHB and its associated fungi, with the focus on pecan trees, in conjunction with the South African Pecan Nut Producers' Association. Cases of infected pecan-nut trees were reported in the Northern Cape as well as in Nelspruit. 
 
Prof Swart is working with entomologists in the UFS Department of Zoology and Entomology to find a biological control agent to parasitise the beetle. “I have already found one instance of a parasitic wasp associated with the beetle and will continue to search for more specimens during the coming summer,” he commented. 
 
Understanding the beetle

The first cases of infected trees were discovered in 2017 when Dr Trudi Paap, associated with FABI and the South African National Biodiversity Institute, conducted a survey of pests and diseases in and around National Botanical Gardens in South Africa. 
 
FABI has been studying the tree killer intensively to find out more about its life cycle. The term ‘polyphagous’ refers to the ability of the PSHB to infest many different tree species.

On their website, FABI states that an important distinction is being made between different types of infestations. “Reproductive host trees are trees that are infested by the beetle and where it successfully establishes a breeding gallery in which the fungus grows, where eggs are laid, and larvae develop into mature adults, thus completing its life cycle. The majority of reproductive hosts eventually succumb to the disease symptoms caused by the fungus.”
 
“Non-reproductive host trees are trees where the beetle attacks, penetrates, and inoculates the fungus, which then starts to grow in the sapwood. However, the beetle either leaves or dies without reproducing in these trees. The fungus can eventually kill or damage reproductive hosts, but many of the tree species on this list seem to be unaffected.”
 
Involving the community

The situation also provides an opportunity for communities to directly benefit from research conducted by tertiary institutions. Prof Swart is working together with two neighbourhood associations in Bloemfontein to monitor the occurrence of the beetle in the city and surrounding areas. 

He urges residents in the Mangaung Metro who find instances of infected trees, to report it to Duart Hugo (duarthugo99@gmail.com ), who is compiling a database of infected trees in the area. 
 
FABI advises homeowners to cut down heavily infested reproductive host trees. Should you decide to burn the wood, note that beetles will fly away when the wood becomes hot or when smoke appears. Do not burn infested trees in uninfected areas.

Other interesting material

An actual Polyphagous shothole borer PSHB beetle
An actual Polyphagous shothole borer PSHB beetle
UFS Researcher Prof Wijnand Swart seeks to eradicate Polyphagous shothole borer PSHB
UFS Researcher Prof Wijnand Swart seeks to eradicate Polyphagous shothole borer PSHB
Polyphagous shothole borer PSHB larva in tree bark
Polyphagous shothole borer PSHB larva in tree bark

News Archive

Parking at UFS for visitors
2007-11-10

UFS creates more parking for visitors

In its effort to make it easier for visitors to park on the Main Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein, two paid parking areas will be put into operation as from Monday, 5 November 2007.

These parking areas are part of a comprehensive new parking strategy of the UFS, which is being implemented since September 2007. As part of the strategy, areas of the central campus have been reserved for staff and visitors and hundreds of new parking areas were developed for students at the entrance in Wynand Mouton Avenue (at the Faculty of Health Sciences) and the entrance in DF Malherbe Avenue (at the Agriculture Building).

“The paid parking areas for visitors, which are as close as possible to the busy and largely closed-off central campus, were created as an additional service to visitors,” said Ms Edma Pelzer, Director of Physical Resources at the UFS.

According to Ms Pelzer, persons who attend meetings, seminars or short courses, visiting colleagues, consultants, service providers, family of students and staff members, clients, etc. can make use of this parking.

“We have found that it is often difficult for visitors to obtain parking in or close to the central campus. Now they will have a choice to either park in the visitors parking areas at a minimal fee or to park in any of the open unreserved parking areas on campus,” said Ms Pelzer.

The areas, which will be closed off behind booms on weekdays from 06:00 until 18:00, are situated to the eastern side of the “Red Square”, east of the CR Swart and Idalia Loots Buildings and west of Campus Avenue North between the Psychology and the Flippie Groenewoud Buildings.


Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za  
2 November 2007

Parking for visitors: Important notice:

As from Monday 5 November 2007 two paid parking areas on the UFS Campus will be put into operation. The areas will be closed off behind booms on weekdays from 06:00 until 18:00. These will be manned and R3 per hour will be charged.
 

The following areas are involved:

  • P3: The area to the east of the “Red Square”, east of the CR Swart and Idalia Loots Buildings.

     
  • P6: The area to the east of Campus Avenue North between the Psychology and Flippie Groenewoud Buildings.

    The friendly co-operation of users of motor vehicles on campus is requested to allow this implementation to proceed as smoothly as possible.

Parking for visitors: More information

The strategy to create paid parking areas for visitors

The decision to reserve areas in the central campus areas for the convenience of visitors was taken as part of the comprehensive new parking strategy of the UFS approved by the Executive Management in May 2007 and which is being implemented since September.

All visitors need not park in these areas. Visitors may park for free on any open (unreserved) parking bay on campus. These paid parking areas for visitors, as close as possible to the busy and largely closed-off central campus, have been created as an additional service to visitors.

The strategy to close off parts of the central campus for staff members and visitors was implemented after sufficient alternative parking areas had been developed for students.

What is meant by the term “visitors”?

It includes all persons who are not students of staff members of the UFS and who visit the campus for one reason or another. Persons who attend meetings, seminars or short courses, visiting colleagues, consultants, service providers, family of students and staff members, et cetera are included.

As at present, it will, of course, be possible to make special arrangements with Protection Services to make it possible for VIP visitors to park as near as possible to their destinations.

No student or staff member will be actively prevented from parking in the area. They will, however, be discouraged by the fact that R3 per hour will be charged without exception.

The visitors’ parking area and access to it

  • P3: The area to the east of the “Red Square”, east of the CR Swart and Idalia Loots Buildings. The area is within easy walking distance for visitors to, among others, the following buildings: George du Toit Administration Building, Theology Building, Idalia Loots Building, CR Swart Building, Johannes Brill Building, Van der Merwe Scholz Hall.

    The area is conveniently accessible from the following entrances: Nelson Mandela Drive, Groenewoud Street and Wynand Mouton Drive.

     
  • P6: The area to the west of Campus Avenue North, between the Psychology and Flippie Groenewoud Buildings. The area is within easy walking distance for visitors to all the academic buildings in the central campus, such as the Chemistry Building, Stef Coetzee Building, the Geography Building, et cetera and located directly opposite the general information point on the Thakaneng Bridge.

    The area is conveniently accessible from the following entrances: Fürstenburg Road and DF Malherbe Avenue (at the Agriculture Building).

     

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