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STATE OF ISRAEL I MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT   
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About Institutes Public Relations Technology Transfer Students\International Information Center (Library) Administration
שלח באימייל הדפס
 
Name: Yiftach Vaknin Keinan, Ph.D. (Researcher)
Units: Plant SciencesNatural Resources
Research Interests / Job description  
Tel:  03-9683486
Cell: 050-6220486
Email:  yiftachv@volcani.agri.gov.il
Office location:Institute of Plant Sciences. Room #204
Address:
  • B.Sc. Bar Ilan University (Life Sciences).
  • M.Sc. Tel Aviv University (Department of Zoology).
  • Ph.D.  Tel Aviv University (Department of Plant Sciences).
  • Postdoctoral fellow: University of California Davis (Pomology).
Research Interests / Job description
1. Pollination and fertilization biology of cultivated crops and wild plants.
2. Development of the seed-oil plant Jatropha curcas L. as a new biodiesel feedstock.
3. Development of the seed-oil plant Moringa oleifera as a new biodiesel and biomass feedstock.
4. Development of edible sprouts from Israeli native plants.
5. Development of Lemon scented eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora) as a new fresh leaf herb for cooking and water infusions.
6. Development of Eucalyptus sp. as biomass crops for energetic purposes.
7. Breeding for male cultivars of Jojoba.

 Honeybee pollinating Jatropha curcas

Selected Publications:

Vaknin, Y. Yom-Tov Y. and Eisikowitch, D. (1996). Flowering seasonality and flower characteristics of Loranthus acaciae Zucc. (Lorantaceae): implications for advertisement and bird-pollination. Plant Reproduction. 9: 279-285.

Bechar, A., A., Gan-Mor, S., Vaknin, Y., Shmulevich, I., Ronen B. and Eisikowitch, D. (1997). An image analysis technique for accurate counting of pollen on the stigmas. New Phytologist. 137: 639-643.

Vaknin, Y., Gan-Mor, S. and Eisikowitch, D. (1999). Pollen supplementation in almond and pistachio orchards using electrostatic techniques. NUCIS. 8: 20-23.

Vaknin, Y., Gan-Mor, S., Bechar, A., Ronen B. and Eisikowitch, D. (1999). Effects of desiccation and dilution on germinability of almond pollen. Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology. 74: 321-327.

Bechar, A., Shmulevich, I., Eisikowitch, D., Vaknin, Y., Ronen B. and Gan-Mor, S. (1999). Simulation and testing of an electrostatic pollination system. Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers. 42: 1511-1516. (Received the "2000 ASAE Superior paper Award")

Vaknin, Y., Gan-Mor, S., Bechar, A., Ronen B. and Eisikowitch, D. (2000). The role of electrostatic forces in pollination. Plant Systematics and Evolution. 222: 133 142.

Vaknin, Y., and Eisikowitch, D. (2000). Effects of short-term storage on germinability of pistachio pollen. Plant Breeding. 119: 347-350.

Vaknin, Y., Gan-Mor, S., Bechar, A., Ronen B. and Eisikowitch, D. (2001). Improving pollination of almond (Amygdalus communis L.; Rosaceae) using electrostatic techniques. Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology. 76: 208-212.

Vaknin, Y., Gan-Mor, S., Bechar, A., Ronen B. and Eisikowitch, D. (2001). Are flowers morphologically adapted to take advantage of electrostatic forces in pollination? New Phytologist. 152: 301-306.

Benzioni, A. and Vaknin, Y. (2002). Effect of female and male genotypes and of environmental factors on wax composition of jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis (Link) Schneider). Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society. 79: 297-302.

Vaknin, Y., Gan-Mor, S., Bechar, A., Ronen B. and Eisikowitch, D. (2002). Effects of pollen supplementation on cropping success and fruit quality of pistachio (Pistacia vera L.; Anacardiaceae). Plant Breeding. 121: 451-455.

Gan-Mor, S., A. Bechar, B. Ronen D. Eisikowitch, Vaknin Y. (2003). Electrostatic Pollen Applicator Development and Tests for Almond, Kiwi, Date and Pistachio - An Overview. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 19: 119-124.

Gan-Mor, S., A. Bechar, B. Ronen D. Eisikowitch, Vaknin Y. (2003). Improving Electrostatic Pollination inside Tree Canopy via Simulations and Field Tests. Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers. 46: 839-843.

Vaknin, Y., Mills, D. and Benzioni, A. (2003). Pollen production and pollen viability in male Jojoba plants. Industrial Crops and Products. 18: 117-123.    

Martinez-Gomez, P., Sanchez-Perez, R., Vaknin, Y., Dicenta, F. and Gradziel, T. M. (2005). Improved technique for counting chromosomes in almond. Scientia Horticulturae. 105: 139-143.

Polito, VS., Ardhya, M., Dangl, J., Grant, J., Pinney, K., Simon, C., Vaknin, Y. and Weinbaum, S. (2006). Walnut pollination dynamics: pollen flow and pollen loads in walnut orchards. Acta Horticulturae.705: 465-472.

Vaknin, Y. (2006). Effects of immaturity on productivity and nut quality in pistachio (Pistacia vera L.). Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology. 81: 593-598.

Broucqsault, L-M. Vaissiere, B. Morison, N. Vaknin, Y. Cambon, G. (2006). Oignon: des pistes pour gerer les risques de pollution pollinique a grande distance. Bulletin Semences. 191: 34-37.

Vaknin, Y. Hadas, R. Schafferman, D. Murkhovsky, L and Bashan, N. (2007).
The potential of milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.), an Israeli native, as a source of edible sprouts rich in antioxidants. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. 20: 1-8.

Vaknin, Y. Barr, N. and Saranga, Y. (2008). Preliminary investigations into the significance of floral applications of calcium, boron and polyphenols for increased seed set in confection sunflowers (Helianthus annuus L.). Field Crops Research. 107: 155-160.

Steinitz, B., Tabib Y., Gaba, V., Gefen, T. Vaknin, Y. (2008). Vegetative micro-cloning sustaining biodiversity of threatened Moringa species. In Vitro Cell.Dev.Biol.-Plant. 45: 65-71.

Vaknin, Y. Dudai, N. Murkhovsky, L. Gelfandbein, L. Fischer, R and Degani, A. (2009). Effects of pot size on leaf production and essential oil content and composition of Eucalyptus citriodora Hook. (Lemon-scented gum). Journal of Herbs Spices and Medicinal Plants. 15: 1-13.

Gan-Mor, S. Ronen, B. Vaknin, Y. Glik, Y. Samocha, Y. Eisikowitch, D. (2009). Further Studies on Electrostatic Date Pollination - from the Laboratory Bench to Field Unit Performance Test. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. 25: 643-646.

Vaknin, Y. (2009). Electric field imposed by pollen vectors, as a selective force in the evolution of floral morphology - an evolutionary hypothesis. Israel Journal of Plant Sciences. 57: 165-170.

Zaidman, B. Ghanim, M and Vaknin, Y. (2010). Effect of seed weight on seed vigor and early seedling growth of Jatropha curcas, a biodiesel plant. Seed Science and Technology. 38: 758-767

Steinitz, B. Barr, N. Tabib, Y. Vaknin, Y. and Bernstein, N. (2010). Control of in vitro rooting and plant development in Corymbia maculata by silver nitrate, silver thiosulfate and thiosulfate ion. Plant Cell Reports. 29: 1315-1323

Vaknin, Y. Ghanim, M. Samra, S. Dvash, L. Hendelsman, E. Eisikowitch, D. and Samocha, Y. (2011). Predicting Jatropha curcas seed-oil content, oil composition and protein content using near-infrared spectroscopy - a quick and non-destructive method. Industrial Crops and Products. 34: 1029-1034.

Vaknin, Y. (2011). The significance of pollination services for biodiesel feedstocks, with special reference to Jatropha curcas L.: a review. Bioenergy Research. 5: 32-40.

Samra, S. Samocha, Y. Eisikowitch, D. and Vaknin, Y. (2013). Can ants equal honeybees as effective pollinators of the energy crop Jatropha curcas L. under Mediterranean conditions? GCB Bioenergy 6: 756-767.

Shemer, A. Biton, I. Many, Y. Vaknin, Y. Lavee, S. Avidan B. and Ben-Ari, G. 2014. The olive cultivar 'Picual' is an optimal pollen donor for 'Barnea'. Scientia Horticulturae. 1057:191-197.

Samocha, Y. Eisikowitch, D. and Vaknin, Y. 2014. Pollen source effects on fruit and seed traits of Jatropha curcas L. - a renewable biodiesel feedstock. Bioenergy Research. 7: 1270-1279.

Vaknin, Y. Samocha, Y. Eisikowitch, D. 2015. Temporary incidence of polygamomonoecy in the bioediesel plant Jatropha curcas L. is associated with style polymorphism promoting automatic self-pollination. Journal of Pollination Ecology. 15: 38-43.

Cohen-Zinder, H. Leibovitz, Y. Vaknin, G. Sagi, A. Shabtay, Y. Ben-Meir, M. Nikbachat, Y. Portnik,J. Miron. 2015. Effect of feeding Moringa oleifera Lam. silage to lactating cows on digestibility and efficiency of milk Production. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 211: 75-83.  

Degani, A.V. Dudai, N. Bechar, A. and Vaknin, Y. 2016. Shade effects on leaf production and essential oil content and composition of the novel herb Eucalyptus citriodora Hook. Journal of Essential Oil Bearing Plants. 19: 41-420. 

Vaknin, Y. Mishal, A. (2017). The potential of the tropical "miracle tree" Moringa oleifera and its desert relative Moringa peregrina as edible seed-oil and protein crops under Mediterranean conditions. Scientia Horticulturae. 225: 431-437.

Vaknin, Y., Yermiyahu, U., Bar-Tal, A., Samocha, Y. (2018). Global maximization of Jatropha oil production under semi-arid conditions by balancing vegetative growth with reproductive capacity. GCB Bioenergy. 10: 382-392. doi: 10.1111/gcbb.12497.

Vaknin, Y. Mogilevsky, I. (2019). Adaptive variation in vegetative, reproductive and chemical traits of the Mediterranean Silybum marianum L., under desert-adjacent conditions. Israel Journal of Plant Sciences. Israel Journal of Plant Sciences. 66: 112-126. (Invited)

Tel-Zur, N. Rothschild, R. Zurgil, U. Vaknin, Y. (2020). Characterization of Flowering Time and Pollen Production in Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) towards a Strategy for the Selection of Elite Male Genotypes. Agronomy-Basel. 10.4: 592.

Vaknin, Y. Eisikowitch, D. Mishal, A. (2021). Floral and Pollen Traits of Moringa oleifera Lam. and Moringa peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori Provide Reproductive Adaptations for Arid Conditions. Agronomy-Basel. 11: 1090.

Cattan, Y., Patil, D., Vaknin, Y., Rytwo, G., Lakemond, C, Benjamin, O. (2022). Characterization of Moringa oleifera leaf and seed protein extract functionality in emulsion model system. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, Vol. 75. 102903.

 
Articles in reviewed journals in Hebrew:

Badani, H., Vaknin, Y., Forer, Y., Jacob, M., Nashef, K. and Galili, S. (2006). Testing factors affecting bloom in Trifolium taburensis under controlled conditions. Flower World. Oct-Nov 2006: 60-63.

Badani, H., Vaknin, Y., Forer, Y., Jacob, M., Nashef, K. and Galili, S. (2007). The effect of cold temperatures on flowering of Berseem clover (Trifolium Alexandrinum L.) and Beirut clover (Trifolium berytheum Boiss). Flower World. Feb-Mar 2007: 50-52.

Ronen, B., Gan-Mor, S., Glick, Y., Bechar, A., Eisikowitch, D., and Vaknin, Y. (2008). Saving labor and pollen while pollinating palm dates. Alon Hanotea. 62: 23-26.

Shemer, A. Biton, I. Vaknin, Y. Lavi, S. Avidan, B. and Ben-Ari. (2012). Identifying a superior pollenizer for 'Barnea' olives. Alon Hanotea. 66: 22-25.

Vaknin, Y. 2015. Agricultural crops as sustainable feedstock for biofuels in arid regions - Israeli innovations. Ecology & Environment. 6: 204-210


Articles in non-reviewed journals:

Vaknin, Y. (1995). Interrelationships between the Orange tufted Sunbird Nectarinia osea osea (Nectariniidae) and Loranthus acaciae (Loranthaceae). The Torgos. 25: 46-55. (In Hebrew)

Lupo, A, Vaknin, Y. and Eisikowitch, D. (1997). A comparison of pollination of Sweet Cherries (Prunus avium L.) inside a greenhouse to pollination in an opened orchard. Yalkut Ha-Michveret. 39: 10. (In Hebrew)

Vaknin, Y., Gan-Mor, S., Bechar, A., Ronen, B. and Eisikowitch, D. (1999). The role of electrostatic forces in nature and in agriculture. Yalkut Ha-Michveret. 42: 56-61. (In Hebrew)

Vaknin, Y. (1999). An electric bee. National Geographic (Hebrew edition). In: The Israeli point. Vol. 12. (In Hebrew)

Vaknin, Y. (1999). The yellow tufted sunbird- a selective thief. National Geographic (Hebrew edition). In: The Israeli point. Vol. 18. (In Hebrew)

Vaknin, Y., Gan-Mor, S., Bechar, A., Ronen B. and Eisikowitch, D. (2000). Electrostatic pollination of cultivated plants – A novel method of pollen supplementation in agriculture. Australian Journal of Nutgrowers. 14: 14-16. 

Vaknin, Y. (2006). Production of biofuels from plants: green energy as a substitute for fossil oil. Gan Sade Vameshek. 4: 12-14. (In Hebrew)

Vaknin, Y. (2006). Renewable energy sources in Israel: reality or dream? Mashov Haklaut. 209: 44-46. (In Hebrew)

Vaknin, Y. (2006). Development and cultivation of Jatropha curcas as an oil-rich crop for biodiesel production in Israel. Yevul Si. 20: 22-24. (In Hebrew)

Vaknin, Y. (2007). Growing crops for biodiesel in Israel: is it possible and what crop should we choose? Yevul Si. 24: 66-68. (In Hebrew)
Degani, A. and Vaknin, Y. (2007). Tea from lemon scented eucalyptus leaves. Yevul Si. 29: 16-18. (In Hebrew)

Mugilevsky, I. Bashan, N. and Vaknin, Y. (2008). Milk thistle: from a common thorny plant to functional food. Yevul Si. 32: 32-35. (In Hebrew)

Vaknin, Y. (2008). The "food or fuel?", or "food for fuel?" debate. Nir VaTelem. 12: 20-23. (In Hebrew)

Gahnim, M. Barr, Nurit. and Vaknin, Y. (2009). Elucidation of factors affecting pollination and fertilization in confection sunflowers. Yevul Si. 38: 26-29. (In Hebrew)

Vaknin, Y. (2021). Moringa oleifera - The miracle tree and nature's medicine cabinet. Yevul Si. 174: 72-76. (In Hebrew)

 

Articles in Symposia Proceedings (including Acta Horticulturae):

Vaknin, Y., Gan-Mor, S., Bechar, A., Ronen, B. and Eisikowitch, D (1999). Electrostatic pollination of pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) – A novel technique of pollen supplementation in agriculture. XI. GREMPA Meeting on Pistacio and Almonds. Harran University, Faculty of Agriculture – Pistacio Research and Application Center, 1-4 September, Sanliurfa, Turkey.

Polito, VS., Pinney, K., Weinbaum, S., Dangl, J., Grant, Ardhya, M. and Vaknin, Y. (2004). Walnut pollination dynamics: pollen flow in walnut orchards.Vth International Walnut Symposium, November 9-13, 2004, Sorrento, Italy.

Polito, VS., Ardhya, M., Dangl, J., Grant, J., Pinney, K., Simon, C., Vaknin, Y. and Weinbaum, S. (2006). Walnut pollination dynamics: pollen flow and pollen loads in walnut orchards. Acta Horticulturae.705: 465-472.

Vaknin, Y. (2018). Analysis of silymarin content and composition of the Mediterranean milk thistle (Silybum marianum) in Israel reveals unique chemotypes as potential varieties for medicinal purposes. 6th Edition of International Conference on Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Plants. April 16-17, 2018 Amsterdam, Netherlands. 


Book Chapters:

Vaknin, Y., Yermiyahu, U., Bar-Tal, A. (2015). Jatropha curcas L. as a new biofuel feedstock for semi-arid and arid regions and its agro-ecological sustainability issues. In: Sustainable Biofuels Paradigm: An Ecological Assessment of the Future Energy (A. K. Bhardwaj, T. Zenone, and  J. Chen, eds.). The Ecosystem Science and Application (ESA) Series. Published by the Higher Education Press (HEP) in China and De Gruyter in Germany. pp 87-118.

Updated on: 01/03/22 08:38
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