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The plant pathology laboratory contains facilities for isolating, multiplying and studying micro-organisms, especially fungi that cause plant diseases.

Facilities within the laboratory include: 

• a Category 2 biosafety cabinet
• illuminated incubators with adjustable temperatures for day and night
• facilities for preparing media and stains
• two dissecting microscopes, one with computer control and camera
• a compound microscope with transmitted light or UV epifluorescence capability.

Besides plant disease work (including virus transmission), the lab is used by staff and students needing microscope facilities or the biosafety cabinet for other specialisms.

This well-equipped, modern laboratory has all the apparatus necessary for the extraction and quantification of nucleic acids and proteins. This apparatus enables the accurate identification of species, or individuals, based on their genetic profile, and the assessment of the expression of selected genes from any material.

The lab is used in a wide range of fundamental and applied research studies that include those on viruses, fungi, plants, soil microflora and insects. Specific examples include studies on:

• identification of genes and their expression in crop plants in response to disease, heat stress or nutrient application
• analysis of endophytic fungi (those that live within a plant)
• molecular interaction between viruses, their insect host and the plant on which the insect feeds.

Principal instruments used in the lab include a SpectraMax multi-mode spectrophotometer plate reader, nanodrop spectrophotometer (nucleic acid assessment), DirectDetect (protein IR spectrometer), tissue lyser (up to 192 nucleic acid extractions at a time), quantitative PCR, and an electrophoresis facility.

There are four analytical laboratories within the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development. These offer an analytical portfolio for a wide range of