Prof Teresa Coutinho, Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Genetics (BGM) and a member of the Phytobacteriology Research group in the Forestry Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), was recently given an outstanding contribution award in recognition and appreciation of her exceptional leadership in Pantoea research over the past 27 years.

“Personally, this award is a profound honour. It represents recognition of the many years I have devoted to understanding and addressing plant bacterial diseases — work that has been both challenging and immensely rewarding.

It reaffirms my passion for phytobacteriology and reminds me of the importance of curiosity, resilience, and mentorship in science. It also reflects the collective efforts of my students, collaborators, and colleagues, without whom this journey would not have been possible. Professionally, the award acknowledges that my research has made a meaningful contribution to plant pathology in South Africa and internationally,” Prof Coutinho said.

Pantoea 2025, the first International Scientific Conference for Pantoea Research, took place in July 2025 at Skukuza, Kruger National Park. The conference was organised in association with the Southern African Society for Plant Pathology.

Prof Coutinho explained, “Pantoea is a bacterial genus, and occupies a diverse range of environments. Species in the genus are responsible for numerous important plant diseases, such as bulb rot of onion and Stewart’s wilt of maize. Strains of some species are also used as very successful biological control agents. In its association with plants, it can be a primary or opportunistic pathogen. In the latter case, stressful conditions, possibly due to climate change, often lead to the onset of a disease, resulting in increasing first reports worldwide. In South Africa, a few species are seedborne, especially in onions, and the introduction of contaminated seedlots has resulted in disease outbreaks in other countries.”

Prof Teresa Coutinho and Prof Bhabesh Dutta from UGA in the US.
 

Pantoea 2025 gathered together leading researchers, academics, and industry professionals in the international Pantoea research community. The conference included a three-day scientific programme with five scientific sessions, viz., plant pathology, ecology, genomics, biocontrol and new frontiers, and networking and social events. The objectives were to build and support international scientific collaborations, celebrate and share historical and current research on this fascinating group of organisms, and bolster the growing community of Pantoea researchers.