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UFS plant scientists receive prestigious SAPBA awards

10 June 2020 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied

Read More Collage — Prof Zakkie Pretorius, left, plays a significant role in providing pathology support to the plant breeding industry.Prof Liezel Herselman contributes to plant breeding in Southern Africa by training and mentoring the plant breeders of the future.

The Southern African Plant Breeders’ Association (SAPBA) recently bestowed prestigious awards upon Prof Zakkie Pretorius, Research Fellow in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS), and Prof Liezel Herselman, Associate Professor in the same department. This institution strives to maintain high ethical standards and norms, contributing to stable, sustainable agriculture.

During the 13th Southern African Plant Breeders’ Association symposium, Prof Herselman was presented with a Fellow Award and Prof Pretorius with Honorary Membership. They received the awards for their services to and promotion of the SAPBA objectives, together with their exceptional contributions to plant breeding.

Provide food for the nation

Over the years, Prof Pretorius, who has extensive expertise in diseases of field crops – more specifically the rust diseases of small grain cereal crops – has played a significant role in providing pathology support to the plant breeding industry. He has also conducted ground-breaking pathology research on rust diseases in field crops. In 2019, he co-authored an article that appeared in Nature, the world’s leading multidisciplinary science journal. He is also shortlisted as a 2020 finalist in the Lifetime Award and Special Theme Award (Plant Health) of the National Science and Technology Forum. Furthermore, he regularly attended and participated in biennial conferences and supervised plant breeding students working on plant disease projects.

Prof Herselman contributes to plant breeding in Southern Africa by training and mentoring the plant breeders of the future. “As a lecturer of fourth-year and honours Plant Breeding students, as well as supervisor and promoter of master’s and doctoral students, I am in the fortunate position to teach and mentor my students in one of the newest fields of plant breeding, namely marker-assisted plant breeding. All future plant breeders need this knowledge to make a success of their breeding programmes. Our students are the future plant breeders who will provide food to the nation,” she says.

"As a plant pathologist, I am privileged to have been able to contribute to the quest for disease resistance in crop improvement and to have been recognised for it.” – Prof Zakkie Pretorius

The highest honour

Prof Pretorius view recognition by the industry – in this case, the plant breeding fraternity – as the highest honour for someone working in agricultural science. “As a plant pathologist, I am privileged to have been able to contribute to the quest for disease resistance in crop improvement and to have been recognised for it. I am also extremely grateful to colleagues and co-workers who have contributed over many years to the establishment of a productive and influential research group at the UFS,” he says.

Prof Herselman shares this sentiment. She says: “It means so much to me to know that I have made a difference and an impact on my students’ lives. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to work with under- and postgraduate students and to see them grow.”

She continues: “We strive to send out well-rounded students who can make a difference in the workplace and the community. This award means that I have succeeded in this goal, even though I do my work because I am passionate about it and not to receive recognition.”

Fight against fungal disease continues

Prof Pretorius continues to be involved in studies on host plant resistance and pathogenic variability.

As a molecular plant breeder, Prof Herselman is pushing on with research focusing on the development of wheat lines with improved disease resistance. The work that she is doing makes a difference on both national and international level. “As part of my current research programme, we have made rust- and Fusarium head blight-resistant wheat lines available to South African breeding companies for use in their breeding programmes. The lines developed at the UFS will in a small way contribute towards the fight against fungal diseases in South Africa, thus securing the yield and livelihoods of farmers and consumers,” she says.

Her master’s and doctoral students who have completed their studies, also take the knowledge they gained at the UFS back to their countries and workplaces where they ultimately add value, especially contributing towards the fight against hunger.

"“We strive to send out well-rounded students who can make a difference in the workplace and the community. This award means that I have succeeded in this goal, even though I do my work because I am passionate about it and not to receive recognition.” – Prof Liezel Herselman

News Archive

UFS policies want to help all students

2005-03-09

The death of Hannes van Rensburg, a first-year student from the JBM Hertzog residence, this past weekend, placed various aspects of student life in the spotlight. Dr Natie Luyt, Dean: Student Affairs at the University of the Free State (UFS), and the Student Representative Council (SRC) of the UFS explain which policies are in place to counter these practices.

At all tertiary institutions there are rules and policies to guide students and provide direction for certain behaviour and practices. The same applies to the University of the Free State (UFS).

“At the beginning of the year the UFS provides every residence committee with a manual to establish a framework for meaningful and orderly relations within and among residences on the campus,” said Dr Natie Luyt.

However, it is one thing to set rules, but it is an impossible task to enforce all aspects thereof. Policies currently in place include an alcohol policy, a policy on the induction of first years and a policy on banned practices in residence orientation.

“The alcohol policy was compiled in cooperation with students and their input was constantly asked,” said Dr Luyt. We also liaise on a continuous basis with residences and senior students to encourage the responsible use of alcohol, especially around activities like intervarsities and Rag.

In the policy, recognition is given to the right and voluntary and informed choice of every individual to use alcohol on the UFS campus in a responsible way.

Guidelines for the use of alcohol on campus include among others the following:

Only authorised points of sale will be permitted on campus. In this case it is the various league halls in most of the male residences on campus.

Alcohol will only be made available during fixed times and is not permitted in residence rooms.

All alcohol-related functions are regulated and an application for a temporary alcohol license must be obtained from the Dean: Student Affairs.

The UFS obtained a liquor license in March 2004 which must be administered by senior leagues in various residences on campus. Normal liquor license conditions and the county’s liquor laws apply. Liquor can only be sold to members of the senior league (or special guests) and also to persons over the age of 18 years. Liquor may not be used in public (outside the senior league) or on campus.

The senior leagues may only be open three nights per week and within prescribed times. No liquor could be used in any other place than the senior league halls. Senior leagues could buy liquor from club monies generated by themselves.

The right of senior leagues to serve liquor was suspended by the Rector and Vice-Chancellor the UFS, Prof Frederick Fourie, on Monday 7 March 2005 – pending an investigation of the recent events on campus.

The policy on banned practices include among others that no swearing and shouting at first-years may take place, no first-year student may be targeted individually, no senior may enter the room of a first-year student without an invitation or permission from that first-year student and no senior under the influence of alcohol may have contact with first-year students.

The induction of first-year students takes place by means of three functions, namely an information function (the introduction to the various facets and possibilities of the university system), an induction function (the first-year student becomes involved in various campus and residence activities) and a development function (the first-year student is motivated to take charge of his development potential).

No first-year induction activity may commence before the residence committee’s contracting with the senior students is not completed. This meeting is attended by the residence head and all senior students. The induction policy, residence induction policy of first-year students and first-year rules are discussed.

The senior students sign an attendance list to show that he/she was informed about the policies. A senior who does not sign, may not be involved with any induction session with first-year students.

No physical contact is allowed during the conclusion of the first-year students’ official induction period. The induction of first-year students as full members of the residence is a prestige event, presented by the residence committee. No physical or degrading activities may take place.

The Dean: Student Affairs also has a daily meeting with the primarii of all the residences during the induction period. This helps to monitor the situation and counter any problem behaviour or tendencies.

“Enforced behaviour – where a senior student forces a first-year student to do something against his/her own free wil – is not allowed. Where there is any sign of this, it is met wortel en tak uitgeroei,” said Dr Luyt.

“In any group of people – whether it is a group of students or people at a workplace – there will always be those who will break the rules or those who would like to see how far they could push it.

The SRC, the UFS management and myself are and will stay committed to make each student’s life on this campus a school of learning and an experience which would be remembered for ever,” said Dr Luyt.

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