Martin Hill
PhD Rhodes University (1995)
Professor and Head of Entomology
Phone +27 [0]46 603 8712
Fax +27 [0]46 622-8959
e-mail m.hill@ru.ac.za
Research interests
Biological control of aquatic weeds
Plant / insect interactions
Teaching interests
Biological control of weeds
Agricultural entomology
Insect functional anatomy
Insect predators and parasitoids
Professional memberships
The Entomological Society of Southern Africa - Vice-President
Personal interests
Sport
Travel
Walking my dogs
Post-graduate supervision
Current students
MSc
1. Kim Canavan Aspects of the ecology of Arundo donax. Co- supervisor
2. Yogie Kistensami. The post-release evaluation of Coelocephalapion camarae, a biocontrol agent released against Lantana camara in South Africa. Supervisor
3. Louise Stafford. The cross sectoral impacts of integrated catchment management in the City of Cape Town. Supervisor
4. Eugene Nepgen. Understanding and improving the Sterile Insect Technique and application thereof, with focus on False Codling Moth (Thaumatotibia leucotreta) (Meyrick). Supervisor
5. Veronique Charter-Fitzgerald. Screening of entomopathogenic fungi against citrus mealybug and citrus thrips. Co-Supervisor
6. Fatima Abdulkadir. Biological control of Diamond Back Moth using a host specific virus. Co-Supervisor
7. Michael Jukes. Investigation into the possible control of Potato Tuber Moth using a baculovirus. Co-Supervisor
8. Claire Love. Mortality factors affecting false codling moth pupae in citrus orchards. Supervisor
9. Kennedy Zimba. The use of a parasitoid wasp to detect citrus fruit infected with false codling moth. Supervisor
10. Izak Pretorius. A revision of the taxonomy of the Eurytomid wasps. Supervisor
PhD
1. Craig Chambers. The potential biological control of codling moth using a host specific virus. Supervisor
2. Roy Jones. Aquatic invasions of the Nseleni River; causes, consequences and control. Supervisor
3. Candice Coombes. The use of entomopathogenic fungi to control the soil-borne life stages of false codling moth. Supervisor
4. Osariyekemwen Uyi. Studies on the population dynamics of Pareuchaetes insulata introduced into South Africa for the biological control of Chromolaena odorata. Supervisor
Past students
MSc
1. Dube, N. 2010. The economic evaluation of possible loss of Prosopis pods as a result of increased biological control in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa. Master of Science in Agricultural Economics, University of Fort Hare, Co-Supervisor
2. Goble, T.A. 2010. Investigation of entomopathogenic fungi for control of false codling moth, Thaumatotibia leucotreta, Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata and Natal fruit fly, C. rosa in South African Citrus. With Distinction, Rhodes University, Supervisor
3. Tourle, R.A. 2010. Effects of ant predation on the efficacy of biological control agents: Hypena laceratalis Walker (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae); Falconia intermedia Distant (Hemiptera: Miridae) and Teleonemia scrupulosa Stål on Lantana camara (Verbenaceae) in South Africa. With Distinction, Rhodes University, Supervisor
4. Katembo, N. 2010. Integrated pest management of water hyacinth. Wits University, Co-Supervisor.
5. King, S. 2011. The isolation of a granulovirus from potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller), for biological control. Rhodes University, Supervisor.
6. King, A. 2011. The effect of temperature on the biological control of water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes, in South Africa. With Distinction, Wits University, Co-Supervisor.
7. Weyl, P.R.S 2012. “Is more, less?” Insect-insect interactions in a biological control context using water hyacinth as a model. With Distinction, Rhodes University, Supervisor.
8. Coombes, C.A. 2013. Entomopathogenic fungi for control of soil-borne life stages of false codling moth, Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) (1912) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). With Distinction, Rhodes University, Supervisor.
PhD
1. Heshula, U.L.P. 2010. Induced plant responses of different Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae) varieties to herbivory by Falconia intermedia (Distant) (Hemiptera: Miridae). Rhodes University, Supervisor.
2. Paterson, I.D. 2011. The biological control of Pereskia aculeata Miller (Cactaceae). PhD, Rhodes University, Supervisor.
3. Marlin, D. 2011. The role of the mite Orthogalumna terebrantis in the biological control programme for water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes, in South Africa. PhD, Rhodes University, Supervisor.
4. Jadhav, A.M. 2011. Integrated control of water hyacinth using a retardant dose of glyphosate herbicide. Wits University, Co-supervisor.
5. Opoku-Debrah, 2012. Studies on existing and new isolates of Cryptophlebia leucotreata ganulovirus (CrleGV) on Thaumatotibia leucotreata populations, from a range of geographic regions in South Africa. Rhodes University, Supervisor.
6. Akpabey, F.J. 2012. Quantification of the cross-sectoral impacts of water weeds and their control in Ghana. Rhodes University, Supervisor.
7. Langa, S.D.F. 2013. Impact and control of waterweeds in the Southern Mozambique Basin rivers. Rhodes University, Supervisor.
8. Goble, T.A. 2013. Towards the development of a mycoinsecticide for the control of white grubs (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in South African sugarcane. Rhodes University, Supervisor.
Recent publications
1. Marlin, D., Hill, M.P., Ripley, B.S., Strauss, A.J. and Byrne, M.J. 2013. The effect of herbivory by the mite Orthogalumna terebrantis on the growth and photosynthetic performance of water hyacinth. Aquatic Botany 104: 60-69.
2. Venter, N., Hill, M.P., Hutchingson, S-L. and Ripley, B.S. 2013. Weevil borne microbes contribute as much to the reduction of photosynthesis in water hyacinth as does herbivory. Biological Control 64: 138-142.
3.Opoku-Debrah, J.K., Hill, M.P., Knox, C. and Moore, S.D. 2013. Overcrowding of false codling moth, Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) leads to the isolation of five new Cryptophlebia leucotreta granulovirus (CrleGV-SA) isolates. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 112: 219-228.
4. Ray, P & Hill, M.P. 2013. Microbial agents for control of aquatic weeds and their role in integrated management. CAB Reviews 8 No. 014: 1-9. doi: 10.1079/PAVSNNR20128014.
5. Abdulkadir, F., Marsburg,T., Knox, C., Hill, M.P. and Moore, S.D. 2013. Morphological and genetic characterisation of a South African Plutella xylostella granulovirus (PlxyGV) isolate. African Entomology 21(1): 168–171.
