Plant path, mycology, and CRISPR nerd 🌱🧬| PhD candidate at @Fabiteam1 🔬 | Lover of all things fungi 🍄 | She/her 🏳️‍🌈 Opinions are my own.

Joined April 2021
94 Photos and videos
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So excited that my first FIRST author article is out! 🥳 We used CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing to uncover the role of the Pgs gene in Fusarium circinatum—a major pine pathogen. 🌲🧬 Read more: doi.org/10.1016/j.fgb.2025.1… 🧵👇
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Alida van Dijk retweeted
4 Jul 2025
🪲 FABI Friday Feature Meet Nudaurelia clarki – the Pine Emperor Moth. Native to southern Africa, this moth is both beautiful and destructive. Its larvae feed gregariously on pine needles, causing severe defoliation. #FABIFriday #Entomology
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Alida van Dijk retweeted
27 Jun 2025
🌿 FABI Friday Feature This week we spotlight Austropuccinia psidii – the rust fungus behind Myrtle Rust, a serious threat to Myrtaceae species. #FABIFriday
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Alida van Dijk retweeted
Our paper is out! 🧫 #Pseudopithomyces toxicarius was identified - causal agent of facial eczema in 🐄 🌍 📊 Several other species & known #mycotoxin producers were also identified 🔗 link.springer.com/article/10… @mycobiomics @Fabiteam1
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Alida van Dijk retweeted
Silent invaders: the hidden threat of asymptomatic phytobiomes to forest biosecurity Tanney et al. @fabiteam1 📖 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/…
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Alida van Dijk retweeted
Silent invaders: The hidden threat of asymptomatic phytobiomes to forest biosecurity Tanney, Kemler, Vivas, Wingfield, Slippers New Phytologist - Wiley Online Library nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/… @Fabiteam1 @UPnasagric @NewPhyt
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Alida van Dijk retweeted
16 May 2025
For this week’s #FABIFridayFeature, we’re highlighting Botrytis cinerea - a necrotrophic fungus causing grey mould in 200 dicot plants, including lemons 🍋. It leads to petal necrosis, premature flower drop, and rind distortion. #PlantPathology #Botrytis
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Alida van Dijk retweeted
26 Jun 2024
What if we could universally recombine, insert, delete, or invert any two pieces of DNA? In back-to-back @Nature papers, we report the discovery of bridge RNAs and 3 atomic structures of the first natural RNA-guided recombinase - a new mechanism for programmable genome design
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Alida van Dijk retweeted
The NRF’s 2026 Master’s and Doctoral Funding call is available here: nrf.ac.za/dsi-nrf-postgradua… It is compulsory for applicants to consult the NRF’s official documents (Framework, Application, and FAQ Guides) before posting queries or submitting applications.
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Alida van Dijk retweeted
Forest pathology molecular model system Oostlander et al. @a_oostlander @bernardslippers @fabiteam1 📖 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/…
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Alida van Dijk retweeted
“If it is worth sequencing 🧬, it is worth keeping it 🧫” (@CobusVisagie2). Excellent presentation on the importance of culture collections and their connection to Plant diagnostic clinics. Congratulations to the @Fabiteam1 group for their efforts to preserve fungi and make reference strains accessible to scientists working on different fields of #planthealth #TPCP2025 #foresthealth #fungi @UPTuks @icpp2023 @ippcnews @IUFROdivision7 @MSAFungi @plantdisease
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A thought-provoking panel discussion wraps up #TPCP2025 Day 2: exploring the complexities of building sustainable, effective partnerships between government, industry, and academia to protect forest health. @Fabiteam1 @ICFR_SA @ForestrySa @WitsGCI @DLRRD_za
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Alida van Dijk retweeted
14 May 2025
"Keep collecting and preserving." Prof Cobus Visagie @CobusVisagie2 emphasises the importance of studying fungi. Having access to cultures is becoming increasingly important! 🍄 #TPCP2025 #TreeHealth #Forestry @GrainSA
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Alida van Dijk retweeted
14 May 2025
Day 2 of the #TPCP2025 meeting is kicked off by Dr Ilaria Germishuizen @IlariaG68 @ICFR_SA! She gave an overview of remote sensing based research for forest management. 🌲 She emphasised the importance of collaboration, it is the key to the future! 🤝 #TreeHealth #Forestry
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Prof. @SteenkampEmma presents on SIGS (spray-induced gene silencing) for managing Fusarium circinatum in nurseries - exploring innovative, targeted strategies to protect young pines from this devastating pathogen. #TPCP2025 #Fusarium #TreeHealth #SIGS #FABI
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Alida van Dijk retweeted
13 May 2025
Ms Brittney-Aidan Jamieson gives a speed talk on the development of an effective screening protocol for Quambalaria eucalypti. 🌿 #TPCP2025 #TreeHealth #Forestry
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I've been part of the diagnostic clinic for 4 years, and it's incredible to see how it's grown. Dr. @nel_wilma shared how this work - field visits, lab processing, and diagnostics - helps detect current and emerging pests & diseases. Proud to be part of it! #TPCP2025 #TreeHealth
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"Forest pests and pathogens know no boundaries.” Prof. @IreneBarnes19 Barnes & Prof. @leptograph share lessons from the RGE-FABI Tree Health Programme: collaboration is key, monitoring is vital, and sharing tools & tech accelerates impact. #TPCP2025 #TreeHealth #FABI
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Alida van Dijk retweeted
13 May 2025
Dr Sam van Holsbeeck @HolsbeeckSam, from the University of the Sunshine Coast, sharing his insights into solutions for priority plant pest and pathogen management in Australian forestry plantations. 🌲 #TPCP2025 #TreeHealth #Forestry
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Alida van Dijk retweeted
13 May 2025
Prof. Brett Hurley @bphurley4, professor at the University of Pretoria, giving his talk on global perspectives on biocontrol agents in plantation forests at the annual #TPCP2025 meeting. 🌲 #TreeHealth @CropWatchAfrica
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