Written by Ivan Dulgerov

Dr. Rafe Lyall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Position: Postdoctoral Researcher

Department: Bioinformatics and Mathematical Modelling, CPSBB

During his PhD at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, Rafe sequenced the transcriptome of the seeds and leaves of the Southern African “resurrection plant” Xerophyta humilis. Over the course of his career, Rafe has acquired expertise in several fields of bioinformatics – particularly next generation sequencing data preparation and analysis.
Rafe’s research focus is on abiotic stress tolerance in plants, and the applications of this knowledge to improving tolerance in agricultural crops.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:

Staykov N., Kanojia A., Lyall R., Ivanova V., Alseekh S., Petrov V., Gechev T. (2025) Sustainable agriculture through seaweed biostimulants: A two-year study demonstrates yield enhancement in pepper and eggplant. Frontiers in Plant Science. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2025.1655340. (IF 4.8)

Radeva-Ivanova V., Pasev G., Lyall R., Angelov M., Nankar A.N., Kostova D. (2022) First report of cucurbit aphid-borne yellows virus causing yellowing disease on pumpkin (cucurbita pepo) and cucumber (cucumis sativus) in Bulgaria. APS Journal. 106(9): 0191-2917. (IF 3.603)

Lyall R., Gechev T. (2020) Multi-omics insights into the evolution of angiosperm resurrection plants. Annual Plant Reviews Online. 3: 1–34.

Lyall R., Schlebusch S. A., Proctor J., Prag M., Hussey S. G., Ingle R. A., Illing N. (2019) Vegetative desiccation tolerance in the resurrection plant Xerophyta humilis has not evolved through reactivation of the seed canonical LAFL regulatory network. The Plant Journal. 101(6): 1349-1367

Lyall R., Ingle R. A., Illing N. (2014) The window of desiccation tolerance shown by early-stage germinating seedlings remains open in the resurrection plant, Xerophyta viscosa. PLoS one: 9(3): e93093.