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20 September 2021 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied
Prince Matova, a PhD student in the Department of Plant Sciences, has been working on breeding a maize that can resist the fall armyworm (FAW) – a maize-eating pest. Later in September, he will receive the Young Scientist Award from the Plant Mutation Breeding Division of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

Prince Matova, a PhD student in Plant Breeding at the University of the Free State (UFS), received the Young Scientist Award from the Joint Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)/International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture for excellence in plant mutation breeding.

The IAEA Director-General, Mr Rafael Mariano Grossi, will officially announce the award at the 65th regular session of the IAEA General Conference that will take place later in September this year.

The award is given to scientists younger than 40, who have made a significant contribution and impact in the field of mutation breeding.

Matova, a researcher, research and agronomy manager, and maize and legumes breeder at Mukushi Seeds (Pvt) Ltd in Harare, Zimbabwe, says: “People have seen the little work that I have done, and they were happy with it. That makes me happy too.”

Other contributions

In the ten years collaborating with the IAEA, practising mutation breeding, Matova – who believes innovative thinking and self-motivation to be contributing factors to a successful scientist – has also been recognised for other outstanding contributions. These include the release of a cowpea mutant variety in 2017 and its wide dissemination across Zimbabwe, as well as the modernisation of the maize and cowpea national breeding programmes. He has also contributed two publications and appeared twice at IAEA Plant Mutation Breeding symposia. Furthermore, Matova has trained other scientists and fellows across Africa and collaborated with centres of excellence in plant breeding, research, and development.

Growing up, he never guessed that he would one day become an agricultural scientist. Matova was, however, very good at biology and believes that this is one of the reasons why he ended up in crop science. “I am enjoying every moment of it. I love innovativeness and inventions and I view hybrid maize variety development as the greatest innovation in plant breeding. Working for Mukushi Seeds is inspiring; I have a young and dedicated team and the environment allows me to explore my full potential.”

“I feel science solves problems and every day as I do my breeding work, I have this desire to achieve greatness by developing a super maize hybrid,” he says.

Displaying excellence

For the past three to four years, Matova has been working to breed maize varieties that can resist fall armyworm (FAW) – a maize-eating pest. He says the pest has caused significant maize crop yield and economic losses across Africa.

More than 300 million smallholder farmers across sub-Saharan Africa rely on maize for food and livelihoods. “These farmers have limited capacities to control the pest. They are using insecticides, which we have seen to effectively provide immediate control of the pest.” However, these pesticides have environmental and health issues. “It is against this background that we, as plant breeders, felt it was important to develop varieties that are resistant to the pest. It is a more environmentally friendly, less expensive, and more sustainable solution,” explains Matova.
In his research, he evaluated the breeding potential of exotic FAW-resistant donor lines with local lines. He also investigated the resistance response and stability of local cultivars and inbred lines against FAW. 

While working at the Zimbabwean Department of Research and Specialist Services (DR&SS), Matova collaborated with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), the University of Zimbabwe, the UFS, and the IAEA to look into the possibility of using mutation breeding in maize crop improvement, with the intention to enhance FAW-resistance in maize genotypes.

He introgressed FAW resistance into the elite breeding materials at both DR&SS and Mukushi Seeds, where he is currently working. Matova believes that although FAW resistance is currently a nice-to-have trait, going forward, all maize varieties released should have a baseline resistance to FAW.

Ultimately, his work generated important information that can guide research and maize breeding for FAW resistance in Southern Africa. All this information is free for researchers to use for the betterment of Africa and the world.

Inspired by greatness

There are a number of people in the industry and academia who have inspired Matova. The list includes Dr Cosmos Magorokosho (CIMMYT), Prof Hussein Shimelis (University of KwaZulu-Natal), Dr Fatma Sarsu (IAEA), Dr Marilyn Warburton (Agricultural Research Service in the United States Department of Agriculture), Dr Amsal Terekegne (ZAMSEED), and Dr John MacRobert (Mukushi Seeds). They all contributed in one way or another to influence Matova in a positive way towards becoming the passionate scientist he is today.

Besides this list of prominent names, Matova says that he was more recently also motivated and encouraged by his PhD supervisor and mentor, Prof Maryke Labuschagne, Professor in Plant Sciences at the UFS. “She is a very special person doing a wonderful job. Prof Labuschagne is kind, thorough, hardworking, and a good mentor,” he states.

Prof Labuschagne is very proud of Matova for receiving this award. “He has been working really hard, and this is a wonderful recognition of the time and effort that he has invested in his research,” she says.


News Archive

Maestros from the world stage now lecture at the Odeion School of Music
2014-02-19

 
Prof Ruth Goveia

 
Danré Strydom

 
George Foster

The Odeion School of Music (OSM) at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently endorsed its commitment to excellence with the appointment of three exceptional performing artists and lecturers.

Prof Ruth Goveia (piano), Danré Strydom (clarinet and saxophone) and George Foster (brass instruments) all hold international qualifications. In addition, all of them have received tutelage from world-renowned mentors and performed across the globe. Their respective CVs are awe-inspiring – to say the least.

Prof Goveia has been appointed as an associate professor at our university. She obtained her doctorate in Music in Piano from the Jacobs School of Music at the Indiana University, USA, after completing her master’s degree at the University of Cincinnati. Prof Goveia has gained immeasurable experience while holding positions at several prestigious institutions, including the Albion College in Michigan and the Indiana University.

As a soloist, Prof Goveia’s performances are staggering. She has appeared in a number of recitals across America and even performed as a guest artist at the Kalamazoo College of Music. She took part in the Chamber Music Project of the New York-based Artur Balsam Foundation, and collaborated with clarinetist Randall Paul on a duo tour of Georgia and Alabama.

Danré Strydom has been appointed as a junior lecturer in clarinet and saxophone. She will also co-ordinate the woodwind programme at the OSM. Her training began in Windhoek, Namibia, and continued on to the prestigious Jacobs School of Music in Indiana, USA. From there she joined the Ghent Conservatoire in Belgium, reading for two master’s degrees – completing both cum laude. Strydom has performed with several renowned orchestras ranging from the Vlaams Brabant Symphony (Belgium) to the Sinfonietta Breda (Netherlands).

George Foster is filling the position of a junior lecturer in brass instruments. He completed his BMus degree at the South African College of Music at the University of Cape Town where he received the Anton Rupert Merit prize. As former Fulbright scholar, Foster read for a master’s degree in Music at the University of North Texas. During his study period in the USA he was a member of the University of North Texas Wind Band, the Symphony Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra. Here, he gained invaluable experience as a conductor as well.

Strydom and Foster are performing their duties at the Free State Symphony Orchestra (FSSO), as well as the OSM. They will both play an integral role as musicians and collaborators within the activities and initiatives of the FSSO, and serve as coaches and instructors for the Free State Youth Orchestra.

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