Senior Researcher
Dr. Loukas Kanetis is an Associate Professor of Plant Disease Management at the Department of ABF (CUT). He received his Diploma (BSc & MSc) in Crop Production from the Agricultural University of Athens, Greece and holds a PhD from the Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside in Plant Pathology. Dr. Kanetis has also performed postdoctoral research at the Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, and the CUT. His research integrates basic and applied research to address problems of concern to the Cyprus agribusiness, in terms of plant disease management and fresh produce safety. Towards this direction his work includes research on the etiology, population structure and epidemiology of major plant diseases (pre- and post-harvest), aiming their efficacious management, using chemical and biorational approaches; studies on the phenomenon of site-specific fungicide resistance (detection, mechanisms involved in the development and selection for resistance, and development of anti-resistance strategies); the evaluation and development of alternatives to synthetic pesticides for plant disease management (bio-pesticides); research on the ecology of mycotoxigenic fungi and the factors affecting toxin production for developing management strategies to reduce mycotoxin contamination of fresh produce. Currently, Dr. Kanetis is working on the etiology, epidemiology, and management of grapevine trunk diseases (Esca and Botryosphaeria dieback), employing biorational, and conventional approaches. He has participated in national and EU-funded research projects.
