Meet the Team

Our work is made possible by a multidisciplinary team of researchers, students, technicians, collaborators and graduates who contribute to the scientific and extension mission of the McLab Field Pathology & Epidemiology Group.

Principal Investigator

Dr Lisa Rothmann

Principal Investigator | Field Pathology & Epidemiology

Personal website
Email

More about Lisa

Dr Lisa Rothmann leads the McLab Field Pathology & Epidemiology Group at the University of the Free State. Her work focuses on plant disease epidemiology, field pathology methodologies, and applied research supporting producers and industry partners. She supervises postgraduate students, leads multi-stakeholder research programmes and collaborates nationally and internationally on Sclerotinia epidemiology, disease forecasting and sustainable crop protection.

Post-Doctoral Fellows

Dr Knowledge Mushonga

Postdoctoral Fellow
Start: 2025

Research Technicians

Dumolwenkosi Maposa

Research Technician
Start: 2025

Shalya Moodley

Research Technician
Start: 2025

PhD Candidates

Alec Edwards

PhD Candidate | UFS
Co-supervisor
Start: 2022

Thabiso Masisi

PhD Candidate | UFS
Primary supervisor
Start: 2022

MSc & MSc Agric Candidates

Diana Mnogemzulu

MSc Candidate | UFS
Co-supervisor
Start: 2022

Lukhetfo Mazibuko

MSc Candidate | UP-FABI
Co-supervisor
Start: 2025

Mariana van Deventer

MSc Candidate | Stellenbosch University
Co-supervisor
Start: 2023

Marais Cloete

MSc Agric Candidate | UFS
Primary supervisor
Start: 2024

Michelle Rossi

MSc Candidate | UFS – Plantovita
Primary supervisor
Start: 2023

Nomvula Moloi

MSc Agric Candidate | UFS
Primary supervisor
Start: 2024

Tjitjila Makhura

MSc Agric Candidate | UFS – ARC GCI
Primary supervisor
Start: 2025

Athinkosi Nongemane

MSc Agric Candidate | UFS – ARC GCI
Primary supervisor
Start: 2025

More about Athinkosi

Add info here on project 1) aim 1
2) aim 2

Project:

Kwanele Sabela

MSc Agric | UFS
2023–2026

More about Kwanele

Kwanele Sabela completed his MSc Agric in Plant Pathology Interdisciplinary Agronomy in 2025. His dissertation focused on
1) developing & validating a Standard Area Diagram (SAD) for Sclerotinia head rot, and
2) premature desiccation of at-risk sunflower crops.

Project:
Quantifying Sclerotinia head rot of sunflower