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Prof Botma Visser takes on rust diseases threatening South Africa’s wheat

09 September 2025 | Story Martinette Brits | Photo Stephen Collett

Safeguarding one of the world’s most vital staple foods was at the heart of the inaugural lecture delivered by Prof Botma Visser, Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS), on Wednesday 3 September 2025. Prof Visser shared insights from nearly two decades of research into wheat rust – a devastating crop disease that threatens both South Africa’s harvests and global food security.

“Wheat production in South Africa is threatened by three fungal pathogens that cause rust disease on the crop. Understanding the factors that contribute to virulence on locally grown cultivars is crucial to ensure continued wheat production,” said Prof Visser.

The fight against evolving wheat rusts

For the past 17 years, Prof Visser’s research has focused on the genetic structure of rust populations and the risks they pose to food security. His work has shown that these populations are dynamic and constantly changing due to genetic mutations within existing races, as well as the introduction of new races into South Africa.

“Computer modelling showed that rust can spread over vast distances by prevailing winds. During the 20th Century, at least four Southern African stem rust races managed to move across the Indian Ocean from Southern Africa to Australia. South Africa, in turn, received multiple new races from mid-Africa across Zambia and Zimbabwe, without any means of stopping these introductions,” he explained.

To respond to this challenge, his team recently implemented MARPLE (Mobile And Real-time Plant disEase) diagnostics using fourth-generation nanopore sequencing technology. This approach allows the rapid characterisation of fungal isolates, specifically targeting genes linked to fungicide resistance and virulence.

“This work,” Prof Visser noted, “is part of an effort to safeguard global wheat production.”

His research is a collaborative effort with Prof Willem Boshoff (Department of Plant Sciences, UFS) and Dr Tarekegn Terefe (Agricultural Research Council – Small Grain, Bethlehem). Together, their work has positioned the UFS as an internationally recognised centre of excellence in wheat rust research.

About Prof Botma Visser

Prof Botma Visser obtained his BSc in Botany and Microbiology (1988), BSc Honours in Microbiology (1989), and MSc in Botany (1993) at the University of the Free State, where he also completed his PhD in Botany in 2004.

His career spans more than 18 years of research into wheat rust pathogens, combining annual surveys, race pathotyping, molecular genetics, and cutting-edge sequencing technologies. His expertise has not only advanced understanding of rust population dynamics in South Africa but also contributed to global collaborative studies on crop disease.

News Archive

UFS mourns passing away of pioneer

2005-09-30

Prof Dudley Vermaak (76), founder and former director of the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Research Institute for Education Planning (RIEP), passed away on Friday 23 September 2005 in George as a result of a stroke.

Prof Vermaak was associated with the UFS for about 23 years. A Centenary Medal was awarded to him in October 2004 by the UFS for his pioneering work in transformation through his initiatives, during the apartheid era, to empower education officials, teachers and postgraduate students from disadvantaged communities in South Africa.

He did pioneering work in the eighties with the training of black teachers, especially senior officials and managers in black education, and with the research and training on the improvement of education in the black community.

“Prof Vermaak was a visionary person who understood the changing South African context in the eighties and started at an early stage with work to improve black schools and the training of black leaders in the education sector. He was a true pioneer at the UFS. We are thankful that we could honour him for this with a Centenary Medal last year,” said Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS.

RIEP originally started off as the Research Unit for Education Planning in 1974 under the guidance of Prof Vermaak. During the apartheid years the institute was intensely involved with research about education in the former homelands. It was also the only organisation that could provide complete education statistics, which was necessary for planning, about the former homelands.

RIEP was also involved with service delivery to the so-called independent and self-governing states regarding training in management and planning and support. Several education officials from these areas undertook their M Ed and D Ed studies with the help of RIEP. Some post-1994 education and political leaders include e.g. Lionel Mtshali, premier of KwaZulu-Natal in 1999-2004.

Prof Vermaak was cremated in George. A memorial service will be held at 10:00 on Saturday 1 October 2005 at the Berg-en-Dal Dutch Reformed Church in Dan Pienaar. Prof Vermaak is survived by his wife, Marietjie, four children and grandchildren. He lived in Kiepersol Retirement Village in Bloemfontein for the past six years.

Media release
Issued by:  Lacea Loader
   Media Representative
   Tel: (051) 401-2584
   Cell: 083 645 2454
   E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
29 September 2005

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