It was an exciting day for both MSc Plant Breeding staff and students when 7 of the IMCDA students graduated with their Masters degrees at UKZN on Monday the 8th of April 2019.

The day started with a pre graduation function at the School of Agriculture, Earth & Environmental Sciences (SAEES) where UKZN staff, AGRA representatives and students gathered for a brunch.

Professor Mark Laing & Dr Rufaro Madakadze

Both Professor Mark Laing, director of the African Centre for Crop Imprivement (ACCI), and Dr Rufaro Madakadze, the Program Officer for Education and Training at AGRA, encouraged MSc students to continue with their studies towards a PhD. They also encouraged students to breed new varieties. Dr Madakadze said AGRA works with smallholder farmers and “new varieties are what they need”.

From left:  Sbongeleni Duma, Tamnai Naibei, Joao Antonio Pedro, Nelson Mubai, Nokwethaba Biyela, Dr Rufaro Madakadze, Ruth Magaleta, Nomathemba Majola, Venancio Salegua, Bubala Mwiinga, Prof H Shimelis, Prof Mark Laing. At the back: Prof Rob Melis, Nyasha, Viriato Cossa

The IMCDA students who graduated are:

Nokwethaba Biyela

Dissertation: Genotype by Environment Interaction and Traits Association Study in Maize Hybrids 

Viriato Cossa

Nomathemba Majola

Dissertation: Genetic Diversity, Heritability and Correlation Analysis Among Soybean ( Glycine Max (L.)
Merril) Genotypes in South Africa 

Bubala Mwiinga

Dissertation: Genotype by Environment Interaction, Genetic Variability and Path Analysis for Grain Yield
in Elite Soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merrill] Lines

Nelson Mubai 

Dissertation: Genetic Variability, Path Coefficient and Marker-trait Association Analysis for Resistance
to Rosette Disease in Groundnut 

Joao Antonio Pedro

Dissertation: Evaluation of Soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merrill] Genotypes for Grain Yield and Associated
Agronomic Traits under Low and High Phosphorus Environments 

Venancio Salegua

Dissertation: Breeding Dry Bean for Resistance to Bacterial Brown Spot Disease Conditions in South
Africa