Ran Erel Ph.D.
Researcher
- Gilat Research Center
- Gilat Research Center, mobile post Negev 2, 85280
- +972-547580414
- +972-8-9928244
Biography
Dr. Ran Erel is a Principal Investigator who graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture at the Hebrew University, specializing in soil and water sciences as well as plant sciences. His early research focused on the response of olive trees to mineral nutrition. During his postdoctoral work at Eco&Sol, INRA, Montpellier, he investigated the key root properties that facilitate phosphorus uptake by maize. Since 2016, Dr. Erel has been a Principal Investigator at the Gilat Research Center, the southern campus of the Agricultural Research Organization (ARO, Volcani Center). His main research interests include root-soil interactions, phosphorus in soil and plant acquisition, and plant responses to nutritional levels.
Education
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2003 - 2005
B.Sc. in Agronomy, Soil and Water Science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
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2006 - 2008
M.Sc. in Plant Sciences in Agriculture from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Volcani Institute, Israel (Summa Cum Laude)
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2009 - 2013
Ph.D.. in Plant Sciences in Agriculture from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Volcani Institute, Israel
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2014 – 2015
Postdoctoral position at. INRA, UMR Eco&Sols Montpellier, France with Prof. Philippe Hinsinger
Research Interests
My lab focuses on three major aspects of plant nutrition:
(1) developing enhanced fertilization strategies for fruit trees.
(2) understanding phosphorus acquisition by roots and the chemical processes in soil that affect phosphorus bioavailability.
(3) studying the environmental and physiological factors that govern calcium allocation to fruits.
I have a particular interest in the physiological responses of plants to nutrient deficiencies or excesses and the complex interactions between plant nutrition and abiotic stress. I am dedicated to understanding how calcium is allocated to fruit under abiotic stresses and to developing strategies to enhance calcium uptake.
Research Areas
- Phosphorus chemistry in soil and phosphate acquisition by plants
- Optimization of fruit trees fertilization
- Calcium allocation to fleshy fruits
- Plant nutrition under abiotic stress