Research groups: Molecular Plant-Pathogen Interactions · Grain Research Programme
Prof Dave Berger
Professor
About
My research aims to gain a better understanding of the molecular dialogue between plants and pathogens with the long term goal of developing sustainable strategies to control crop diseases of relevance in Africa. The MPPI research group is currently focused on understanding the host-pathogen interaction in grey leaf spot disease of maize. We implement a range of approaches from whole plant phenotyping to genomics to investigate this pathosystem.
In addition, I have often been involved in projects that apply genomics to better understand plant biology and diversity. The current project in this theme is focused on the medicinally important tree genus Greyia that is endemic in South Africa.
Prior to joining the University of Pretoria, I completed a PhD in Microbiology at the University of Cape Town, South Africa (1990), where I cloned, sequenced and characterized a key transcriptional regulator involved in nitrogen metabolism of the "gold mining" bacterium, Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. A key part of this study was developing a novel screen that exploited the gene’s regulatory role in gas production of bacteria.
My Postdoctoral stint was spent at the University of California, Berkeley, USA (1991-1993). The host laboratory was at the cutting edge of describing the transcriptional regulation of nitrogen metabolism in bacteria. My research contributed to understanding the biochemistry of DNA bending by integration host factor and phosphorylation-based two-component transcriptional activation.
On return to South Africa, I joined the Plant Biotechnology Group of the Agricultural Research Council, where I developed a research focus on polygalacturonase inhibiting proteins and their role in defence against fungal pathogens (1993 – 2000).
I joined the Plant Science Department at the University of Pretoria as a member of FABI (2000) and setup a DNA microarray facility, which formed the basis of a gene expression profiling service. With the advent of next-generation sequencing, this is now superseded by other initiatives such as the UP Genomics Laboratory. However, it laid the foundation for the genomics and bioinformatics approaches that have been implemented subsequently in the MPPI research programme.
Botha I, De Canha MN, Oberlander K, Botes J, Lall N, Berger DK
(2025)
DNA barcoding and anti-tyrosinase activities of three species-representative populations of the genus Greyia Hook & Harv.
South African Journal of Botany.
189.
doi: 10.1016/j.sajb.2025.11.035
Nadasen T, Buitendag C, Visser R, Welgemoed T, Hein I, Berger DK (2025) A latent invader: transcriptomics reveals Cercospora zeina’s stealth infection strategy of maize and immune-activating effectors. Frontiers in Plant Science. 16. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1703682
Botes J, Ma X, Chang J, Van de Peer Y, Berger DK (2025) Flavonoids and anthocyanins in seagrasses: implications for climate change adaptation and resilience. Frontiers in Plant Science. 15. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1520474
Abkallo HM, Arbuthnot P, Auer TO, Berger DK, Burger J, Chakauya E, Concordet J-P, Diabate A, Di Donato V, Groenewald J-H, Guindo A, Koekemoer LL, Nazare F, Nolan T, Okumu F, Orefuwa E, Paemka L, Prieto-Godino L, Runo S, Sadler M, Tesfaye K, Tripathi L, Wondji C (2024) Making genome editing a success story in Africa. Nature Biotechnology.
Tembo M, Mahlangu JNN, Berger DK, Chimutingiza H, Chikoti PC, Prasanna BM, Suresh LM, Nsibo DL (2024) First report of Bipolaris yamadae and Exserohilum rostrum associated with leaf spots of maize (Zea maydis) in Zambia. Plant Disease. 108. doi: 10.1094/PDIS-05-24-1116-PDN
Nsibo DL, Barnes I, Berger DK (2024) Recent advances in the population biology and management of maize foliar fungal pathogens Exserohilum turcicum, Cercospora zeina and Bipolaris maydis in Africa. Frontiers in Plant Science. 15.
Marais I, Buitendag C, Duong TA, Crampton BG, Theron J, Kidanemarium D, Berger DK (2024) Double-stranded RNA uptake for the control of the maize pathogen Cercospora zeina. Plant Pathology. 73. doi: 10.1111/ppa.13909
Omondi DO, Dida MM, Berger DK, Beyene Y, Nsibo DL, Juma C, Mahabaleswara SL, Gowda M (2023) Combination of Linkage and Association Mapping with Genomic Prediction to Infer QTL Regions Associated with Gray Leaf Spot and Northern Corn Leaf Blight Resistance in Tropical Maize. Frontiers in Genetics. 14. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1282673
Welgemoed T, Duong TA, Barnes I, Stukenbrock EH, Berger DK (2023) Population genomic analyses suggest recent dispersal events of the pathogen Cercospora zeina into East and Southern African maize cropping systems. G3 Genes|Genomes|Genetics. doi: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad214
Wingfield, Brenda D., Berger, Dave K., Coetzee, Martin P. A., Duong, Tuan A., Martin, Anke, Pham, Nam Q., van den Berg, Noelani, Wilken, P. Markus, Arun-Chinnappa, Kiruba Shankari, Barnes, Irene, Buthelezi, Sikelela, Dahanayaka, Buddhika Amarasinghe, Durán, Alvaro, Engelbrecht, Juanita, Feurtey, Alice, Fourie, Arista, Fourie, Gerda, Hartley, Jesse, Kabwe, Eugene N. K., Maphosa, Mkhululi, Narh Mensah, Deborah L., Nsibo, David L., Potgieter, Lizel, Poudel, Barsha, Stukenbrock, Eva H., Thomas, Chanel, Vaghefi, Niloofar, Welgemoed, Tanya, Wingfield, Michael J. (2022) IMA genome‑F17 Draft genome sequences of an Armillaria species from Zimbabwe, Ceratocystis colombiana, Elsinoë necatrix, Rosellinia necatrix, two genomes of Sclerotinia minor, short‑read genome assemblies and annotations of four Pyrenophora teres isolates from barley grass, and a long-read genome assembly of Cercospora zeina. 13. doi: 10.1186/s43008-022-00104-3
Craze HA, Pillay N, Joubert F, Berger DK (2022) Deep Learning Diagnostics of Gray Leaf Spot in Maize under Mixed Disease Field Conditions. Plants. 11.
Nsibo DL, Barnes I, Omondi DO, Dida MM, Berger DK (2021) Population genetic structure and migration patterns of the maize pathogenic fungus, Cercospora zeina in East and Southern Africa. Fungal Genetics and Biology. 149. doi: 10.1016/j.fgb.2021.103527
Berger DK, Mokgobu T, De Ridder K, Christie N, Aveling TAS (2020) Benefits of maize resistance breeding and chemical control against northern leaf blight in smallholder farms in South Africa. South African Journal of Science. 12. doi: 10.17159/sajs.2020/8286
Aveling TAS, De Ridder K, Olivier NA, Berger DK (2020) Seasonal variation in mycoflora associated with asymptomatic maize grain from small-holder farms in two provinces of South Africa. Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics (JARTS). 121. doi: 10.17170/kobra-202011262275
Welgemoed T, Pierneef R, Read DA, Schulze SE, Pietersen G, Berger DK (2020) Next generation sequencing reveals past and current widespread occurrence of maize yellow mosaic virus in South Africa. European Journal of Plant Pathology. 158. doi: 10.1007/s10658-020-02070-1
Human MP, Berger DK, Crampton BG (2020) Time-course RNAseq reveals Exserohilum turcicum effectors and pathogenicity determinants. Frontiers in Microbiology. 11. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00360
Welgemoed T, Pierneef R, Sterck L, Van de Peer Y, Swart V, Scheepers KD, Berger DK (2020) De novo assembly of transcriptomes from a B73 maize line introgressed with a QTL for resistance to gray leaf spot disease reveals a candidate allele of a lectin receptor-like kinase. Frontiers in Plant Science.
Read DA, Featherstone J, Rees DJG, Thompson GD, Roberts R, Flett BC, Mashingaidze K, Berger DK, Welgemoed T, Pietersen G, Schulze SE, Kiula B, Kullaya A, Mbega E (2019) First report of maize yellow mosaic virus (MaYMV) on maize (Zea mays) in Tanzania. Journal of Plant Pathology. 101. doi: 10.1007/s42161-018-0152-5
Nsibo DL, Barnes I, Kunene NT, Berger DK (2019) Influence of farming practices on the population genetics of the maize pathogen Cercospora zeina in South Africa. Fungal Genetics and Biology. 125. doi: 10.1016/j.fgb.2019.01.005
Viljoen E, Odeny DA, Coetzee MPA, Berger DK, Rees DJG (2018) Application of Chloroplast Phylogenomics to Resolve Species Relationships Within the Plant Genus Amaranthus. Journal of Molecular Evolution. 86. doi: 10.1007/s00239-018-9837-9
Liversage J, Coetzee MPA, Bluhm BH, Berger DK, Crampton BG (2018) LOVe across kingdoms: Blue light perception vital for growth and development in plant–fungal interactions. Fungal Biology Reviews. 32. doi: 10.1016/j.fbr.2017.11.003
Amuge T, Berger DK, Katari MS, Myburg AA, Goldman SL, Ferguson ME (2017) A time series transcriptome analysis of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) varieties challenged with Ugandan cassava brown streak virus. Scientific Reports. 7. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-09617-z
Zwart L, Berger DK, Moleleki LN, Van der Merwe NA, Myburg AA, Naidoo S (2017) Evidence for salicylic acid signalling and histological changes in the defence response of Eucalyptus grandis to Chrysoporthe austroafricana. Scientific Reports. 7. doi: 10.1038/srep45402
Wingfield BD, Berger DK, Steenkamp ET, Lim H-J, Duong TA, Bluhm BH, De Beer ZW, De Vos L, Fourie G, Naidoo, K, Olivier NA, Lin, Y-C, Van der Peer Y, Joubert F, Crampton BG, Swart V, Soal N, Tatham C, Van der Nest MA, Van der Merwe NA, Van Wyk S, Wilken PM, Wingfield MJ (2017) IMA Genome-F 8 Draft genome of Cercospora zeina, Fusarium pininemorale, Hawksworthiomyces lignivorus, Huntiella decipiens and Ophiostoma ips. IMA Fungus. 8. doi: 10.5598/imafungus.2017.08.02.10
Meyer J, Berger DK, Christensen SA, Murray SL (2017) RNA-Seq analysis of resistant and susceptible sub-tropical maize lines reveals a role for kauralexins in resistance to grey leaf spot disease, caused by Cercospora zeina. BMC Plant Biology. 17. doi: 10.1186/s12870-017-1137-9
Swart V, Crampton BG, Ridenour JB, Bluhm BH, Olivier NA, Meyer JJM, Berger DK (2017) Complementation of CTB7 in the maize pathogen Cercospora zeina overcomes the lack of in vitro cercosporin production. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions. 30. doi: 10.1094/MPMI-03-17-0054-R
Christie N, Myburg AA, Joubert F, Murray SL, Carstens M, Lin Y-C, Meyer J, Crampton BG, Christensen SA, Ntuli JF, Wighard SS, Van de Peer Y, Berger DK (2017) Systems genetics reveals a transcriptional network associated with susceptibility in the maize-gray leaf spot pathosystem. The Plant Journal. 89. doi: 10.1111/tpj.13419
Reitmann A, Berger DK, van den Berg N (2017) Putative pathogenicity genes of Phytophthora cinnamomi identified via RNA-Seq analysis of pre-infection structures. European Journal of Plant Pathology. 147. doi: 10.1007/s10658-016-0993-8
Daru B, Berger DK, Van Wyk AE (2016) Opportunities for unlocking the potential of genomics for African trees. New Phytologist. 210. doi: 10.1111/nph.13826
Ronishree Magwanda, Lizahn Zwart, Nicolaas A. van der Merwe, Lucy Moleleki, Dave Kenneth Berger, Alexander A. Myburg, Sanushka Naidoo (2016) Localization and Transcriptional Responses of Chrysoporthe austroafricana in Eucalyptus grandis Identify Putative Pathogenicity Factors. Front. Microbiol.. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01953
Muller MF, Barnes I, Kunene NT, Crampton BG, Bluhm B, Phillips S, Olivier NA, Berger DK (2016)Cercospora zeina from maize in South Africa exhibits high genetic diversity and lack of regional population differentiation. Phytopathology. 106. doi: 10.1094/PHYTO-02-16-0084-FI
Oelofse D, Gazendam I, Veale A, Djami-Tchatchou A, Berger D, Dubery I (2016) Functional characterization of a defense-related class-III chitinase promoter from Lupinus albus, active in legume and monocot tissues. European Journal of Plant Pathology. 146. doi: 10.1007/s10658-016-0970-2
Meyer FE, Shuey LS, Ramsuchit S, Mamni T, Berger DK, van den Berg N, Myburg AA, Naidoo S (2016) Dual RNA-sequencing of Eucalyptus nitens during Phytophthora cinnamomi challenge reveals pathogen and host factors influencing compatibility. Frontiers in Plant Science. 7. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2016.00191
Meyer J, Murray SL, Berger DK (2016) Signals that stop the rot: Regulation of secondary metabolite defences in cereals. Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology. 94. doi: 10.1016/j.pmpp.2015.05.011
Hussey SG, Mizrachi E, Groover A, Berger DK, Myburg AA (2015) Genome-wide mapping of histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation in Eucalyptus grandis developing xylem. BMC Plant Biology. 15. doi: 10.1186/s12870-015-0499-0
Berger DK, Carstens M, Korsman JN, Middleton F, Kloppers FJ, Tongoona P, Myburg AA (2014) Mapping QTL conferring resistance in maize to gray leaf spot disease caused by Cercospora zeina. BMC Genetics. 15. doi: 10.1186/1471-2156-15-60
Mizrachi E, Maloney VJ, Silberbauer J, Hefer CA, Berger DK, Mansfield SD, Myburg AA (2014) Investigating the molecular underpinnings underlying morphology and changes in carbon partitioning during tension wood formation in Eucalyptus. New Phytologist. 204. doi: 10.1111/nph.13152
Naidoo R, Ferreira L, Berger DK, Myburg AA, Naidoo S (2013) The identification and differential expression of Eucalyptus grandis pathogenesis-related genes in response to salicylic acid and methyl jasmonate. Frontiers in Plant Science. 4. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2013.00043
Van der Linden L, Bredenkamp J, Naidoo S, Fouche-Weich J, Denby KJ, Genin S, Marco Y, Berger DK (2013) Gene-for-Gene Tolerance to Bacterial Wilt in Arabidopsis. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions. 26. doi: 10.1094/MPMI-07-12-0188-R
Van Schalkwyk A, Wenzl P, Smit S, Lopez-Cobollo R, Kilian A, Bishop G, Hefer C, Berger D (2012) Bin mapping of tomato diversity array (DArT) markers to genomic regions of Solanum lycopersicum X Solanum pennellii introgression lines. Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 124. doi: 10.1007/s00122-011-1759-5
Korsman J, Meisel B, Kloppers F, Crampton B, Berger D (2012) Quantitative phenotyping of grey leaf spot disease in maize using real-time PCR. European Journal of Plant Pathology. 133. doi: 10.1007/s10658-011-9920-1
Hussey SG, Mizrachi E, Spokevicius AV, Bossinger G, Berger DK (2011) SND2, a NAC transcription factor gene, regulates genes involved in secondary cell wall development in Arabidopsis fibres and increases fibre cell area in Eucalyptus. BMC Plant Biology. 11. doi: 10.1186/1471-2229-11-173
Hussey S, Mizrachi E, Berger D, Myburg AA (2011) The role of SND2 in the regulation of Arabidopsis fibre secondary cell wall formation. BMC Proceedings. 5. doi: 10.1186/1753-6561-5-S7-P114
Naidoo S, Fouche-Weich J, Law P, Denby KJ, Marco Y, Berger DK (2011) A Eucalyptus bacterial wilt isolate from South Africa is pathogenic on Arabidopsis and manipulates host defences. Forest Pathology. 41. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0329.2010.00642.x
Solomon OL, Berger DK, Myburg AA (2010) Diurnal and circadian regulation of carbon allocation in developing xylem of Eucalyptus trees. South African Journal of Botany. 76. doi: 10.1016/j.sajb.2010.02.087
Coetzer N, Gazendam I, Oelofse D, Berger DK (2010) SSHscreen and SSHdb, generic software for microarray based gene discovery: application to the stress response in cowpea. Plant Methods. 6. doi: 10.1186/1746-4811-6-10
Legay G, Marouf E, Berger D, Neuhaus JM, Mauch-Mani B, Slaughter A (2010) Identification of genes expressed during the compatible interaction of grapevine with Plasmopara viticola through suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH). European Journal of Plant Pathology. 129. doi: 10.1007/s10658-010-9676-z
Solomon OL, Berger DK, Myburg AA (2010) Diurnal and circadian patterns of gene expression in the developing xylem of Eucalyptus trees. South African Journal of Botany. 76. doi: 10.1016/j.sajb.2010.02.087
Coetzer N, Gazendam I, Oelofse D, Berger DK (2010) SSHscreen and SSHdb, generic software for microarray based gene discovery: application to the stress response in cowpea. Plant Methods. 6.
Crampton BG, Hein I, Berger DK (2009) Salicylic acid confers resistance to a biotrophic rust pathogen, Puccinia substriata, in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum). Molecular Plant Pathology. 10.
Meisel B, Korsman J, Kloppers F, Berger DK (2009)Cercospora zeina is the causal agent of grey leaf spot disease of maize in southern Africa. European Journal of Plant Pathology. 124. doi: 10.1007/s10658-009-9443-1
van den Berg N, Berger DK, Hein I, Birch PRJ, Wingfield MJ, Viljoen A (2009) Genes up-regulated in tolerant cavendish banana roots in response to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense infection. Acta Horticulturae. 828.
Creux NM, Ranik M, Berger DK, Myburg AA (2008) Comparative analysis of orthologous cellulose synthase promoters from Arabidopsis, Populus and Eucalyptus: evidence of conserved regulatory elements in angiosperms. New Phytologist. 179. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2008.02517.x
Law P, Claudel-Renard C, Joubert F, Louw A, Berger D (2008) MADIBA: A web server toolkit for biological interpretation of Plasmodium and plant gene clusters. BMC Genomics. 9.
Naidoo S, Murray SL, Denby KJ, Berger DK (2007) Microarray analysis of the Arabidopsis thaliana cir1 (constitutively induced resistance 1) mutant reveals candidate defence response genes against Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato DC3000. South African Journal of Botany. 73.
van den Berg N, Berger DK, Hein I, Birch PRJ, Wingfield MJ, Viljoen A (2007) Tolerance in banana to Fusarium wilt is associated with early up-regulation of cell wall-strengthening genes in the roots. Molecular Plant Pathology. 8. doi: 10.1111/j.1364-3703.2007.00389.x
Fouche-Weich J, Berger D, Poussier S, Trigalet-Demery D, Coutinho T (2006) Molecular identification of some African strains of Ralstonia solanacearum from eucalypt and potato. Journal of General Plant Pathology. 72.
Oelofse D, Dubery IA, Meyer R, Arendse MS, Gazendam I, Berger DK (2006) Apple polygalacturonase inhibiting protein1 expressed in transgenic tobacco inhibits polygalacturonases from fungal pathogens of apple and the anthracnose pathogen of lupins. Phytochemistry. 67.
Lotter HC, Berger DK (2005) Anthracnose of lupins in South Africa in caused by Colletotrichum lupini var. setosum. Australasian Plant Pathology. 34.
Naidoo S, Denby KJ, Berger DK (2005) Microarray experiments: considerations for experimental design. South African Journal of Science. 101.
Gazendam I, Oelofse D, Berger DK (2004) High-level expression of apple PGIP1 is not sufficient to protect transgenic potato against Verticillium dahliae. Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology. 65.
Crampton BG, van den Berg N, Hein I, Birch PRJ, Berger DK (2004) High-throughput screening of suppression subtractive hybridization cDNA libraries using DNA microarray analysis. BioTechniques. 37.
Lezar S, Myburg AA, Berger DK, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD (2004) Development and assessment of microarray-based DNA fingerprinting in Eucalyptus grandis. Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 109. doi: 10.1007/s00122-004-1759-9
Bhoora R, Berger DK, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD (2003) PCR cloning by genome walking of a complete polygalacturonase-inhibiting protein gene from Eucalyptus grandis. South African Journal of Science. 99.
Murray SL, Denby KJ, Berger DK, Loake GJ (2002) Disease resistance signalling in Arabidopsis: Applications in the study of plant pathology in South Africa. South African Journal of Science. 98.
Botha WJ, Serfontein S, Greyling MM, Berger DK (2001) Detection of Xylophilus ampelinus in grapevine cuttings using a nested polymerase chain reaction. Plant Pathology. 50.
O'Kennedy MM, Burger JT, Berger DK (2001) Transformation of elite white maize using the particle inflow gun and detailed analysis of a low-copy integration event. Plant Cell Reports. 20.
Berger DK, Oelofse D, Arendse MS, du Plessis E, Dubery IA (2000) Bean polygalacturonase inhibitor protein-1 (PGIP-1) inhibits polygalacturonases from Stenocarpella maydis. Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology. 57.
De Villiers SM, Kamo K, Thomson JA, Bornman CH, Berger DK (2000) Biolistic transformation of Chincherinchee (Ornithogalum) and regeneration of transgenic plants. Physiologia Plantarum. 109.
Murray SL, Burger JT, Oelofse D, Cress WA, Van Staden J, Berger DK (1998) Transformation of potato (cv. Late Harvest) with the potato leafroll virus coat protein gene, and molecular analysis of transgenic lines. South African Journal of Science. 94.
Murray SL, Van Vuuren RJ, Berger DK (1998) Tomato transformation is dependent upon Agrobacterium cell density and acetosyringone levels. Journal of the Southern African Society for Horticultural Sciences. 8.
Berger DK, Narberhaus F, Lee HS, Kustu S (1995)In vitro studies of the domains of the nitrogen fixation regulatory protein NifA. The Journal of Bacteriology. 177.
Berger DK, Narberhaus F, Kustu S (1994) The isolated catalytic domain of NifA, a bacterial enhancer-binding protein, activates transcription in vitro: activation is inhibited by NifL. PNAS. 91.
Kilkenny CA, Berger DK, Rawlings DE (1994) Isolation of the Thiobacillus ferrooxidans ntrBC genes using a T. ferrooxidans nifH-lacZ fusion. Microbiology. 140.
Lee HS, Berger DK, Kustu S (1993) Activity of purified NIFA, a transcriptional activator of nitrogen fixation genes. PNAS. 90.
Santero E, Hoover TR, North AK, Berger DK, Porter SC, Kustu S (1992) Role of integration host factor in stimulating transcription from the sigma 54-dependent nifH promoter. Journal of Molecular Biology. 227.
Berger DK, Woods DR, Rawlings DE (1990) Complementation of Escherichia coli sigma 54 (NtrA)-dependent formate hydrogenlyase activity by a cloned Thiobacillus ferrooxidans ntrA gene. Journal of Bacteriology. 172.
Pillay N, Gerber M, Holan K, Whitham SA, Berger DK (2021) Quantifying the Severity of Common Rust in Maize Using Mask R-CNN. Artificial Intelligence and Soft Computing. ICAISC 2021. Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence, vol 12854..
Carstens M, Berger DK (2016) Biotechnology and Crop Disease Resistance in South Africa. Biotechnology for Plant Disease Control.
My Publications
Botha I, De Canha MN, Oberlander K, Botes J, Lall N, Berger DK. (2025) DNA barcoding and anti-tyrosinase activities of three species-representative populations of the genus Greyia Hook & Harv. South African Journal of Botany 10.1016/j.sajb.2025.11.035
Nadasen T, Buitendag C, Visser R, Welgemoed T, Hein I, Berger DK. (2025) A latent invader: transcriptomics reveals Cercospora zeina’s stealth infection strategy of maize and immune-activating effectors. Frontiers in Plant Science 10.3389/fpls.2025.1703682
Botes J, Ma X, Chang J, Van de Peer Y, Berger DK. (2025) Flavonoids and anthocyanins in seagrasses: implications for climate change adaptation and resilience. Frontiers in Plant Science 10.3389/fpls.2024.1520474
Abkallo HM, Arbuthnot P, Auer TO, Berger DK, Burger J, Chakauya E, Concordet J-P, Diabate A, Di Donato V, Groenewald J-H, Guindo A, Koekemoer LL, Nazare F, Nolan T, Okumu F, Orefuwa E, Paemka L, Prieto-Godino L, Runo S, Sadler M, Tesfaye K, Tripathi L, Wondji C. (2024) Making genome editing a success story in Africa. Nature Biotechnology
Tembo M, Mahlangu JNN, Berger DK, Chimutingiza H, Chikoti PC, Prasanna BM, Suresh LM, Nsibo DL. (2024) First report of Bipolaris yamadae and Exserohilum rostrum associated with leaf spots of maize (Zea maydis) in Zambia. Plant Disease 10.1094/PDIS-05-24-1116-PDN
Nsibo DL, Barnes I, Berger DK. (2024) Recent advances in the population biology and management of maize foliar fungal pathogens Exserohilum turcicum, Cercospora zeina and Bipolaris maydis in Africa. Frontiers in Plant Science
Omondi DO, Dida MM, Berger DK, Beyene Y, Nsibo DL, Juma C, Mahabaleswara SL, Gowda M. (2023) Combination of Linkage and Association Mapping with Genomic Prediction to Infer QTL Regions Associated with Gray Leaf Spot and Northern Corn Leaf Blight Resistance in Tropical Maize. Frontiers in Genetics 10.3389/fgene.2023.1282673
Welgemoed T, Duong TA, Barnes I, Stukenbrock EH, Berger DK. (2023) Population genomic analyses suggest recent dispersal events of the pathogen Cercospora zeina into East and Southern African maize cropping systems. G3 Genes|Genomes|Genetics 10.1093/g3journal/jkad214
