Primary Supervisor
Research Fellow
I am currently appointed as a postdoctoral fellow with FABI and am part of the Grain Research Programme. My broad research interests include plant pathogenic viruses, their arthropod vectors and control of their spread. I completed both my masters and doctoral studies with FABI and went on to complete a number of postdoctoral studies primarily in the agricultural research environment.
Both my MSc and PhD studies focussed on the characterisation of Citrus tristeza virus populations within Southern Africa and how population structures of this virus impacts its control using mild-strain cross protection. My postdoctoral studies involved using a non-targeting RNAseq approach to characterise viral populations of maize, potato and sweet potato in both South Africa and east Africa. In addition to this, a number of opportunities arose to characterise novel viral pathogens in a number of other agriculturally important crops, as well as ornamental and indigenous plant species, which include Macadamia,Alcea, Alstroemeria andwheat.
My research fellowship will continue to focus on the virology of agricultural and ornamental host species and to grow capacity in the plant virology space within FABI.
Coertze S, Coetzee B, Basson E, de Villiers D, Makhura T, Moster D, Slippers B, Rose LJ, Visagie CM, Read D. (2025) First Report of Clavibacter nebraskensis Causing Goss’s Bacterial Leaf Blight on Maize (Zea mays) in South Africa. Plant Disease 10.1094/PDIS-01-25-0164-PDN
Mapfumo P, Archer E, Swanevelder ZH, Wilken M, Creux N, Read DA. (2025) Plant Pathology. Genomic Characterisation of Bidens mottle virus in South Africa and an Assessment of the Impact on Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) in an Open Field Setting 10.1111/ppa.14089
Espach A, Esterhuizen L, Africander N, Thiart S, Read DA, Pietersen G. (2025) First report of pepper ringspot virus on potato (Solanum tuberosum) in South Africa. Journal of Plant Pathology 10.1007/s42161-025-01887-1
Hough B, Wingfield B, Read DA. (2024) Identification and characterization of mycoviruses in transcriptomes from the fungal family Ceratocystidaceae. Virus Genes 10.1007/s11262-024-02112-4
Read DA, Pietersen G, Slippers B, Steenkamp E. (2024) Genomic characterization of novel viruses associated with Olea europaea L. in South Africa. Archives of Virology 10.1007/s00705-024-06132-1
Pietersen G, Morgan S, Read DA. (2024) First report of Citrus concave gum-associated virus (CCGaV) on apple (Malus spp.) in South Africa. Journal of Plant Pathology 10.1007/s42161-024-01629-9
Robert R, Robberste N, Thompson GD, Read DA. (2024) Characterization of macadamia ringspot‑associated virus, a novel Orthotospovirus associated with Macadamia integrifolia in South Africa. European Journal of Plant Pathology 10.1007/s10658-024-02832-1
Read DA, Thompson GD, Swanevelder DZH, Pietersen G. (2023) Metaviromic Characterization of Betaflexivirus Populations Associated with a Vitis cultivar Collection in South Africa. Viruses 10.3390/v15071474
Hough B, Steenkamp ET, Wingfield B, Read DA. (2023) Fungal viruses unveiled: A comprehensive review of Mycoviruses. Viruses 10.3390/v15051202
Morgan SW, Read DA, Burger JT, Pietersen G. (2023) Diversity of viroids infecting grapevines in the South African Vitis germplasm collection. Virus Genes 10.1007/s11262-023-01971-7
Primary Supervisor