Renowned plant genomicist visits CenGen

Professor Simon Krattinger, cereal genomics researcher at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia and formerly from the University of Zürich, recently visited CenGen.  

He is a key partner in the KAUST-South Africa Wheat Gene Cloning Group that is attempting to clone a stripe rust resistance gene that was previously identified as a slow rust quantitative trait locus (QTL) in the South African wheat cultivar Kariega.

The project will additionally allow for the transfer of knowledge regarding gene cloning approaches and the bioinformatics associated therewith to the South African team.

Dr Renée Prins also introduced Prof Krattinger to researchers at Stellenbosch University to discuss the possibility of collaborative work between SU and KAUST.

Apart from discussing the project’s progress and planning the next steps on CenGen’s to do list, Prof Krattinger was also entertained in true South African style with good red wine, milk tart and braaivleis.

Members of the KAUST-South Africa Wheat Gene Cloning Group, FLTR: Prof Simon Krattinger (KAUST) Dr Renée Prins and Ms. Corneli de Klerk (CenGen) Prof Zak Pretorius, Dr Willem Boshoff and Mr. Hancko Minnaar (UFS).