About
I am from Mozambique, a country located on the southeast coast of Africa. I grew up seeing my parents growing their vegetables and the impact of pests and diseases on their harvest season. My passion for crop production and disease management began there. Then, I decided to learn more about crop production and graduated with a technical degree in agronomy at the Agrarian Institute of Chimoio. After graduating, I earned a scholarship to pursue a B.S. degree in agricultural sciences at EARTH University in Costa Rica. While studying at EARTH University, I came to the United States for a short-term internship in Dr. Philippe Rott's lab at the Everglades Research and Education Center - University of Florida (UF). In Dr. Rott's lab, I collaborated on a study of identifying potential new hosts of Sugarcane yellow leaf virus. This opportunity enhanced my interest in pursuing a career in plant pathology. After almost three years later, I came to UF once again to work with Dr. Megan Dewdney as a student intern for six months and later became a master's student under her supervision.
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Education
University of Florida (UF) - Department of Plant Pathology as Master of science; 2019–Present.
EARTH University in Costa Rica, B.S. degree in Agricultural Sciences; 2014–2017.
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Research
As a master’s student in plant pathology, I am working on determining optimal conditions for Phyllosticta citricarpa growth on twigs, the causal agent of citrus black spot (CBS), and characterize all Phyllosticta species to identify cryptic species in Florida. Also, we are working on identifying the optimal spray timing to control CBS disease in Florida. I am also interested in continuing the screening of mating type genes in the Floridian population of P. citricarpa.
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Publications
Boukari, W., Mollov, D., Wei, C., Tang, L., Grinstead, S., NoumanTahir, M., Mulandesa, E., Hincapie, M., Beiriger, R., Rott, P. (2020). Screening for sugarcane yellow leaf virus in sorghum in Florida revealed its occurrence in mixed infections with sugarcane mosaic virus and a new marafivirus. Crop Protection.139 (2021) 105373.
Boukari, W., Wei, C., Mulandesa, E., Hincapie, M., Mollov, D.S., Beiriger, R., Rott, P. 2017. Natural infection of Sorghum bicolor germplasm by Sugarcane yellow leaf virus in Florida. Phytopathology. S5:137.
Rott, P., Boukari, W., Wei, C., Mulandesa, E., Hincapie, M., Kaye, C., Mollov, D.S. 2017. The weed Sorghum almum is a putative alternative host of sugarcane infecting viruses in Florida. Sugar Journal. 80:14-16.