Dr. Antonet Svircev

Image Antonet Maria Svircev
Research Scientist
  • Development and implementation of novel bacteriophage-mediated biopesticide for control of plant pathogens.
  • Bacteriophage resistance mechanisms: role of exopolysaccharides, lysogeny, CRISPRs and molecular based studies on phage host range and bacterial host infection
  • Integrated biological control, host-parasite relations, induced plant resistance, pathogen epidemiology, traditional and molecular detection of tree fruit pathogens.

Current research and/or projects

  • Control of fire blight using a dual action high efficacy phage-carrier mediated biological
  • Bacteriophage resistance mechanisms
  • Identification and characterization of the causal agent(s) of fruit tree decline in Canada

Research and/or project statements

  • Development and implementation of integrated pest management program (IPM) for control of fire blight for Canadian apple and pear industry.
  • The development of a novel high efficacy phage-mediated biopesticide that can be easily incorporated into orchard IPM programs.
  • Examine/study the impact of the phage biopesticide on the streptomycin sensitive/ resistant wild type populations in the orchard.
  • Formulation of the phage-carrier biopesticide and field based efficacy trials.

Education and awards

BSc (Hons.), Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario, 1979

PhD Plant Sciences, University of Western Ontario, 1984

NSERC Post Doctoral Fellowship 1985

Key publications

  1. Wang, A.M., Tian, L.-N., Brown, D.C.W., Svircev, A.M., Stobbs, L.W., and Sanfaçon, H. (2015). "Generation of efficient resistance to Plum pox virus (PPV) in Nicotiana benthamiana and Prunus domestica expressing triple-intron-spanned double-hairpin RNAs simultaneously targeting 5’ and 3’ conserved genomic regions of PPV.", Acta Horticulturae (ISHS), 1063, pp. 77-84.

    2015 - View publication details

  2. Boyetchko, S.M., Svircev, A.M., Zhou, T., Audy, P., Russell, H., and Cote, J. (2015). "Promising bacterial antagonists as biopesticides for control of post-harvest diseases of fruits and vegetables.", Botany 2015, Shaw Convention Center, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, July 25-29, 2015, Oral presentation.

    2015 - View publication details

  3. Wittmann, J., Klumpp, J., Moreno Switt, A.I., Yagubi, A., Ackermann, H.W., Wiedmann, M., Svircev, A., Nash, J.H.E., Kropinski, A.M. (2015). Taxonomic reassessment of N4-like viruses using comparative genomics and proteomics suggests a new subfamily - “Enquartavirinae”. Archives of Virology, [online] 160(12), 3053-3062. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00705-015-2609-6

    2015 - View publication details

  4. Roach, D.R., Sjaarda, D.R., Sjaarda, C.P., Juarez Ayala, C., Howcroft, B., Castle, A.J., and Svircev, A.M. (2015). "Absence of lysogeny in wild populations of Erwinia amylovora and Pantoea agglomerans.", Microbial Biotechnology, 8(3), pp. 510-518. doi : 10.1111/1751-7915.12253

    2015 - View publication details

  5. Soliman, S., Li, X.Z., Shao, S., Behar, M., Svircev, A.M., Tsao, R., Zhou, T. (2015). Potential mycotoxin contamination risks of apple products associated with fungal flora of apple core, 47 585-591. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2014.07.060

    2015 - View publication details

  6. Svircev, A.M., Boyetchko, S.M., and Castle, A.J. (2014). "The biopesticide innovation chain: A template for development of microbial agents from discovery to registration.", Acta Horticulturae (ISHS), 1056, pp. 43-46.

    2014 - View publication details

  7. Yagubi, A.I., Castle, A.J., and Svircev, A.M. (2014). "Sequence analysis of CRISPR arrays of Erwinia amylovora isolates from Canada.", Acta Horticulturae (ISHS), 1056, pp. 149-153.

    2014 - View publication details

  8. Yagubi, A.I., Castle, A.J., Kropinski, A.M., Banks, T.W., Svircev, A.M. (2014). Complete genome sequence of Erwinia amylovora bacteriophage vB_EamM_Ea35-70. Genome Announcements, [online] 2(4), http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/genomeA.00413-14

    2014 - View publication details

  9. Boyetchko, S.M. and Svircev, A.M. (2013). "A Novel Approach for Developing Microbial Biopesticides.", in Mason, P.G. and Gillespie, D.R. (eds.) - Biological Control Programmes in Canada 2001-2012, CABI Publishing, Chapter 5.

    2013 - View publication details

  10. Wang, A.M., Elhiti, M., Wang, H., Li, Y., Tian, L.-N., Svircev, A.M., Sanfaçon, H., and Brown, D.C.W. (2013). "Development of genetic resistance to Plum pox virus in Canada.", 2nd International Symposium on Plum Pox Virus, Olomouc, Czech Republic, September 3-6, 2013.

    2013 - View publication details

  11. Tian, L.-N., Wang, X., Svircev, A.M., Wang, A.M., Sanfaçon, H., Brown, D.C.W., Kohalmi, S.E., and Lu, M. (2013). "Development of Plum pox virus resistance in plum grown in Canada via plant biotechnology.", 2nd International Symposium on Plum Pox Virus, Olomouc, Czech Republic, September 3-6, 2013.

    2013 - View publication details

  12. Svircev, A.M., Boulé, J., Sholberg, P.L., and Castle, A.J. (2013). "Erwinia amylovora (Burrill) Winslow et al., Fire Blight (Enterobacteriaceae).", in Mason, P.G. and Gillespie, D.R. (eds.) - Biological Control Programmes in Canada 2001-2012, CABI Publishing, Wallingford, UK, Chapter 61.

    2013 - View publication details

  13. Roach, D.R., Sjaarda, D.R., Castle, A.J., and Svircev, A.M. (2013). "Host Exopolysaccharide Quantity and Composition Impacts Bacteriophage Pathogenesis of Erwinia amylovora.", Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 79(10), pp. 3249-3256. doi : 10.1128/AEM.00067-13

    2013 - View publication details

  14. Wang, X., Kohalmi, S.E., Svircev, A., Wang, A., Sanfaçon, H., Tian, L. (2013). Silencing of the Host Factor eIF(iso)4E Gene Confers Plum Pox Virus Resistance in Plum. PLoS ONE, [online] 8(1), http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0050627

    2013 - View publication details

  15. Boyetchko, S.M., Zhou, T., Audy, P., and Svircev, A.M. (2012). "Evaluation of promising bacterial strains for biological control of post-harvest and storage decay pathogens on fruits and vegetables.", 4th Joint Saskatchewan-Alberta Plant Pathology Conference: Mapping and cloning of clubroot resistance genes in Brassica species, Lloydminster, SK, Canada, November 5-7, 2012.

    2012 - View publication details

  16. Boyetchko, S.M., Zhou, T., Audy, P., and Svircev, A.M. (2012). "Assessment of bacterial strains for biological control of pathogens causing post-harvest and storage decay of fruits and vegetables.", Canadian Phytopathological Society (CPS) 83rd Annual Meeting and International PPV Meeting, Marriott Gateway On The Falls, Niagara Falls, ON, Canada, June 24-27, 2012, Can. J. Plant Pathol. 35(1):103-104.

    2012 - View publication details

  17. Boyetchko, S.M. and Svircev, A.M. (2012). "Biopesticide Development at AAFC – Update.", Annual meeting of CropLife Canada – technical, Saskatoon,SK, Canada, January 26, 2012. (Presentation)

    2012 - View publication details

  18. Boyetchko, S.M., Zhou, T., Audy, P., and Svircev, A.M. (2012). "Evaluation of promising bacterial strains for biological control of post-harvest and storage decay pathogens on fruits and vegetables.", 4th Joint Saskatchewan-Alberta Plant Pathology Conference, Lloydminster, SK, Canada, November 5-7, 2012.

    2012 - View publication details

  19. Boyetchko, S.M. and Svircev, A.M. (2012). "Biopesticide Research at AAFC: How We Structure Biopesticide Development from a Research Perspective.", Annual meeting of CropLife Canada – regulators and senior managers, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, January 12, 2012. (Presentation)

    2012 - View publication details

  20. Tian, L.-N., Wang, X., Kohalmi, S.E., Svircev, A.M., Wang, A.M., Sanfaçon, H., Brown, D.C.W., and Schneider, K.E. (2012). "Control of the expression of the host factor eIF(iso)4E gene for Plum Pox Virus resistance.", Joint Canadian Phytopathological Society (CPS) 83rd Annual Meeting and International PPV Meeting, Marriott Gateway On The Falls, Niagara Falls, ON, Canada, June 24-27, 2012. (Presentation)

    2012 - View publication details

Research facility

1391 Sandford Street
London, ON N5V 4T3
Canada

Affiliations

  • Adjunct Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University

Language

English