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12 May 2021 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied
Wilku Meyer is the co-recipient of the Junior Captain Scott Memorial Medal for Plant Sciences, awarded every second year by the South African Academy for Science and Arts for the best MSc dissertation awarded at a South African university.
In 2016, sunflower rust was very prominent, causing trouble in the agricultural industry. With the latest information on this topic published as far back as the 1990s, Wilku Meyer, PhD Botany student at the University of the Free State (UFS), saw the gap in research and decided to make sunflower rust the focus of his master’s dissertation. 

“After seeing the work researchers are doing in the Department of Plant Sciences at the UFS and how it can be applied, it was reassuring to know that the work you are doing can, in addition to broadening your own horizons, also help other people,” says Meyer. 

Not only will his research one day possibly make a positive difference in the agriculture sector, but he has also received acknowledgement for this work from the prestigious body, the South African Academy for Science and Arts. 

Best MSc dissertation in Plant Sciences

With his dissertation: ‘Phenotypic and genotypic variation of Puccinia helianthi in South Africa’, Meyer is the co-recipient of the Junior Captain Scott Memorial Medal for Plant Sciences, awarded every second year by the South African Academy for Science and Arts for the best MSc dissertation awarded at a South African university. Ruan van der Nest from the Stellenbosch University Department of Agronomy shared the award with him. 

The focus of his dissertation was to see how many different races of the Puccinia helianthi fungus are responsible for sunflower rust. He explains: “I followed two approaches to this, namely the phenotypic approach whereby specific sunflower lines are infected with spores of different Puccinia helianthi isolates collected from sunflower fields in South Africa. With the second approach, the genotypic approach, I looked at the DNA of collected rust samples and compared them with each other.” 

In the end, he was able to identify six races in total that were spread across four main genetic groups.

Meyer did not settle for subpar results and kept going, no matter how much work it was, or the time required. He put all his time and effort into this study. He believes that the guidance of his supervisors and the support of his family and friends also helped with this big achievement.

Hard-working, dependable, and mature researcher

Prof Botma Visser (Botany), one of Meyer’s supervisors during his master’s study, describes him as hard-working, dependable, and a mature researcher. According to Prof Visser, the one attribute that will benefit him with his PhD, is his computer skills, especially in the field of Bioinformatics. “This is becoming an important skill set for postgraduate students, whereby huge datasets generated with the newest DNA sequencing technologies are analysed to provide next-generation results and understanding the interactions between a plant and a pathogen.” 

“Finally, and maybe his best quality, is that he really loves what he is currently doing – from the practical hands-on work in the greenhouse, to the laboratory and computer-based molecular analyses of the plant pathogen,” adds Prof Visser. 

Meyer, in response to the award from the South African Academy for Science and Arts, says it is an honour. “I'm very grateful that all the time and effort is being recognised. It is a confirmation that I'm doing what I should be doing.”

He started his PhD study this year (2021), again under the supervision of Prof Botma Visser and Prof Willem Boshoff (Plant Pathology). 

News Archive

Exciting open day and Albert Einstein program at Boyden Observatory
2005-05-06

National Science Week, which will be held from 7-14 May 2005, is an annual country-wide celebration of science, led by the Department of Science and Technology.  The department selected a proposal by the Boyden Science Centre to coordinate a week of activities in the Bloemfontein area as one of the many projects in the country.

The project for Bloemfontein and surrounding areas will be delivered though a collaboration between the National Museum in Bloemfontein and the University of the Free State (UFS), including the Research Institute for Education Planning, the Department of Physics and other departments in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.

The purpose of National Science Week is:

to create awareness of the important role that science play in people’s daily lives;
to encourage our youth to consider studying and improving their performance in mathematics and science; and
to attract more of our youth into science, engineering and technology (SET) careers.

 

World Year of Physics and Albert Einstein Program at Boyden Observatory

The International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) declared the year 2005 as the World Year of Physics (WYP). In recognition of this declaration, the great contribution of Physics to the development of technology, and its importance in our everyday lives will be featured strongly during the National Science Week 2005.

On Saturday 7 May 2005 there will be a public programme at Boyden Observatory from 15:30 as a contribution to the World Year of Physics. The programme will be presented in collaboration with the Bloemfontein branch of the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa and will include short presentations on astronomy, space exploration and the sun.

The main presentation will be at 19:00 the evening on the life and work of Albert Einstein. The programme will also include observing sessions through telescopes of objects like the sun, Jupiter and Saturn. There will also be an exhibit on Albert Einstein. Attendance is free but booking is required.  For bookings, phone 051-4012561.

Public lecture programme:

Next week the following exciting public lectures will be presented as part of the Science Week activities:

Monday 9 May 2005 

National Museum:

A discussion on Apocalypse Then: the greatest mass extinction of all time.  The lecture will be presented by Dr Jennifer Botha, Paleontologist at the National Museum.
Bookings: 051-4479609 (entrance is free).

UFS campus:

All lectures at Kine 2, Medical Faculty, UFS campus. Follow directions from the DF Malherbe Road entrance.
Bookings: 051-4012561 (entrance is free).

Tuesday 10 May 2005:

A discussion on the Tsunami disaster of 26 December 2004 at 19:30 (UFS campus, Kine 2 Medical Faculty).

Wednesday 11 May 2005:

A discussion on Is there life out there? at 19:30 (UFS campus, Kine 2 Medical Faculty).

Friday 13 May 2005:

A discussion on Hunting Black Holes at 19:30 (UFS campus, Kine 2 Medical Faculty).  The lecture will be presented by Dr Phil Charles, Director: South African Astronomical Observatory.

Science awareness day at the National museum

The science week will be concluded on Saturday 14 May 2005 with a special Science Awareness Day at the National Museum, Aliwal Street, Bloemfontein. 

The excellent exhibits at the museum will be supplemented with activities, career information and video shows. The duration of the programme will be from 10:00-16:00.  For enquiries, please call 051-4479609.

 

Issued by:  Lacea Loader
   Media Representative
   Tel:  (051) 401-2584
   Cell:  083 645 2454
   E-mail:  loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za

6 May 2005
 

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