Broadcast Date: February 11, 2026 | 11:00am - 12:00pm Central
Price: FREE for members, $49 for nonmembers
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Webinar Summary
Historically, efforts to develop a bacteriophage-based agent to control Erwinia amylovora, the causal agent of fire blight, began approximately 50 years ago. Phages were isolated from the orchard environment and evaluated for the ability to suppress disease symptoms on apple blossoms. Concurrently, a researcher studying the orchard epiphyte Pantoea agglomerans (formerly Erwinia herbicola) demonstrated that a lysogenic strain (carrying an integrated phage) was able to reduce fire blight symptoms in blossoms. The second historical observation was the inspiration for the development of the phage-carrier biological.
This presentation will provide an overview of our research model, used over multiple years, to develop a biological composed of P. agglomerans cells infected with lytic phages. The process involved simultaneous, overlapping deliverables and stages. Initial enrichment, purification, and isolation resulted in a 45 Erwinia phage library. Each lytic phage in the collection was genomically characterized, and a molecular-based host range was established using a global collection of E. amylovora isolates. Efficacy trials, conducted in vitro, in vivo and in field trials established the ability of single and/or cocktail of phages to control blossom infections. All applied and fundamental research with the lytic Erwinia phages was conducted in parallel with the focus on developing high-efficacy biological that performs reliably under field conditions and can be produced economically at large scale while maintaining stability during long term storage. Orchard trials in 2024 and 2025 with large scale produced and formulated phage-carrier material showed high efficacy, once spray volumes/tree were adjusted to match commercial orchard practices. The presentation will conclude with a discussion of the advantages and challenge(s) associated with phage-carrier-based biologicals.
Webinar Presenters
Moderator: Carolee Bull
Dr. Antonet Svircev
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Dr. Antonet Svircev is a research scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, London Research and Development Centre in Ontario, Canada. Her research projects have focused on the development of a novel biological control agent composed of bacteriophages delivered within a bacterial carrier, for managing blossom blight (Erwinia amylovora) in apple orchards. Research activities included bacteriophage resistance mechanisms, role of exopolysaccharides in phage infection, lysogeny, CRISPRs, molecular determinants of phage host range and the impact of phages on the apple flower microbiome. She has also contributed to studies on antibiotic resistance within the orchard ecosystem. Recent collaborative research with a multi-site research group has resulted in phage-carrier large scale production, formulation development, and two years of efficacy trials in apple orchards.
About the Advances in Phytobacteriology Series
The Bacteriology Committee's educational webinar series aims to promote interdisciplinary and cross-institutional collaboration by disseminating groundbreaking research findings in Phytobacteriology. The goal of the series is to engage the scientific community, the series features insights from leading experts in the field. It also strengthens professional networks to facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange.
After participating in the Bacteriology Committee's educational webinar series, which focuses on groundbreaking research, collaboration, and knowledge sharing, attendees will gain awareness of the latest advancements and technological innovations in bacteriology, while also grasping emerging trends and novel methodologies that are shaping the future of the field. Participants will learn about current collaborative projects and initiatives within the bacteriological community and related disciplines, understanding the impact of recent research findings on shaping the future needs of research in phytobacteriology.
