Research objectives
• Introduction and breeding of fruit trees, vegetables, field crops, ornamental crops and forest trees to expand the variety of products for farmers and consumers with improved yield and quality
• Development and application of agro-techniques to improve crop yield and quality
• Development of agricultural methodologies to accommodate climate change, food security and alternative energy sources
• Development of sustainable methodologies for management of pasture lands, forests and open landscapes
• Training and education of next generation scientists in the above areas
Contribution to agriculture
Development of a large repertoire of crop varieties including vegetables, field crops, fruit trees and ornamentals widely grown in Israel and abroad and development of agro-techniques for maximization of yield and quality
External relations
Seed companies, growers, production boards, marketing organizations, regional R & D centers, academic institutions, biotechnology companies, Jewish national fund
Major achievements
Plant breeding and introduction of high yielding and quality cultivars
o Vegetables: tomato, pepper, melon, squash, strawberry, garlic, basil and additional herbs
o Field crops: wheat, chickpea, peanut, sorghum
o Fruit trees: table grapes, citrus, avocado, mango, olives, figs, pomegranate, apricot, almond
o Energy crops: castor bean, Jatropha
o Ornamental crops: Zantedeschia, Hippeastrum, Ornithogalum, Lisianthius, Lilium and others
o Forest trees: pines, eucalyptus
o Development of molecular and genomic tools for the enhancement of breeding programs
Development of Agro-technologies
o Improvement of water use efficiency
o Irrigation with saline and recycled water
o Development of rooting and regeneration protocols
o Development of photo-selective nets for improved production of crops
o Monitoring animal activities and consumption in grazing lands
Improvement of fruit set and quality of fruits and vegetables
o Studying transition to flowering and ripening
o Dissection of genetic basis of fruit color
o Flavor improvement- sugars, organic acids, volatiles
o Control of fruit size and shape
o Improving nutritional value- vitamins, pigments, phenolic compounds
o Reduction of physiological disorders- heat lesions, blossom end rot
o Control of alternate bearing in fruit trees
Adaptation to stress
o Improvement of pollen quality under heat stress
o Development of parthenocarpy
o Coping with reduced yield and quality due to irrigation with saline water
o Conferring resistance to pests and diseases
o Crop drought tolerance
Development of natural resources and open landscapes
o Improving sustainable forest management
o Improving management of open landscapes and quantification of their economic value
o Stabilization and restoration of disturbed soil surfaces
o Improving the productivity of pasture lands in Israel
o Interactions between soil, plants and animals in natural pasture areas
o Characterization of socio-economic aspects of usage of pasture lands
o Collection and storage of seeds of crops wild relatives in Israel
Contact details
Phone: 972-3-9683484
FAX: 972-3-9669583
Email: vcfield@volcani.agri.gov.il