City of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Plants have always been my abiding passion, and Cucurbit breeding in particular has now kept me occupied for the last two decades, resulting in the introduction of a range of commercial butternut, tropical pumpkin, zucchini, scallop and gem squash varieties into both local (South African) and Global markets. I am accustomed to working closely with Research and Marketing teams, responding to ever changing market needs. I have been blessed with a keen eye for detail, and precision - necessarily useful in planning year-long field and greenhouse trials across multiple locations! Many years managing trials prepared me for my current role of the last 15 years, as Breeding Programme Lead. During this period, numerous breeding projects were initiated, with a specific focus on Yield, Quality and Disease Resistance. Although trained primarily as a Plant Breeder, my involvement on a daily basis in numerous pathology screenings, plus working together with biotechnologists on marker-assisted approaches, has substantially broadened my expertise range. Of late, I have been enjoying my involvement in pre-breeding projects, and all the challenges related to introducing beneficial characteristics from wild relatives. For many years I have dedicated a fair amount of my time to mentoring graduate students and interns, which no doubt aided in receiving an award as one of the 20 Most Influential Breeders in Africa in 2020.