Also known as cilantro, an important herb crop in Israel for both the local market and export. It is one of the two leading herb crops in terms of cultivation area in the country (along with parsley), estimated at over 30,000 dunams per year dedicated to herbs, with a revenue of approximately 180 million NIS. Coriander is an essential component in the “herb basket” demanded by food chains, local markets, and exporters. In recent summers, specifically from April to October, a significant increase has been observed in the collapse of coriander fields, involving damping-off, chlorosis, and plant collapse. This phenomenon leads to a significant reduction in yield, causes economic harm to farmers, and results in noticeable market shortages. In 2021, following an extensive screening of breeding lines at the Unit of Aromatic and Medicinal Plants in Newe Ya’ar, released the tolerant variety “Smadi” to the market. This variety provided a partial solution to the problem, despite its early bolting. Recently, we completed a selection process from the “Smadi” variety, isolating a line that is also tolerant to Fusarium, late-flowering, and produces a higher yield. This new variety will soon be registered under the name “Smadi-Pro”.
